New Mandatory Requirement for Pakistanis Seeking UAE Work Visas

Pakistanis Seeking UAE Work Visas have been subjected to a new mandatory requirement. The Bureau of Emigration has now made it compulsory for all applicants to submit a police character certificate in addition to the other requirements.

Adnan Paracha, Vice Chairman of Pakistan Overseas Employment Promoters Association (POEPA) welcomed this decision, pointing out that it addresses complaints raised by the UAE government. According to Paracha, complaints had been lodged regarding some Pakistanis engaging in illegal activities such as begging. He said that the authorities in the UAE have increased regulations in this regard, and applicants should comply with the laws of the country, especially because of the cordial and strong relations between the two nations.

This new demand comes at a time when Pakistanis seeking UAE work visas are facing increasingly high challenges to find work in the UAE, where over 100,000 were unable to find jobs within the last year. Further, the UAE has added an unannounced ban on visit visas for 30 cities in Pakistan to this mix.

The UAE remains the second largest source of remittances for Pakistan after Saudi Arabia, and Paracha urged the Pakistani government to intensify diplomatic efforts to resolve ongoing work visa issues.

Pakistan has also included 4,300 individuals in the Exit Control List (ECL) to prevent increasing numbers of Pakistani beggars from going to Saudi Arabia, a development related to one announced on Wednesday. It comes after Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi met with officials in Saudi Arabia to enhance bilateral ties and address concerns of mutual interest.