Dubai: Employees that have not received their salaries for two months can demand to change their sponsors without a No Objection Certificate (NOC), according to a new decision by the Ministry of Labour.

Dr Saqr Gobash, the Minister of Labour, issued a directive on Monday which reduced the period after which a worker could demand a sponsor transfer to two months. Earlier, the ministry used to grant a transfer without an NOC to those who had not received their wages for three months.

According to the latest rule, the new employer has to apply to the ministry to transfer unpaid employees on its sponsorship.

However, workers have to submit a report from the inspection department at the ministry, in support of their claim of non-payment of salaries.

The decision also reiterated already existing cases when the ministry could transfer sponsorship without the NOC.

The ministry also decided on Monday that the head of the departments will be able to lift the one-year ban and grant banned employees new work permits. Earlier, only the Minister and the Director General (Undersecretary) had the rights to grant these exemptions.

The one-year ban can be lifted only with the previous employer's approval, in case the employee had left his work without the consent of the employer.

PR jobs are now open

GCC nationals can work as Public Relations Officers (PRO) in companies with more than 100 employees, according to a new ministerial decision.

Earlier, these jobs were limited to UAE nationals only, for companies employing more than 100 people. The PRO, according to the new law, will also be allowed to work for different establishments owned by the same owner.

Moreover, people in the private sector can now be a partner in another company, provided he or she is not an employee in it, even if he does not have a work permit for that company.