Thursday, July 02, 2009

Family sponsorship minimum salary to be raised

According to a report in 'Gulf News' the laws regarding family sponsorship are to have some radical changes.

I could be jumping the gun here because if this goes true to form there'll be a 'clarification' tomorrow.

But, today, quoting the Director General of the Naturalisation & Residency Department they report that the minimum salary requirement will be raised to Dh10,000 a month. There will also be a requirement that the family will have independent accommodation.

The new decisions will come into effect when the laws are officially amended.

The NRD says that the decision was made after a Ministry of Interior study on the negative effects of of families living here without sufficient income and suitable accommodation.

They say the minimum wage had to be raised in line with the increased cost of living.

It's a difficult one isn't it.

It makes sense to ensure that people should earn enough to keep their families, pay for health costs, rent and school fees. It also makes sense that they should live in reasonable accommodation.

But with so many salaries way below the new minimum an awful lot of families are going to be separated, and that can't be good.

I wonder, too, whether families who are already living here but were sponsored under the previous minimum salary requirement will be able to stay. Let's say the sponsor is earning Dh8,000 a month. That was enough to bring the family, but now it isn't. What happens to them?

The reporter presumably didn't ask that obvious question because there's no mention of the problem in the report.

The 'Gulf News' report is here.

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

More families will be separated now. Absolutely sad and anyone who has brought this rule does not know nothing about living apart from family. Rather than making it affordable for families to live here by bringing prices down, they are doing the straight oppposite. What are they going to earn from this? Only curses of apart families.

Anonymous said...

I think they are going crazy. It doesnot make sense. They should instead insist on a fair pay for all instead of restricting families. As it is, they have messed up rules like male children about age 18 may not live legally under sponsorship!

Oh The Irrationality!!!

Arun Innah said...

with more buildings coming to the market wonder who is going to fill up the flats in UAE…

Em said...

It seems like they're contradicting their own rules of trying to make it a place for 'families' to live by forcing more people to be 'bachelors'.

And you know what happens when there's more of them around *gasp*

Dubai Jazz said...

This is a little off topic, but it's amazing how bachelors are perceived sometimes. It's like we're bunch of lepers or something.

ZeTallGerman said...

Wow, the UAE government really has one major talent: at making the country less and less appealing and affordable for anyone to stay here... fair enough, let'em I say. They'll just have to learn the hard way.
I do feel sorry for all of those that won't be able to keep their families here. Unfortunately the UAE doesn't seem to understand that somebody who earns 700 or 7.000 Dhs a month loves their family JUST AS MUCH as someone who earns 70,000 Dhs a month. Is it not your right to be with your family?

Anonymous said...

is this condition for Dubai only or all the emirates?

huh...

I am amazed how some officials who sit behind their desks thinking that everyone lives within the boundary of Jumairah and Abu Dhabi and everyone is earning above 20K a month O_o?!

I know many many many families whos the father is earning between 5k and 9k and they live happily under one roof (no sharing) in ajman and sharjah, educating their children too.

Dave said...

I have many colleagues that fall into the 7-10k salary bracket. They do not live in Dubai but chose to live in Sharjah or Ajman and support their families fairly well. I can't believe the report has failed to address what happens to these folk, or will they only find out at visa renewal time?

Anonymous said...

Seabee,
As you rightly said, we shall wait for tomorrow's clarification.

Keef said...

Wasn't the previous level 5000 a month? So this is a 100% increase. Hmm.

Emjay said...

Will they consider families where there are 2 earning members both of whom earn less than 10k?

PS: my word verification today is hyporc. Looks like the swine flu has hit blogger as well.

Anonymous said...

Those officials who make this new law, does'nt value the importance of a family.......they're all crazy...

Anonymous said...

Those pepole who are making thease kidn of rules they are ahaving all thease facililties. i think they shoule feel the pain without staying a family. now whoever is ahaving family of the minimum salary, they are very much happy to stay with their family in one roof.i think they should think once.

Anonymous said...
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Dubai Property Portal said...
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Seabee said...

Jaya and Dubai Property Portal, I've deleted your comments because they are advertising. If you look around the site you'll see I carry no paid advertising and so I certainly don't carry free plugs for people or companies.

Maria Emile said...

Yes the limit of salary on family sponsorship should be excluded it is causing difficulties for some families in getting to Arab Emirates.

Anonymous said...

Very Disappointing news, I think every people have their rights bring their families without any restriction of earning. If they are making such a rule so, don't hire married person below 10,000 Salary.
In my opinion, people do manage to live in 5000-7000 DHS living far from Dubai.

In my suggestion, this decision is to be reconsidered.