Under a recently launched scheme planned to operate in three stages, all expat workers in Dubai will have to undergo compulsory education in their rights, duties and Dubai laws.
Four of the Emirate’s government departments are involved in the newly introduced Workforce Training programme, with the first stage involving blue collar workers now ongoing. The second stage, due next year, will involve expats working in the construction sector and. by 2018, all expatriate workers will be forced to attend the training sessions.
The multi-lingual courses will be structured around three subjects – the Emirate’s labour laws, its cultural norms and social behaviour and the laws relating to safety at work and occupational health. Government departments will organise visits to expat accommodations and the issuing of explanatory leaflets.
Although the first two phases of the trainings are unlikely to affect Western expatriate workers, the third will concentrate on all expat employees whatever their level of occupation. The good news is that the course will only take two days, focusing on resource and crisis management as well as boosting excellence and quality in the workplace.
According to the emirate’s Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammad bin Rashid al Maktoum, the initiative is intended to develop integrated solutions for government concerns and ensure the laws governing foreign workers are adhered to. Involved in the training sessions are the Dubai courts, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization, the Dubai police and the Permanent Committee for Labour Affairs.
