Dubai: Companies are still sending employees for visa medical tests at Dubai Municipality Health Clinic, even though the certificates are not being accepted by the Ministry of Labour, Gulf News has learnt.

Certificates from the municipality are being rejected by the Ministry, after a UAE Cabinet decision in April that municipal clinics would not be allowed to conduct medical tests for residence and labour visas.

The decision stipulated that the ruling would be enforced from July 1. A health certificate is necessary to get a new employment visa stamped in the passport or to renew an employment visa.

While some municipal medical certificates have earlier been accepted by the Ministry of Labour since the ruling enforcement, many are now being refused.

Typing centres in the Deira area have noticed what is happening. Some people, they say, return to the typing centres asking for a refund on the service, once they find that the municipal certificates have been rejected by the Ministry of Labour.

A manager at one typing centre near the Deira clinic, who did not wish to be named, said: "Many people are coming back and complaining. Certificates from Maktoum and Kuwait hospitals are being accepted, but not from the municipality. There are less people coming for these certificates. Some people are coming in and asking for their money back, but this is not our responsibility. They have to pay for this typing service, they can't get their money back."

Another Deira typist who did not wish to be named, said: "Lots of people are finishing their medicals and then the Labour Ministry refuses to give them a certificate. They used to accept them, but they haven't accepted them now for over one month. Companies are sending their employees for medicals, but then they find out that it's not accepted."

"Then they have to arrange for another medical test, but sometimes the allocated time has expired, so they are fined Dh3,000. They have been asking for their money back from us when they find out that the certificates are not accepted, but they can't have any money back from us."

A human resource manager from a construction company said their employees had to get tested twice, as the health certificates issued by the Dubai Municipality's clinics were rejected for employment visas. "The municipality should not accept fees and applications until the issue is resolved because the practice is causing problem both for employees and employers," he added.

Dubai Municipality did not wish to comment, but said that meetings would be arranged to discuss the matter.

The Ministry of Labour said it is following the UAE Cabinet decision, which is applicable across the emirates.

- With inputs from Siham Al Najami

Tests: New regulations

As of July 1, municipal clinics are not allowed to conduct medical tests for residence and labour visas.

Expatriates need to undergo medical tests for renewal of visas every three years to check for infectious diseases such as HIV/Aids.

Medical facilities run by the preventive medicine department at the Ministry of Health, Dubai Health Authority and Abu Dhabi Health Authority will be responsible for the testing.

In future, private facilities will also be allowed to conduct residence and labour visa medical testing.

-Nina Muslim, Staff Reporter