UAE firm fined Dh3 million for illegally hiring 60 workers

Abu Dhabi - The firm was found violating labour and immigration laws.

A firm in the UAE has been fined Dh3 million after a court ruled that it had illegally employed 60 workers. The said workers were not under the company's sponsorship.
The Abu Dhabi Court of Cassation upheld earlier rulings by lower courts that ordered the company to pay a Dh50,000 fine for each of the worker (Dh3 million in total). The firm was found violating labour and immigration laws.
Prosecutors had charged the firm with violating residence visa laws and requested for the "maximum penalty".
Both the Abu Dhabi Court of First Instance and the appellate court found the firm guilty, after which its owners appealed the ruling at the emirate's top court.
Under the UAE labour law, an employee must work for the employer at the stated place of business and cannot work for another firm. Additionally, firms are not supposed to employ persons on visit visas or those staying illegally in the country after the expiry of their residence or visit visas. 
Any employer or company that is caught illegally employing workers face a Dh50,000 fine per worker for the first offence, and Dh100,000 fine per worker for repeat violations.
ismail@khaleejtimes.com
 

• Abu Dhabi