Parents in the UAE have expressed their relief at new rules allowing them to sponsor male children until the age of 25.
The UAE’s new visa rule will apparently help them cut costs and not stress over visas whether they were visiting as students or tourists.
The updated law does not affect unmarried daughters as they can remain on their parents’ sponsorship indefinitely.
The change was one of many new visas rules approved by the UAE Cabinet on Monday.
Previously, parents could sponsor their sons only until age 18, and then renew for another three years, provided they were studying in a university.
Students used to have to purchase a university’s visa sponsorship if they chose to study in the UAE, while those studying abroad would come back on visit visas to see their families.
Vinay Java, an Indian parent in Sharjah, said the new rule meant his 19-year-old son Rishabh could better plan for his future, including continuing his studies abroad.
“When my son turns 21, he would have to get his own visa and that was a big worry for us. But this announcement yesterday is a huge relief, and we know that he’ll be able to continue his education without us having to worry about how he’ll enter the UAE,” he said.
“Generally for kids his age, the visa is a big worry because they get stressed about having to get visit visa. It’s a headache.”
Because Rishabh is an Indian citizen with a US visa on his passport, he qualifies for a 14-day visa on arrival to the UAE. But that is not long enough for him to spend an entire summer with his family.
Dr Faizal Malik, a parent in Dubai, has a 19-year-old son who is studying in the UK.
Even though his son Rayyan is a UK citizen and can obtain a UAE visit visa on arrival, Dr Faizal said the UAE was his home and preferred to be on a UAE residency visa, so he can have health insurance.
“Having him on a UAE residency visa gives us a lot of comfort, especially during the uncertainty faced due to Covid-19,” said Dr Malik.
“If he’s on a UAE residency visa, he can stay longer if he wishes to and he does not have to pay for a visa every time he visits.”
Dr Malik, the pro vice-chancellor at the Amity University in Dubai, said the new visa law would have a “huge impact” on parents and students because it offered flexibility.
“Students won’t have to look for a student visa once they graduate and they can join a university without this stress,” he said.
“Parents will save costs and avoid the headache of applying for student visas. It’s a win-win situation for all three stakeholders – the parents, students and the university.”
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Our Time Has Come
Alyssa Ayres, Oxford University Press
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The five stages of early child’s play
From Dubai-based clinical psychologist Daniella Salazar:
1. Solitary Play: This is where Infants and toddlers start to play on their own without seeming to notice the people around them. This is the beginning of play.
2. Onlooker play: This occurs where the toddler enjoys watching other people play. There doesn’t necessarily need to be any effort to begin play. They are learning how to imitate behaviours from others. This type of play may also appear in children who are more shy and introverted.
3. Parallel Play: This generally starts when children begin playing side-by-side without any interaction. Even though they aren’t physically interacting they are paying attention to each other. This is the beginning of the desire to be with other children.
4. Associative Play: At around age four or five, children become more interested in each other than in toys and begin to interact more. In this stage children start asking questions and talking about the different activities they are engaging in. They realise they have similar goals in play such as building a tower or playing with cars.
5. Social Play: In this stage children are starting to socialise more. They begin to share ideas and follow certain rules in a game. They slowly learn the definition of teamwork. They get to engage in basic social skills and interests begin to lead social interactions.
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
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The Last Poets
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Director: Jon M Chu
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Name: Ayisha Abdulrahman Gareb
Age: 57
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