Punkyfish

Hi all, I have been in Dubai since April 2008 and immediately began work with an employer in the Media and Technology Free Zone. I am on a 2 year LIMITED contract and had a 3 month probation period, which I have fulfilled. Due to many reasons, I really want out of the job. My contract states that it may end when the limited period is up OR by 3 months notice in writing given by either party. My plan is to resign asap and job hunt in that time as I don't reckon that any new employer will wait 3 months! And I want to get out of there pretty quickly! Could somebody please advise if (A) I need an NOC to move jobs consider I'm coming from a free zone (B) Is there any way I could be banned from working in the UAE because I haven't fulfilled a years service, but will serve my contractual notice. The company I work for seem to 'scaremonger' employees about resigning and what might happen to them; I'm trying not to feel like this but need the full facts before resigning. I also have my passport at home.

Any help would be much appreciated and I will update with any progress!

Inselaffen

as you are working in a Free Zone I don't think you will get a ban. The ban is done by the Labour Department, but they have no involvement in your Visa so you should be fine, especially if you go to another Free Zone Company.

Foxes

As you are in a free zone, you will highly unlikely be faced with an labour ban. However worst case scenario you will be faced with - if your employer is truly a nasty piece of work and are well connected within the dubai regulatory authority -they may well spring an immigration ban on you which would result in you being faced with 30 days to leave the UAE and being unable to enter the UAE for the legth of the immigration ban. You can challenge an immigtration ban but it is not easy in the slightest and there are no legal guarantee's that you can over turn it. It purley depends on who you speak to and how you present your case in the immigration dept. However remember this is worst case scenario.

You will have to hand over your passport to your exisiting employer as they will have to have your current residency visa cancelled when you hand in your notice.

best of luck, Foxes

admon

best way to resign from a company here that isn't treating you too good:

raise your hand, upright and flat, with the back of it facing the HR manager.

Tuck your small finger and your thumb into the palm of your hand, so all the HR manager can see is 3 fingers and your hand.

Ask him/her to choose a finger.

Once the HR manage has chosen the finger, tuck the other two fingers into the palm of your hand, leaving the chosen finger protruding upwards.

Hold the position, for as long as it takes for them to get the message...

Punkyfish

Hi evryone, thanks for that - I hope it wont come to a complete ban, but never can be too sure out here...! I'll update once I've resigned.

busybee2

but beware that you may get an immigration ban as they can put them on all people even if they leave their job without any problems and are in the exempted category such as professional staff, but then you will have to get a 'new' employer to sort it out for you if you are lucky to get a new job quickly.

Foxes

In my experience - your new employer will not be able to assist in the above scenario. I was led to believe as it is an immigration issue and not a labour issue - it will be for the individual to sort out directly with the Dept of Naturalisation and Residency.....

busybee2

nah it depends on the employer

Punkyfish

Hi again. I resigned and all seems (operative word!) to be ok - my manager said fine, work your notice and I'll give you and NOC when your notice is up. I have a job interview lined up for later this week and it is within a company in a free zone. As far as I can work out, from checking my contract and speaking to the free zone, as long as you work your notice, do what you are contractually obliged to do, then your employer can't really do anything (unless they are well connected and feeling a bit spiteful) Still a few weeks to go, so will update with any changes or horror stories!

Thanks for all the advice, appreciated.

Foxes

so far so good ! I was told exactly the same thing - but ended up with an immigration ban - best of luck !!

busybee2

yes even if the company are happy with it, you will most probably get an immigration ban, its usually automatic, we had an engineer here so in exempted category leave the company here to go back and work with the same co in uk again, and he got a 6 month ban!

Punkyfish

But why would I get an automatic immigration ban? Don't you have to do something to warrent that? Not meaning to sound naive but surely the free zones can't just hand out bans because people leave their jobs. Surely....! Can you explain that and advise what to do if my employer does make noises about this. Many thanks.

Blue Cat

if you have been on a company visa for less than one year, Immigration can ban you, but I am not 100% sure if this applies to jobs in free zones

Punkyfish

I don't think it does apply to the FZ's, found this on the Gulf News in an article about the joys of the Free Zones:

"In principle there is no six-month ban in the free zones," says Pushpan, Associate partner of Morison Menon chartered accountants, based in the Jebel Ali Free Zone.

"But a company can put the ban on a worker if it can show a reason, he adds. This is unlike Dubai where the ban is automatic," he said.

Will just have to wait and see....thanks again.

Foxes

I was based in a free zone and ended up with an immigration ban....think the 'in principle' quote is very relevant !!!