'A proposal to lift the ban will be submitted to the higher authorities for approval.

Once approved, the ban will be lifted at the federal level.'

The ruling, which was issued in April, banned expatriates for six months from transferring their visas to other sponsors or applying for new jobs the moment they cancel their residence visas.

Once the ban is lifted, all residency departments will apply the old rules under which expatriates falling under the categories exempted in a previous cabinet order need not leave the UAE for six months and return on a new sponsor's visa.

At present, only expatriate employees who are eligible for a sponsorship transfer and who meet all the stipulated conditions, including the consent of his/her sponsor, completion of one-year in a company and a valid residence visa among others, will be eligible to change jobs within the country without inviting the six-month ban.

The categories exempted by the ministry from a six-month ban upon cancellation currently include doctors, nurses, teachers, engineers, heavy vehicle drivers, bus drivers and computer technicians among others.