Dubai Forums Dubai Expat Forums Working in Dubai

Can anyone give me some information as to how to go about getting certificates, work records, etc notarized and authenticated here in Canada for work in the Middle East?

I am aware that the documents can be notarized by a lawyer but how does Foreign Affairs authenticate them? Does anyone know the process?

the only papers you need to have attested (as opposed to notarized) are your highest educational qualifications - this is the cornerstone of your labour card being issued.

under a new system these can now be attested in the uae, through empost (Emirates postal services); for other ME/ GCC countries you would have to send the documents to the closest consulate of the country in your country of residency.

the empost service costs about 500 AED - about 135 dollars US per certificate. only have the most relevant ones certified!

if you are married you need to get your marrige certificate attested as well.

notarizing the documents will not count for anything as they won't be recognised here. original certificates are required, don't bring copies (or certified/ notarized copies) with you.

Is this something that can be done in advance at the UAE embassy in your home country to save time? I thought I read somewhere that the documents must be attested in Dubai now. Also, do they really need an original university diploma, or will an authorized copy from the University in question suffice? If I need an actual diploma I will need to order now as it takes a while to process a duplicate (the original original has been framed and won't work for this purpose). Thanks for any advice.

some of the consulates will still attest documents such as shipping documents, certificates of origin etc... they are not supposed to attest education qualifications any more (only empost is now autherised to do this - co-insidently a government department).

they will only attest the original document, they don't physically damage the certificate, but they have to make, bind and stamp the copies. they will NOT accept a copy, as falsified qualifications are very easy to get your hands on in this part of the world!

is it not possible to remove the certificate from the frame????

dxbsoul:

Thank you for your words of wisdom.

no problem as long as you can put up with my crappy spelling

like the .... very true "Life is not measured by the number of breaths you take but by the moments that take your breath away"

No worries, nobody's perfect.........just happy to have received the information.

Thanks DXBsoul- I appreciate the information. I had tried to avoid removing the diploma out of the frame as I worked quite hard to get my degree! However, I’ll just take it out and bring it with me to be on the safe side.

Sorry- meant thanks DBXsoul, not DXB

LBHOO, just try to get them to make any marks on the back and in a less conspicuous spot. Hopefully the certificate will be in decent shape and go back into the frame after.

I have been working in a freezone since i came here and never had to attest any certificates. Does this mean if i ever move to a company outside the freezone i will have to attest them ?

I have been working in a freezone since i came here and never had to attest any certificates. Does this mean if i ever move to a company outside the freezone i will have to attest them ?

yes!

In addition, up until about 3 years ago, attestation was not a pre-requasite for a labour card, so many people working in dubai have qualifications, but not necessarily attested ones. if they transfer to a new employer, they have to have their certificates attested.

Thanks dbxsoul.

One more question while we are at it. Is it true that the educational level required differs from one nationality to the other ?

I heard you only need highschool qualifications if you are an Arab. Although i had a colleague from the UK who didnt have a college degree. So what are the minimum requirments ?

yes, there is a clear set of double standards. western educated people only require the equivalent of a high school completion certificate (uk, us, sa, aus, canada, and most other european countries).

if you are from the philippines, india, china, indonesia, nepal etc.. you require the equivalent of a 3 year post school degree.

if your are employed in any kind of proffessional area such as architecture, medicine, electrical etc... you also require the necissery qualification in that disapline.

although this is not a pre-requisite for unskilled labour catagories - but your labour card only entitles you to be employed as labour - the new regulation they are now looking to impose will aslo restrict labour to a single three year contract with one renewal (total of 6 years), after which the person is required to leave the uae.... i'm not sure if there will be a ban imposed on this - but probably

yes, there is a clear set of double standards. western educated people only require the equivalent of a high school completion certificate (uk, us, sa, aus, canada, and most other european countries).

if you are from the philippines, india, china, indonesia, nepal etc.. you require the equivalent of a 3 year post school degree.

if your are employed in any kind of proffessional area such as architecture, medicine, electrical etc... you also require the necissery qualification in that disapline.

although this is not a pre-requisite for unskilled labour catagories - but your labour card only entitles you to be employed as labour - the new regulation they are now looking to impose will aslo restrict labour to a single three year contract with one renewal (total of 6 years), after which the person is required to leave the uae.... i'm not sure if there will be a ban imposed on this - but probably

DS, do you know whether the new 6 year then leave UAE rule would be applied retrospectively to those already falling into the unskilled labour class. Lets say a workshop attendant who's been living in the UAE for the majority of his life now falls under the 'unskilled' labour class, does this place his time limit in the UAE at 6 years from the time the law is implemented and he renews his visa?

this law if put in place, would be the stupidest thing ever.

There is indeed a limit for unskilled laborers.

As for the merits of such a rule, I will keep my comments to myself.

hi, regarding the retrospective application of the rule, from what i have heard when a currently employed labourer applies for the renewal the renewal will only be for a further 3 years after which he must leave. in other words his current term of employment counts as the first - the extention is then the second term.

Thanks for your input DS.