The UAE government has launched the “work bundle” to facilitate applications for residence visas and work permits for employees in the private sector. The first phase of the initiative will be implemented in Dubai, and will be gradually expanded to include other emirates, announced Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. Sheikh Mohammed said the “work bundle” is part of the government’s “Zero Bureaucracy” initiative designed to “expedite, simplify, and streamline the processes related to residency and employment.” The "work bundle" provides one platform for applications instead of five, reducing the number of steps from 15 to only five, and cutting the processing period from 30 days to five days.

How does ‘work bundle’ work?

The work bundle offers a single platform to complete employment services including renewal, cancellation, medical examination, and fingerprinting. It will be provided as a first phase on the Invest in Dubai platform, and it is also planned to be available on a number of other government online platforms and in workinuae.ae. The service include the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship, Customs and Ports Security, General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai, and Dubai Health. The project is supported by the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism and Digital Dubai. With one platform instead of five for work permits and residence visa applications, procedures are reduced from eight services to a single platform, and from 15 steps requiring 16 documents, to only five steps and five documents. The service also reduces the number of government office visits from seven to only two. It will also only take five working days to process each transaction instead of 30. Steps for recruiting a new employee from outside the country include filling out the unified application, and issuing a work permit for the employee, then the employee should continue to complete the residence procedures, which include medical examination and issuance of the Emirates ID. Renewal service requires the company owner to fill out the unified application, then the employee completes the medical examination and is issued an Emirates ID. ICA/Expat Media
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