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How is "shocking news": http://www.gulfnews.com/nation/Emiratis ... 49590.html ?

(Gulf News, 26 June, 2006, front page)

I was taken off guard by the article. I am completly against this for the simple fact that a strongly disagree that there are enough nationals qualified to be Human Ressource Managers.

Lets me clear, we are speaking of MANAGERS here and not simply replacing a secretary or PRO that doesn't really need an education. There are many qualified locals, MANY! However, there are more unqualified ones and this decision is a recepe for disaster.

Yes I think it's a bad move, but likely to be revoked when common sense prevails.

Perhaps a better idea would be a quota system where only a certain number of visas granted for certain professions each year. They operate this system for some positions in Australia and whilst not the greatest system in the universe, it would work better than this.

I don't think they quite realise the flow on effect from this. And please people, don't sit on your hands and say "it's just HR and secretaries" because next it could be YOUR field.

I think the expat community needs to make a loud noise on this one. There are plenty of construction jobs... why not make these only open to nationals?

I am working as an HR Manager...and I delegated 12 years of my life to this country. The best years...and I love my job...and I am jealous...

...and I can anticipate the “flow”: with only UAE nationals - HR Managers, it will be soon - 100% Emiratization...Smart move...

oh my God! I though of applying in HR department so I could join my husband who works there! What a dissapointment

Liban wrote:...Lets me clear, we are speaking of MANAGERS here and not simply replacing a secretary or PRO that doesn't really need an education. There are many qualified locals, MANY! However, there are more unqualified ones and this decision is a recepe for disaster.

Moreover, it is not only about education: get to know set of compensation & benefits formulas. If someone works as an HR Manager, he has to implement HR strategy in accordance with the company business approach. For that, someone should have ability TO THINK.

the concept of HR is not understood here. It seems like companies think HR is more clerical. When in my opinion HR is all about strategy and preparing for the future.

this is a ****in joke...

Companies seeking nationals for secretarial positions would have to comply with minimum wage requirements set by the Ministry of Labour on April 5, 2006.

Which means they've been in the practice of paying non-national secretaries below minimum?

yujinn wrote:Which means they've been in the practice of paying non-national secretaries below minimum?

There wasn't any minimum wage until ...

set by the Ministry of Labour on April 5, 2006.

Oh yeah I see some development......Dubai is catching up with the buildings now......sorry Larissa....so sad that it will effect ur job......hope u get another means of living soon

sniper420 wrote:......hope u get another means of living soon

Another means of living? How? Consider that to even get a job in Dubai you have to be specialised in your field... they don't just hire anyone to be HR Managers, they hire people qualified in HR.

And what other means of living will HR Managers be able to get in Dubai with such specific qualifications and experience in HR? I can tell you quite simply... none.

And what of the rest of us? I feel relieved it wasn't my profession, but at the same time, shocked and worried for those expats who do work in HR. Any of our professions could be next if common sense is not seen.

And what of these nationals who are employed into HR positions not because they're good at HR, highly skilled or experienced, but because they're nationals? With the number of HR positions that need to be filled (apparently 30,000) will there be enough qualified nationals? I don't think so, which means some businesses do not have the choice of employing an exceptionally qualified expat over a non-qualified local.

It's not a very smart business move. Personally, if I ran a business in the UAE I would rather go without a HR department and without a secretary rather than have my hiring options reduced.

Call me racist, but the companies with the deep pockets and the ability to provide the environment for the best will be able to take the cream of the HR nationals, and the rest will have to get the dregs.

Great.

We don't have a dedicated HR department and our secretary is not called a secretary

Smart!

Liban wrote:We don't have a dedicated HR department and our secretary is not called a secretary

Smart!

right said liban,

Companies which are not big in size will hire a HR person under a different name. Thats what people are doing they hire a allounder who knows a bit of everything say, someone for marketing with HR as a second specialization. his main focus would be marketing but would double up as HR. but i guess that would be possible only in companies which have limited number of employees. Bigger companies with dedicated HR departments are going to face the brunt.

hope they realize the mistake they are making at this rate every department would have a local head i guess:) there will be a few who will be properly trained but what about the rest.??

cheers,

Jerry

Our HR and office admin are no longer complaining we are so far away being in the FZ. I wonder why

XRW-147 wrote:I wonder why

Yeah, boggles the mind....

Unbelievable decision... I mean there are some qualified nationals but not enough to fil the 30,000 vacancies to be created as quoted from above

Oh, ye, they already started "emiratization" with banks. Result? Now, you have to wait almost a month to get your credit card, running here and there, collecting all possible papers. Recently, Gulf News: Someone has been charged through credit card for purchases he never did. It has been “discovered” that his credit card "links" with someone else’s credit card (completely stranger). So, whenever that person shopping there is a "double charge" for both "linked" credit cards. One more story: recently I “exposed” that money from a cheque I have deposited on 20 of March 2006 still haven't been credited from the cheque owner account. Where is the cheque now - God knows. Quite large sum, by the way.

With such "emiratization”, we will go very far...when all HR Managers will start bringing their cousins, brothers, uncles to the business...