The social workers’ community has ‘thanked UAE government for showing magnanimity towards illegal workers’. Several social workers who work closely with the workers’ community have also opined that this decision will protect the most-vulnerable sections of society.

Girish Pant, a social worker who works closely with the Indian consulate, said: “In the case of Indian workers, many are duped by false employment agents. Now even if they face fraud, there is a legal framework to recover the damages.”

He added: “The labour class will benefit the most from this decision. Those who are living in fear can now move out of the country, especially those who’ve lost their passport etc.” Pant also named the new reforms act as a safety net for women whose husbands are stranded in jail. “There are cases where businesses fail and the main breadwinners are jailed. The spouses in such cases have no idea about the company or its finances, and they suffer. Now, the reforms will bring relief to these families,” Pant added. Read More