UAE: Only one-year extension in retirement age for expats

ABU DHABI (Khaleej Times), January 5, 2005: The condition of ‘exempted categories’ will not apply to the extension of retirement age of expatriate workers, Khaleej Times has learnt. Clarifying a recent decision by Minister of Labour and Social Affairs Dr Ali bin Abdulla Al Kaabi, a source at the ministry said a renewal could be approved, regardless of what category a worker is in. “But this will only be decided by the minister,” the source said. The minister issued last Wednesday an order, which stopped issuing of labour permits to workers above the age of 60. However, the order, which came into effect immediately, allows employers to apply for a non-renewable one-year extension. Applications for exemption should be sent directly to the minister’s office, who will look into them personally for approval. An undertaking signed by the employer, stating that he will not ask for a further extension, should be attached along with the application. The new decision annulled all previous rules under which certain categories were exempted, such as experts, doctors, or consultants with expertise in a rare speciality. Under the previous rules, extensions for expatriate workers who are over 60 years of age were renewable up to the age of 67. This new rule limits the retirement age for expatriate workers to 61.