Dubai has issued one of its most decisive rulings in a visa fraud and labour law violation case, with 161 individuals fined a total of over Dh152 million and ordered to be deported. The case, involving fraudulent residency practices and illegal business conduct, reinforces the UAE’s strict enforcement of its immigration and labour regulations.
161 fined and deported over visa scam
In a landmark decision, the Citizenship and Residency Court in Dubai has imposed Dh152,240,000 in fines on 161 individuals found guilty of grave violations related to residency permits, business operations, and labour sponsorships. According to Khaleej Times, investigations revealed that the defendants had shut down their businesses without regularising the visa status of employees under their sponsorship. In addition to failing to meet employer obligations, they were also found to have illegally exploited entry permits, trading and selling visas for personal financial gain. Hundreds of individuals were affected by this system of visa misuse, with permits being issued and sold in clear violation of UAE law. Following the verdict, the Dubai Citizenship and Residency Prosecution confirmed that all 161 defendants were convicted and will be deported after payment of the fines. The ruling is among the most extensive of its kind in terms of both the number of individuals involved and the financial penalties imposed.
Violations of labour law and sponsorship rules
As reported by The National, the individuals involved were of various Asian nationalities and had closed their companies in September 2024 without settling the legal status of the employees they had sponsored. This action directly breached the UAE Labour Law (Federal Law No. 8 of 1980), which requires employers to regularise both the residency and work permits of all employees under their sponsorship. The law outlines strict consequences for violations, including hefty fines, business closures, and deportation, all of which were applied in this case. Authorities noted that the misuse of entry permits and the illegal issuance of residency visas amounted to systematic fraud, impacting the integrity of the UAE’s immigration and labour frameworks.
UAE authorities reaffirm zero-tolerance policy
This case is part of a broader, intensifying crackdown by UAE authorities on residency and visa-related fraud. The General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs has repeatedly warned against engaging in visa trading, unlawful sponsorship, or hiring individuals without valid documentation.In a separate and historic ruling delivered in June this year — described as one of the largest of its kind in the emirate’s history, Dubai’s Citizenship and Residency Court convicted 21 individuals. of various nationalities in another large-scale residency visa fraud case. According to details released by the authorities, the group was found guilty of illegally obtaining and selling 385 UAE residency visas using a front of 33 fake commercial establishments. These businesses existed only on paper and were used to falsely sponsor individuals under sham employment contracts. Once the visas were issued, the companies were shut down, leaving the individuals without legal status or protections.The court imposed fines totalling Dh25.2 million on the 21 convicted defendants in that case, a move that further underscores the UAE’s zero-tolerance approach and its commitment to preserving the legitimacy of its labour and immigration systems.Together, these back-to-back rulings highlight a broader policy direction aimed at eliminating fraudulent practices, protecting vulnerable workers, and reinforcing the UAE’s legal frameworks around employment and residency.
