ABU DHABI, 19 SEP, 04 (WAM) - The Ministry of Labour and Social Affairswill begin issuing labour cards for the expatriate men staying in thecountry on the sponsorship of their UAE national wives from September25.

The implementation comes as a result of a Cabinet order issued recentlyto this effect, a senior labour official announced yesterday, accordingto reports in the UAE's dailies.

Between 6,000 and 8,000 individuals will benefit from the move whichwill allow expatriate men married to UAE national women to legally seekemployment in the country without having to change their status from residentson their wife?s sponsorship to employees on employment visas, said DrKhalid Al Khazraji, the Ministry's Under-Secretary for Labour Affairs.

'The new decision to issue labour cards to foreign husbands of localwomen will contribute to the stability of the families and to increasingthe income of many local families, as husbands will be given the freedomto choose the employment opportunities which suit them financially andmorally,' observed Dr Al Khazraji, adding that the husbands of local womenwill no more be under the control of the companies which used to exploitthem in terms of benefits and privileges in order to give them sponsorship.

Earlier, the government did not allow foreign husbands staying in thecountry on the sponsorship of their UAE wives to work. But since the authoritiesallowed a few years ago expatriate wives on their expatriate husbandsvisas to work without changing to the companies' visas provided they obtainlabour cards, the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs has submitteda recommendation to the Cabinet to extend this facility to the categoryof expatriate men married to local women.

'In the past the ministry would reject the applications of expatriatesmarried to local women to work while on their wives' sponsorship. Theregulations then stipulated that the husbands transfer their sponsorshipto the companies employing them,' the under-secretary said, adding thatthe ministry had conducted a field survey and accordingly suggested thenew move which has been given the Cabinet's nod very recently.

Ahmed Khajoor, Assistant Under-Secretary for Planning at the ministry,explained the procedure to apply for labour cards for expatriate husbandsof local wives, saying that the applications can be submitted on the Internetand through the typing centres, noting that the application fee is Dh200.

A new application form had been launched by the ministry for this purposeand it contains information about the company employing the husband, personaldata of the applicant and the details of the labour contract with regardto its duration, nature, number of working hours, the annual leave, thebasic salary and allowances, details about accommodation, among others.

'The ministry will inform the applicant about the status of his applicationwithin three days. In case of approval, the applicant will be notifiedto pay the fees (Dh1, 000) for issuing the labour card in addition tothe Dh200 which would be paid at the time of submitting the transaction,'Mr Khajoor said, observing that the labour card would be mailed to theapplicant when ready.

He spoke about the simplified procedures being followed by the ministryin processing various transactions, pointing to the possibility of furtherfacilities soon after the establishment of an electronic link with theMinistry of Health and the naturalisation and residency departments.

He said that as soon as these links are established, the ministry willnot ask for the health fitness certificate to be submitted by the applicantit will receive the results electronically. The same applies to theentry permit issued by the naturalisation and residency departments, hesaid.