Oman’s Ministry of Labour has said that expatriates leaving Oman do not have to pay the fines they have accumulated during their residency in the Sultanate, provided they leave the country permanently.

“Expatriates will be exempted from fees and fines resulting from work permits for non-Omani workforce, provided that they leave the Sultanate for good,” the ministry said in a statement. “Private sector firms are also allowed to terminate the contracts of their non-Omani employees, as long as these establishments commit to pay all workers’ dues and that they will leave the Sultanate forever.”

The rule is valid until the end of the year. It is in accordance with the decisions issued by the Supreme Committee for Tackling COVID-19.

Indians topped the maximum number of arrivals and departures for the month of July, clocking a total number of 30,718 who departed Oman in July and 699 arriving into Oman.

Pakistan came second in this regard with a total of 10,151 leaving Oman and 163 arriving, followed by Bangladesh which recorded 1340 departing and 22 coming in.

Oman has announced resumption of normal flight services from October 1, with Oman’s own carriers, Oman Air and Salam Air, announcing their schedule of operations and resumption of services in a phased manner.

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The Dubai Government has announced the launch of “Retire in Dubai”, a global retirement programme that offers resident expatriates and foreigners aged 55 and above the opportunity to enjoy the emirate’s distinctive lifestyle. The scheme announced by the Dubai Media Office came under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, on September 2.

This is the first such scheme in the region, and is spearheaded by the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) in collaboration with the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA-Dubai). The new initiative showcases Dubai as the world’s preferred retirement destination.

To ensure a competitive offering, Dubai Tourism has worked with its partners to develop key propositions for retirees covering healthcare, real estate, insurance and banking. Details of the offerings, designed to help retirees enjoy a happy and fulfilling life, and all information necessary to start the application process, are available on www.retireindubai.com.

Eligible applicants will be provided a Retirement Visa, renewable every five years. The retiree can choose between one of three financial requirements for eligibility: earning a monthly income of AED20,000 (approx. USD5,500); having savings of AED1 million (approx. USD275,000); or owning a property in Dubai worth AED2 million (approx.USD550,000).

In its initial phase, the programme will focus on UAE residents working in Dubai who have reached retirement age. The programme offers long-term residents of the city who are familiar with Dubai’s value proposition an easy and hassle-free retirement option. Dubai’s close proximity with the native countries of a large majority of residents makes it a convenient retirement destination for them.

Announcing the initiative, His Excellency Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General, Dubai Tourism, said the programme aims to enhance Dubai’s position as an iconic global city and make it the world’s most preferred lifestyle destination. Dubai’s Retirement Readiness strategy will enable expatriates and international retirees to take advantage of the city’s open-door policy, tolerance, and outstanding quality of life and live in one of the world’s fastest growing, culturally diverse cities, he pointed out.

“With the continued support of our stakeholders and partners including GDRFA-Dubai, the retirement programme will contribute towards our tourism economy by facilitating frequent visits from families and friends of the retirees and increasing visitation from markets with a high retiree population. This will also have the wider effect of promoting Dubai as a retiree-friendly destination while highlighting the city’s unparalleled lifestyle and diverse destination offerings and experiences,” he noted.

His Excellency Major General Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri, GDRFA Director-General, said that the retirement programme seeks to enhance the emirate’s position as a prominent destination on the global investment map. Dubai was recently ranked first in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region and 11th globally among the top 20 most popular destinations for venture capital investments for 2020, which validates the strengths of Dubai’s investment environment and its success in creating new opportunities despite the challenges caused by the pandemic.

He said that the initiative will reinforce the emirate’s status as a preferred tourism and lifestyle hub as well as provide a unique lifestyle for retirees, which will help boost economic development in the country and enhance its global reputation as a business and investment centre.

What makes Dubai the ideal destination for retirees

The Retire in Dubai programme revolves around seven key factors that make Dubai the ideal destination for retirees:

Unique Lifestyle: Home to over 200 nationalities, Dubai is a cosmopolitan destination that unites cultures, beliefs, and values under the banner of tolerance and diversity. Although Arabic is the official language, Dubai is a multilingual city where English is the most widely spoken language. Dubai Tourism, in collaboration with its real estate partners Dubai Holding, Meraas and Emaar, and Emirates NBD, has put together banking options that will enable retirees to own a property that fits their lifestyle. The options will be available only to holders of the Retirement Visa.

Convenience: Dubai provides its residents with a comfortable and hassle-free lifestyle, with conveniences ranging from home services to food delivery. It’s a city of affordable luxury where retirees can choose the quality of life they desire.

