Abu Dhabi, February 09: A decision allowing teenagers to take up part-time jobs may adversely affect efforts being made to better shape the population make-up, a member of the Federal National Council (FNC) said on Tuesday.
Sultan Saqr Al Suwaidi, a representative from Dubai, explained the decision may encourage foreigners to bring in their children to live, learn and eventually seek further rights.
The decision, which is also applicable to young Emiratis, could lead to an increase in the drop outs from schools, he said.
Al Suwaidi asked the Minister of Labour is the country responsible for providing foreign teenagers with education and jobs to earn their living?
Saqr Gobash Saeed Gobash, Minister of labour, allayed the member’s fears and said that work permits are granted to those who are already in the country and meet strict conditions.
Gobash recalled an incident when the son of General Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, was denied the right to take up a part-time job in a company because there was no law regulationg these work permits.
Students on university sponsorship can also legally work part-time upon receiving a permit from the Ministry of Labour.
The new part-time work permit regulation went into effect this year and is aimed at protecting student rights to stop employers exploiting them, said a ministry official.
It was previously illegal for students above the age of 18 on university sponsorship to take up work unless they transferred their sponsorship to their employer, added the official.
The new part-time work permit decree was issued along with the teenage work permit that allows those aged 15 to 18 to take up work within stringent guidelines.
–Agencies