The Federal National Council has approved the plan in a bid to reduce the costs associated with obtaining work permits…

Work permits are a requirement for anyone undertaking employment in the UAE. But the current two-year work permit is set to be extended to three-years, according to the Federal National Council (FNC).

The FNC, which is the UAE’s parliamentary body, approved the extension of work permits by a year during a meeting this week, as per Khaleej Times. The move is set to reduce the costs associated with getting work permits. All work permits are issued by the UAE’s Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE), although a timeline for the roll out wasn’t given.

During the same meeting, the FNC considered a number of chances to work permits and fees, as per a report submitted by the FNC Committee on Financial, Economic and Industrial Affairs.

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The FNC approved a proposal to mandate workers spend at least a year with an employer after the probationary period, although the requirement can be removed should both parties agree. The same report by the committee proposed waiving work permit fees when an individual changes jobs.

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