Dubai: Companies holding expired work permits and labour cards registered on their records will not be allowed to obtain new work permits after the amnesty ends, according to the latest ministerial decision.

The Ministry of Labour decision issued yesterday stipulates that companies with expired labour cards of more than two months and expired work permits of more than six months will not be able to get new work permits.

The companies that wish to adjust their situation by cancelling work permits, transferring workers' sponsorship or renewing labour cards have to do so before the amnesty period finishes on September 2.

Regulating market

The Cabinet, in a move to regulate the labour market, had granted a three-month grace period, from June 3, to illegal expatriate workers and their employers to either adjust their status or leave the country without a penalty.

Humaid Bin Deemas, Assistant undersecretary at the ministry said that companies have to understand that they need to have a clean record at the ministry to benefit from its services.

Work permits will also not be granted to companies whose establishment record has expired for more than one year or have fines on their incomplete applications, according to the new procedures.

The decision also stipulates that if a sponsor is a co-partner in a company that has any expired labour cards or work permits, his application will be referred directly to the assistant undersecretary for investigation.

"He will also receive a warning to adjust the situation of the company that he is co-partner of before approval of the work permit application," said Bin Deemas.

Companies will get work permits only after paying their fines.