How to Obtain a Certificate of Unemployment in the UAE

A Certificate of Unemployment or unemployment certificate in the UAE is one important document that may be required for residents or expatriates who lose their job. This is normally required when applying for various benefits, such as unemployment insurance schemes, or proving unemployment status in various legal situations. Obtaining an unemployment certificate in the UAE requires some procedurally observant steps. We are going to walk you through how to get this important document, eligibility criteria, and how Notary Public Dubai can facilitate it for you in this article.

What is a Certificate of Unemployment? 

An unemployment certificate is officially and legally known as the Declaration of Unemployment in the UAE, issued by the government to prove that a particular person is not employed at the moment. Basically, it can be used as proof of unemployment, demanded normally in cases when one needs to get some financial assistance, clear off some legal disputes, or fulfill certain immigration or government service requirements.

Why Do You Need a Certificate of Unemployment? 

You will require a Certificate of Unemployment in the UAE for any of the following purposes:

This unemployment certificate is mainly required in the following scenario:

• To apply for unemployment benefits wherever applicable.
• Legal purposes, like court proceedings.
• To prove your unemployment status for visa or immigration purposes.
• Application for social support or financial assistance.
• Supporting applications for rent or any other financial agreements.
• Immigration Purposes: The certificate turn out to be necessary in some types of visa application processes, as it proves one’s eligibility to meet certain requirements of that particular visa.

Understanding the UAE Employment Framework

The UAE highly regulates its employment law through the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization (MOHRE) and Free Zones. Every employment contract, termination, or resignation should be duly recorded with the ministry or the Free Zone Authority concerned. In this regard, these bodies facilitate the documentation of proof of termination or cessation of employment.

If you are asked to show unemployment proof, you have the following official documents to support:

• Termination Letter: This is provided by the employer and serves as proof that the employment is terminated. This letter contains the reason for termination of your employment.
• Cancellation of Labor Card/Work Permit: Once the employment is cancelled, the respective labor card or work permit gets cancelled too. This letter of cancellation may be used as proof of unemployment.
• Visa Cancellation Document: If your employment is terminated or ends for whatever reason, your employer must cancel your work visa. Cancelled visa can be shown as proof of your unemployment.
• Experience Letter or Certificate of Service: Some employers issue a certificate summarizing your service period with the company and confirming that your employment with them is over.

Steps to Apply for a Certificate of Unemployment in UAE 

1. Request a Termination Letter from Your Employer

The most common and first among the documents used as unemployment proof is a letter of termination. You can formally request such a letter from your employer after the end of your employment. The usual details contained therein are as follows:

• Your full name and designation
• Period of employment
• Date of termination
• Reason for termination – for instance, redundancy and resignation, etc.

This can be signed by the employer and used as a primary document for proving that one is no longer working.

2. Obtain Visa and Labor Card Cancellation Documents

First on the checklist, upon termination, your employer legally needs to cancel your work visa and labour card. These are usually processed by MOHRE – Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization, in the case of mainland companies, or in the case of Free Zone companies, this is processed by the relevant Free Zone Authority. You shall then be issued:

• Visa Cancellation Document: This is an official document from the GDRFA, proving the cancellation of your employment visa.
• Cancelling the Labour Card/Work Permit: In the case of mainland employees, MOHRE will issue a document to prove the cancelling of your Labour Card or Work Permit.

You can request these documents from the employer or fetch them from MOHRE and Free Zones’ online portals.

3. Request an Experience Letter or Certificate of Service

Along with the termination letter and visa cancellation, an experience letter or certificate of service is provided by most employers. It would generally contain:

• A summary of your designation and job description
• Dates of joining and date of leaving
• Confirmation of the end of the job status

This certificate will also be helpful in seeking further employment and as additional support of unemployment status.

4. Legalization of Documents

In most cases, either the attestation or legalization of your unemployment certificate is required in order to be accepted in specific circumstances or foreign countries and even in officially issued documents in the UAE. Generally speaking, legalization means verification by the concerned authority of the UAE, added with an attestation by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the consulate of the country where the document is intended to be used.

How Notary Public Dubai Can Assist You

The whole process of getting an unemployment certificate is cumbersome, involving various authorities, legal formalities, and verification of documents. Notary Public Dubai will facilitate the following ways:

• Documentation: We will ensure proper preparation and submission of documents to avoid possible delays or rejection.
• Legalization and Attestation: We can help you with legalizing and attesting an unemployment certificate for its validity, both locally and internationally.
• Advice by Experts: In situations where some confusion may arise on requirements or how best to obtain an unemployment certificate, our experts avail advice pertaining to the situation at hand.
• Smoothened Procedure: We handle the process on your behalf and save your time and effort for you to utilize elsewhere in thinking about the next step.

Obtaining an unemployment certificate is a great step for many people in the UAE. Notary Public Dubai is here to guide you through every step of the way. You can reach out to us today to find out how we can make this process less cumbersome and more efficient.