I have finished serving my 30-day notice period with my employer, but the company is asking me to wait a further 18 days to cancel my visa.
However, I have another job offer and my new employer is not willing to wait longer for me to start work and apply for my employment visa. What can I do? IG, Abu Dhabi
When an employee has resigned and completed their notice period, it is the responsibility of the employer to cancel the work permit and residency visa.
Unless there is a prior agreement for this to be extended, this should happen on the final day of the notice period and all money due to the worker should also be paid in full. This is standard procedure.
The cancellation of a work visa should only take one or two working days. If an employer fails to cancel a visa, the employee should register a case with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation. This can be by telephone on 800 60 or through its website, which has a helpful chat function.
The ministry will contact the employer to tell them to take immediate action. In most cases, this will be sufficient to resolve the problem.
The employer is acting contrary to government guidance, as well as inconveniencing IG, which is unprofessional and unfair.
I left the UAE and now live in the UK, where I have set up a small business. I have clients in the UAE and will be invoicing them for my services, but am confused about how this works for value-added tax.
I plan to register for VAT in the UK but how should I invoice my UAE clients when it comes to VAT? Should I do this at UK rates or UAE rates? SB, UK
The cancellation of a work visa should only take one or two working days
Keren Bobker,
senior partner at Holborn Assets
VAT is a specialist subject, particularly when different countries are concerned, so I sought advice from Gemma Nye, manager of Dubai-based Go Figure Accountancy.
Ms Nye said: “Non-residents who make taxable supplies [a term for supplying goods and services on which VAT can be charged] in the UAE will be required to register for VAT unless there is any other UAE resident person who is responsible for accounting for VAT on their behalf. This exclusion may apply where the UAE client is VAT-registered and, therefore, required to account for VAT under a reverse-charge mechanism in respect of a purchase from a non-resident.”
A reverse-charge mechanism is one where the end-customer pays the tax directly to the government. The supplier does not have to pay VAT on import items or services, so the obligation of reporting a VAT transaction is shifted from the seller to the recipient.
“If a person is not registered for VAT in the UAE, they must not charge UAE VAT at 5 per cent when invoicing clients. To charge VAT, a person or entity must have a tax registration number from the Federal Tax Authority,” Ms Nye said.
“In relation to charging UK VAT, the application of UK VAT is determined on the ‘place of supply’. If the supply is in the UK, it is subject to UK VAT. If the supply is in another country, it is said to be ‘outside the scope’ of UK VAT.”
The situation can be different depending on whether the business is supplying a consumer, meaning a person or another business.
“The UK VAT Notice 741A section 6.3 says that the place of supply for a business-to-business supply is where the customer belongs. Section 6.2 states the general rule for business-to-consumer supplies of services is that the place of supply is where the supplier belongs, irrespective of the location of their customer,” Ms Nye said.
“It is important to read the full UK VAT notice outlining how you determine ‘place of supply’ as there are some exemptions dependent on your business activity.”
Cross-border taxation can be complex, so it is always best to obtain professional advice based on a specific situation.
I recently started a new job and my employer has applied for my visa and work permit. Before I started, it was agreed that I would be able to take unpaid leave after a few weeks for something that was booked some time ago.
However, I am concerned whether I will receive my passport back in time. How long does it usually take for a visa application to be completed? CC, Abu Dhabi
Once the application has been submitted to the ministry and the candidate takes the medical test, the process of issuing the visa should not take long.
In most cases, the time frame is seven to 10 working days, although a good public relations officer can usually fast-track an urgent application in a few days.
Keren Bobker is an independent financial adviser and senior partner with Holborn Assets in Dubai, with more than 25 years’ experience. Contact her at keren@holbornassets.com. Follow her on Twitter at @FinancialUAE
The advice provided in our columns does not constitute legal advice and is provided for information only
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10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
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Cyber crime - This includes fraud, impersonation, scams and deepfake technology, tactics that are increasingly targeting infrastructure and exploiting human vulnerabilities.
Cyber terrorism - Social media platforms are used to spread radical ideologies, misinformation and disinformation, often with the aim of disrupting critical infrastructure such as power grids.
Cyber warfare - Shaped by geopolitical tension, hostile actors seek to infiltrate and compromise national infrastructure, using one country’s systems as a springboard to launch attacks on others.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Why the Tourist Club?
Originally, The Club (which many people chose to call the “British Club”) was the only place where one could use the beach with changing rooms and a shower, and get refreshments.
In the early 1970s, the Government of Abu Dhabi wanted to give more people a place to get together on the beach, with some facilities for children. The place chosen was where the annual boat race was held, which Sheikh Zayed always attended and which brought crowds of locals and expatriates to the stretch of beach to the left of Le Méridien and the Marina.
It started with a round two-storey building, erected in about two weeks by Orient Contracting for Sheikh Zayed to use at one these races. Soon many facilities were planned and built, and members were invited to join.
Why it was called “Nadi Al Siyahi” is beyond me. But it is likely that one wanted to convey the idea that this was open to all comers. Because there was no danger of encountering alcohol on the premises, unlike at The Club, it was a place in particular for the many Arab expatriate civil servants to join. Initially the fees were very low and membership was offered free to many people, too.
Eventually there was a skating rink, bowling and many other amusements.
Frauke Heard-Bey is a historian and has lived in Abu Dhabi since 1968.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Try out the test yourself
Q1 Suppose you had $100 in a savings account and the interest rate was 2 per cent per year. After five years, how much do you think you would have in the account if you left the money to grow?
a) More than $102
b) Exactly $102
c) Less than $102
d) Do not know
e) Refuse to answer
Q2 Imagine that the interest rate on your savings account was 1 per cent per year and inflation was 2 per cent per year. After one year, how much would you be able to buy with the money in this account?
a) More than today
b) Exactly the same as today
c) Less than today
d) Do not know
e) Refuse to answer
Q4 Do you think that the following statement is true or false? “Buying a single company stock usually provides a safer return than a stock mutual fund.”
a) True
b) False
d) Do not know
e) Refuse to answer
The “Big Three” financial literacy questions were created by Professors Annamaria Lusardi of the George Washington School of Business and Olivia Mitchell, of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Answers: Q1 More than $102 (compound interest). Q2 Less than today (inflation). Q3 False (diversification).
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
