Maid hopes to start life afresh after living illegally in UAE for 12 years

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Tangalin wants to remain in the UAE so that she can continue earning a salary.- Supplied photo
Tangalin wants to remain in the UAE so that she can continue earning a salary.- Supplied photo

Ajman - She hopes to find a job with an employer who can offer her a decent salary package.

By Sarwat Nasir

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Published: Tue 14 Aug 2018, 5:00 PM

Last updated: Tue 14 Aug 2018, 8:55 PM

A Filipina housemaid in Ajman absconded from her employer many years ago, as her boss failed to give her a salary or a visa. Now, the expat is hoping to restart her life after living illegally in the UAE for 12 years, causing her to take on jobs that pay less than Dh1,000 per month.
Flora Tangalin, a 44-year-old Filipina who moved to Ajman in 2005, was one of the many housemaids who visited the amnesty tent in Ajman to rectify their illegal status through the three-month long amnesty programme.
Tangalin said when she first moved to the UAE, she was hired as a housemaid by an employer who fed her with "false hopes".
"I was promised a visa and a good salary, but, they never paid me. I had young kids to take care of back then. Each month, it was the same excuse. Eventually, I decided that it was time to leave. So, I ran away and looked for other jobs. I was unlucky and no one gave me a visa or helped me, which is why I have been illegal here for 12 years," Tangalin said. Her children are now grown up, but she still has to take care of her elderly mother who relies on her for financial support.
"My father passed away and my mother is all alone. I have not seen her or my children in 12 years. My mother had stroke two times and she needs my support to cover her medical expenses."
Tangalin wants to remain in the UAE so that she can continue earning a salary. She hopes to land a higher-paying job in order to take care of her mother.
"Living illegally here, I had no other option but to take jobs that pay very little money. They weren't permanent jobs, but, one-time jobs that paid Dh150. I was able to make Dh700 per month, sometimes more or less," she said.
After Tangalin rectifies her status, she hopes to find a job with an employer who can offer her a decent salary package.
"We have laws that protects housemaids now. We are legally allowed to have an annual leave, salary on time and a day off each week. The times have changed and our rights are protected. I now have a chance to fix my visa and find a good job," she said.
sarwat@khaleejtimes.com  
 


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