ع
The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation listed employing workers without valid permits recruiting or hiring individuals but failing to assign them duties misusing permits for purposes other than those approved shutting down operations without settling employee entitlements and employing minors contrary to regulations as the five violations subject to penalties according to a Gulf News report. These breaches fall under Federal Decree-Law No 33 of 2021 as amended and the ministry has stressed that establishments must meet all legal prerequisites before recruiting foreign labour a statement carried by Emirates 24|7 indicated. The advisory comes as the UAE continues to host a large expatriate workforce with firms hiring from approved countries including Kenya urged to maintain strict adherence to avoid enforcement actions.
Fines for each of the five violations range from Dh100000 roughly KSh 3.7 million to Dh1 million about KSh 37 million and can be multiplied according to the number of affected workers up to a potential cap of Dh10 million under related articles of the labour law Gulf News data shows. A report in Emirates 24|7 noted that the ministry issued the warning to reinforce compliance and safeguard worker rights across the private sector. Employers must ensure work permits align precisely with job descriptions and that no worker is brought into the country without a genuine role the advisory emphasised.
Approximately 30000 Kenyans are employed in the UAE many in domestic service and other sectors making the directive pertinent for recruitment from East Africa Tuko.co.ke figures indicate. Kenya ranks among the UAE-approved labour-sending nations for domestic workers where past enforcement has targeted agencies for related infractions the publication reported. The latest warning builds on earlier crackdowns including fines imposed on 42 recruitment offices for 135 violations in the first half of 2026 according to ministry tallies published by Tuko.co.ke.
Labour violations across the private sector declined 15 percent in the first six months of 2026 compared with the same period a year earlier even as illegal hiring and salary delays remained prominent Khaleej Times reported citing ministry statistics. The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation has deployed digital monitoring and inspections to detect non-compliance including fictitious employment arrangements designed to bypass Emiratisation targets a separate Khaleej Times assessment found. Companies face additional consequences such as suspension of new permit approvals if breaches are confirmed the ministry has stated in prior guidance.
Article 60 of the amended labour law sets the penalty band for these infractions while Article 62 allows for repeated application based on the scale of violations legal summaries in regional outlets such as The Brew News explained. The ministry has called on businesses to review their practices and confirm that all documentation and employee statuses are current before any recruitment or operational changes a Gulf News article detailed. This approach aligns with broader efforts to streamline the labour market that employs millions of expatriates in skilled and support roles across the federation.
