The Parliament has approved the amendment proposed to the Employment Act, pertaining to give relevant ministries the authority to review work permits of immigrants every 18 months. This amendment, proposed by Parliamentarian Mohamed Dawood, received parliamentary approval following a thorough analysis by the Parliament's Committee on National Security. The bill was passed with 65 members voting in favour and 10 members who opposed the bill.
The current Act, stipulates the payment of USD129.7 as quota fees to the administrative office, designated by a relevant ministry. It additionally mandates the payment of USD22.7 monthly, as a work permit fee.
The new amendment authorises relevant ministries to review the work permit and quota fees every 18 months. It stipulates that any new fees established following this review must not exceed 30% of the existing fees. Additionally, while the amendment provides the ministries with the authority to adjust the fee amounts, it also outlines a special procedure that must be followed if the fees are to be reduced.