UAE Suspends Good Conduct Certificate for Immigrant Workers

The requirement of good conduct certificate to obtain employment visas has been suspended by United Arab Emirates temporarily across the country until further notice, an official circular said, according to the Khaleej Times.

The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MoFA) sent a letter on March 29 to embassies and consulates across the country that confirmed the news.

The Consulate General of India in Dubai took to the social media to make the announcement.

It is confirmed that we have received communication from Government of UAE, that good conduct certificate for employment visas is temporarily suspended.

— India in Dubai (@cgidubai) April 1, 2018

“The Cabinet has issued a decision temporarily suspending the security background checks of foreign workers applying for new work visas,” the Gulf News reported, citing a source from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. From April 1, 2018, all embassies and consulates have been asked not to request the certificate for work applicants.

The move has been welcomed by embassies and consulates, with some saying that it is a great development. “It will remove the uncertainties that had emerged since the requirement for a Good Conduct Certificate was introduced in February. We continue to work closely with our friends in the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization to ensure a streamlined and orderly process for recruitment of Indian workers and professionals into UAE,” Navdeep Singh Suri, the ambassador of India to the UAE, was quoted as saying by Khaleej Times.

The security background checks of foreign workers who were applying for new work visas in UAE began from Feb. 4. In a circular issued by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE), the decision to postpone the good conduct certificate was announced to all Tasheel centers processing work permits and employment visas on April 1.

Thousands of expat workers, including Indians, were struggling to get a Certificate of Good Conduct (CGC), which was made mandatory earlier for job aspirants seeking to obtain a work visa in the country. The long waiting time, expensive procedure, and lack of clarity were making it tough for those seeking a CGC or police clearance certificate (PCC).

It was announced in January that new job seekers looking to obtain a work visa in the UAE will have to produce a Certificate of Good Conduct.