Dubai: The UAE has postponed the mandatory requirement for a good conduct certificate for employment visas from April 1 until further notice, according to the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation. No time frame is set as to when the security vetting will be resumed, and no reasons were given as to why the checks were suspended.
The rule was introduced on February 4 and meant anyone moving to the UAE had to present a police document from their home nation demonstrating they had no criminal history or convictions. That document had to cover the past five years.
Embassies have described being inundated with requests from their citizens, and said they have struggled to understand the ins and outs of the new rules; some countries appear to have faced more problems than others.
In announcing the regulation earlier, the authorities said that expatriates applying for a job in the UAE must obtain a certificate of good conduct in order to be issued a work permit. The mandatory certificate is essentially a background check for anyone looking to work in the UAE. At the time it was introduced the UAE said the new rules would further improve security in the country.
