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Anyone knows the procedure to open a case against FZ company? Should we go first to the FZ authority, or Ministry of Labour, or directly to court? The company refuses to pay part of pending salary and end-of-service benefits.

Dude you have a never ending need for lawyers eh?

If memory serves me right did'nt you ask for for recommendations on a divorce lawyer? How's that coming along?

the fz authority, since that's where you contract is held, not with the MOL. if that doesn't work then you can escalate things, but start with your FZ.

@MCL... I don't know why... but bad things keep getting on me and it gets more and more complicated. I was surrounded by liers, fakers and losers.

Do you know deep sh!t? That where I'm in now. I do nothing bad but I (could) lose everything. This is the real situation when 'life is unfair'.

I wish I get a (cheap) legal way to keep staying in Dubai after cancellation. Any companies/locals where I can "buy" a visa?

@nuzbim... I will check with FZ authority (DIC/DMC) tomorrow. Though the work contract was only between me and the company, not FZA. But the sponsorship on visa is FZA.

if the visa is DIC/DMC then they had to register your contract with them, that's how the FZ knows your salary and benenfits. you should have signed an english contract with them and one in arabic that they registered with the FZ.

just goto Tecom and ask about the compliant, since they have issued your visa, they would have to base that on a contract.

good luck

I think the contract held by FZA is the contract between the FZ company (the employer) and FZA. Probably they would attach as well the contract between the employee and employer.

I never sign any contract with FZA. However, when I needed a salary certificate (for family visa sponsorship) I went to FZA for the letter (with the stated salary in the contract between me & company). So I guess it is at least legal & registered.

Any salary increment or cut MUST be registered as well. Otherwise the FZ company would be considered breaching the law/regulation, and that would be a big issue. That's what I got from the officer when helping on ex-colleague's issue.

BTW I read a rule at dubaiinternetcity.com. You're right. It states that any dispute must go throuh FZA first (at least for reference letter). No direct complaints to Ministry of Labour or court. The problem is, it may take a long time to process.

Well if you have any funds left you could setup a "consultancy" in RAK free zone. Its not every expensive ( depending on what is expensive to you )and all you have to do is pay and you get a consultancy license ( the cheapest kind ) Then you can sponsor yourself aswell as your family.

Look it up its very simple and "cheap". I know of two people who have done this. One as a back up and one after being made redundant from a well know developer staring with N.

DDS, thanks for the info. Several months back I was looking also some info for cheap alternatives such as RAK FZ, Knowledge Village, and Dubai non-FZ.

"Every company operating within the RAK FTZ is required to obtain a business license. A business license is a time-limited permit granted to a company to undertake commercial, consulting, service or industrial activities within RAK FTZ. It does not, however, authorise the holder to do business in the UAE - a special agent has to be appointed for trading activities in the UAE market. Each license is valid for one year starting from the date of issue and must be renewed annually."

I couldn't download the PDF flyer on the site to see the details, it's corrupted. However at a point they mention $5000 ish, excluding "special agent" fee to do business outside FZ.

Once I checked with KV, it needs at least 30K to get license (freelance license) and office space rental is mandatory. I asked for consulting business type but what they have is only training business type.

At another website like keybusiness.ae (or you can find also on GulfNews classifieds), starting 15K for non-FZ trade license. This is much better than RAK FZ, at least you can open a real business (trading) in the city. Though I guess there will be other additional fees, which may top at least 30-50K from what I heard. And according to a friend who partnered with local for a small restaurant, the govt officers (municipality/labour) frequently checked that the business is real and the staffs are all working there.

I still hesitate to "waste" 10K or more "just for staying". For sure I haven't got any intention to do own real business (which requires more capital money, no idea what to do/sell exactly, and no guarantee for profits in this difficult time), unless partnered with a sponsor. I'll see the situation within this/next week. I still got a month to stay here (grant period) after cancelation/expiration. But according to the FZA officer, I need to file the case (if needed) before the expiration/cancelation.