Labour and employer wants me to pay 13,000 to cancel my visa
Sep 14, 2009
I resigned as a Receptionist from a private company here in Dubai. I completed only 9 months from my job under a limited contract. I did not give 1 month notice from my resignation and requested for my passport from my boss which he refused to give. I needed to go back home to my home country due to personal reasons. I filed a complaint to the Ministry of Labour dated 14.09.09. The same day after 2 hours of filing my complaint, I received a call from the Ministry of Labour requesting me to go back to their office to settle the matter as my boss is already there. When I arrived, the legal adviser from the Ministry of Labour, my boss, and 2 other labour employees were there. They said my passport is with my boss and my visa is already cancelled but they are asking me to pay Dhs13,000.00. Breakdown would be 5,000 for my visa expense, 3,000 for the labour card, and 5,000 more from which I did not understand the other fees which is included on the breakdown. As from what I've been reading from the law and the web, I just need to pay 1 and half of my current salary. With the ban, I told them they can ban me because I did not intend to go back here in the UAE. Is this legal that they are asking me to pay 13,000? I've been clear that I am willing to pay for my visa expenses which is 1 and a half of my basic salary but I'm definitely not expecting them to demand for me to pay 13,000 which I don't have. Please advice on what should I do.