Dubai Forums Dubai Expat Forums Dubai Expat Help Forum

Hi,

I've searched the archive on the issue of changing jobs once you're in Dubai. I will be coming to Dubai with my current employer based in a Free Zone (DIFC). My understanding from what I've read is that if at some point in the coming year I wanted to switch to work for another company (most likely another one in DIFC) I would be able to do so without any visa/work permit problems. Is this correct?

Depends on your work contract. Some don't allow you to join competitor. Some don't allow you to resign in the first year. Some employ a penalty (e.g. 3 times monthly salary). etc

Is it true that the banning nonsense does not apply to free zones?

gtmash wrote:Is it true that the banning nonsense does not apply to free zones?

This is a real gray area. If you're transferring within the same Free Zone, this should be acceptable. If you're transferring outside or to another Free Zone, I believe you will run into problems.

It's all highly debatable though... and it's hard to get a straight answer from anyone.

Dr.D wrote:This is a real gray area. If you're transferring within the same Free Zone, this should be acceptable. If you're transferring outside or to another Free Zone, I believe you will run into problems.

In fact, I thought it's the other way around. If we have work contract saying that we can't join competitor and can't leave before one year, then suppose we move to another company (competitor) in the same zone (example within DIC/DMC), our company may or may not impose a ban to us, but it could raise a complaint to FZA for not giving employment sponsorship to us from the new company. It's like a "zone-ban", not a "country-ban".

I'm not sure though, but it makes more sense. Otherwise there's no protection for the employers, nobody will come to invest.