Dubai Forums Dubai Expat Forums Working in Dubai

I emigrated to Dubai in May 2008 from the UK. I was offered a job with DAMAC Properties as a Senior Sales Consultant. Due to the Global crisis, I was layed off on 11th Nov ’08 and was given a 6 hours notice. I was told that within 2 days came I will be given my settlement. And I will be entitled to a NOC. I got my settlement from them after 1 month because I phoned and emailed every other day. Unfortunately, the bank has frozen my account because I had a car loan with them. I can afford the monthly payments for the next 18 months, but the bank is not interested in this.

It was & still is a very scary time out here. Damac cancelled my Labour card on Dec 17th having said they will not do so until 21st Dec. They can’t cancel my Visa as I have sponsored my family (wife & 4 kids). I am not prepared to cancel my family’s visas until I have the NOC. Am I right in doing this? After weeks of searching for a job, I finally started working again in the first week of Jan ’09 in Tourism & Travel.

I have been given a job offer letter & trade license by my new employer to show Damac so I can get an NOC. After weeks of calling them, today Damac’s H.O. called me said that my NOC had been rejected!!! WHY???

I am in desperate need for transferring of my Visa or getting a new one without the family having to re-apply and go for blood tests and the like.

Can someone explain how I can do this? I have been told today that if I apply for a visa in the name of my new employer, once it is accepted in principal by the Immigration/Visa dept, I have to pay AED 5,000 as a deposit to them to secure the Visa’s for my family. I then call Damac to come down to the Visa dept and ask them to cancel my visa. Thus not getting a ban.

Why would a NOC be rejected in the first place?
What can I do?
My tenancy expires in my current flat in 3wks. (Current rent is AED 220,000). Can’t afford to re-new.
I have this month managed to open a new bank account, but how long to I have to wait to apply for a loan?
Will my current landlord just kick me out?
What if I can’t get a loan, where will I go?

Scared & worried…Please help.

The situation that you have described is awful, why the hell Damac is doing this is beyond belief. Have you considered approaching the Labour Dept.?
I would preume that the reason for Damac terminating your employment was simply redundancy.

Thanks for the kwik reply S & O. I didn't want to swear and there is so MUCH more they have done to me and don't have a care in the world.
Am so low at the moment that I'm having wrong thoughts of leaving this world due to DAMAC. It won't solve anything and would only hurt my family.

I have to be strong in this situation, but just need guidance.

It was simply redundancy due to cost-cutting measures. I did nothing wrong, but am being punished BIG time. DAMAC don't give a flying F*%K for ex-staff. They are just downright rude and un-cooprative. So you suggest I call the Labour Dept. I will do so 2moro now.

Thnx.

3sheikh wrote:Thanks for the kwik reply S & O. I didn't want to swear and there is so MUCH more they have done to me and don't have a care in the world.
Am so low at the moment that I'm having wrong thoughts of leaving this world due to DAMAC. It won't solve anything and would only hurt my family.

I have to be strong in this situation, but just need guidance.

It was simply redundancy due to cost-cutting measures. I did nothing wrong, but am being punished BIG time. DAMAC don't give a flying F*%K for ex-staff. They are just downright rude and un-cooprative. So you suggest I call the Labour Dept. I will do so 2moro now.

Thnx.

Good luck on that call, and hey, keep your head up man, suffice to say that they will get it back in spades in due time.

hi there,

my tuppence worth. your only realistic an option is the labour department, they are the only ones who can prevent you from being banned at the moment.

you have not worked out a full 1 year of your current labour contract, so even if DAMAC had to provide you with a NOC you would still be banned - have a look at the posting above i did on bans it gives you all of the information.

DAMAC, sad as it may seem is not obliged to provide you or any of their staff irrispective of the legnth of service with a NOC - this is provided at the sole descression of the employer and is not an entitlement!

hi the labour office tomorrow and see if they are prepared to help out. it is obviously better if you can say you have a new position in hand!

3sheikh,

I just want to give you my support in these troubled times. I see you are having a very difficult time, and I can understand your reasoning.

Just think about your family and support eachother. The only thing that is worth working for, is your family so try to keep them strong. As you probably know, your lady and your kids need a bearing to hold on to these rough times they face. And your true job as a man is to keep the spirit up so they will believe in you and treasure you for it.

Good luck and be strong. Hope my support will strengthen you a bit.

brgds,

I would like to thank you all who replied and gave comfort and support in the this forum. I got my passport back from Damac last Sunday and was asked to pay AED 130. This is returnable, when I get back from my Oman visa run later this month.

I found out today that I cannot get the ban lifted without the NOC, so for the family's sake, we have decided that we will be returning to the UK (much to our annoyance). From one hell hole, back to another!!We will fly back next month. It has been fun for about 1wk out of 52!!! We can't rent without a visa, so how can we stay??

Can't wait to tell the media over there about the shit that happens out here and how they suck you in and get you trapped in a Visa rut. What a load of tosh. Damac & Duabi will change eventually, but not before they con more people and their wallets.

Shk Mo needs to take action and get the Emirate to change.

Good Luck to you all who are brave enough to stay and see it out.

Hang in there. When one door closes, another opens. Maybe, just maybe, this was meant to be and something will happen in the UK to turn things around for you. Just remember, after every storm there is a rainbow. You will get through this. And you are not alone. I am sure you have a loving and supporting wife. Some people are in this alone, away from family and no one to give them that hug and to turn to. You have that and that has to be comforting.

I know that the labor department lifted bans on some staff that was terminated by the Monarch Hotel (last year before the redundencies!). Apparently due to the number of people who showed up asking for the ban was enough for the labor department to overturn it. There may be others from Damac who has had the same experience and went to the labor department. You may want to try and state your case to them. What the hell, you have nothing to lose right?

Good luck to you and keep us posted as to how things go for you.