Recreation: One of the world’s most popular leisure and shopping destinations, living in Dubai will enable retirees to take care of all their needs, whether it’s rest, relaxation or recreation. As the gastronomic capital of the region, Dubai offers a range of culinary experiences catering to all appetites, cultures and budgets. Residents can choose from thousands of cafés, food trucks and restaurants that reflect the exotic cuisines of its resident nationalities, whether it is dished out by Michelin-starred chefs or street vendors. Dubai also provides a diverse and world-class spa offering in a variety of settings whether it’s the beach, the city or desert resorts. For connoisseurs of art and culture, Dubai provides many ways to discover its history and heritage and be part of a vibrant creative community of artists, as well as the opportunity to attend a plethora of festivals and events throughout the year.

An active and fit society: Retirees in Dubai have access to a healthy outdoor lifestyle, with a wide range of fitness options, whether it is strolling or jogging along sandy beaches, relaxing in beautiful gardens or hiking in mountainous Hatta near the Oman border. An active citywide fitness movement driven by the Dubai Fitness Challenge reflects the city’s collective spirit and strong sense of community.

Proximity & connectivity: Combined with its ideal geographical location midway between the West and the East, Dubai’s highly-connected infrastructure – both technological and physical – makes it easy for retirees to connect with and visit friends and family from all over the world. Dubai International (DXB) is one of the busiest airports in the world and connects more than 240 destinations through 140 airlines. With the addition of its second airport Dubai World Central (DWC), connectivity has become one of Dubai’s most compelling advantages. The two home-grown airlines Emirates and flydubai, and over 100 other regular and low-cost airlines to choose from, makes Dubai one of the top cities in the world when it comes to airline connectivity. Moreover, it is perfectly positioned as a gateway to the globe, helping you travel to anywhere in Europe, Asia, and Africa in under eight hours.

World-class healthcare system: Dubai provides the highest quality of healthcare across a range of specialisations. Following the pandemic, Dubai’s robust healthcare system has been further strengthened in line with the highest international benchmarks and best practices. The city continues to be one of the world’s safest destinations. Furthermore, Dubai Tourism has developed price-competitive insurance packages for retirees in cooperation with leading companies in the sector.

Legacy Management: To ensure that retirees can have their affairs planned for and protected, the DIFC Wills Service Centre has developed enhanced wills drafting, registration and probate services at exclusive competitive rates. The services will help retirees enjoy their lives in Dubai confident that their assets are safe and can be passed on to their loved ones.

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DUBAI 28/05/2020
The UAE’s penchant for taking the COVID-19 fight head on was evident as the federal government announced a return to business but with social distancing norms in place. All federal ministries and institutions will function from May 31 at 30 per cent capacity. This will be gradually increased, and will attain 100 percent capacity from June 14, 2020.
As of now, certain categories of people can continue with the remote work system; they include pregnant women, people of determination, and people with chronic diseases like asthma and diabetes.
The emirate of Dubai, which resumed business activities from 6 am to 11 pm on May 27, witnessed a buzz of activity in its streets and public places. Restaurants, cinemas, gyms and recreation centres welcomed back customers while following sterilisation and social distancing precautions.
The National Disinfection Programme will now be from 11 p.m. to 6 am in Dubai while the six other emirates will continue to observe the 8 p.m. to 6 am timings until further notice. The programme, which involved a complete sterilisation of all public spaces and utilities, had begun on the night of March 26 and has continued with complete public support thereafter. The movement restrictions applied to all residents and visitors, except those working in vital sectors. Dubai even went into a 24 hour sterilisation drive from April 5 advising the public to stay at home except for essential purposes.
This has now seen results, and Dubai is cautiously heralding the new normal. The lifeline of many expats, the Dubai Metro, which had resumed on April 26 after a temporary suspension from April 5, was its old bustling self on the first day after the Eid holidays. Trams, buses and the peak-hour traffic jams on the Sharjah-Dubai roads are all back to add to the emirate’s dynamic way of life.
COVID-19 fight and death toll
As of May 27, 883 new cases were reported taking the total number of infected in the country to 31,969. This includes those receiving treatment, recovered cases, and deaths. With the recovery of 389 patients after receiving the necessary medical care, the total number of recoveries in the country now stands at 16,371.
Dr. Amna Al Dahak Al Shamsi, official spokesperson for the UAE government, announced the death of two patients on Wednesday, which took the total number of COVID-related deaths to 255.
“The number of COVID-19 cases still receiving treatment now stands at 15,343 from different nationalities,” she added.
“Regarding the gradual return to normal life and amendments to the National Disinfection Programme, they are being assessed by the relevant committees in every emirate to ensure the readiness of local economic sectors to serve the public and take all preventative measures,” Al Shamsi said.
Repatriation of Indian expatriates
The Indian government had launched the Vande Bharat Mission for the repatriation of stranded Indians in early May. The first repatriation flight ferried 181 passengers from Abu Dhabi to Kochi on May 7. Until June 8, 81 flights will take around 14,000 Indians from the UAE.
Pregnant women and those with medical emergencies are given priority. More than 800 pregnant women have already been repatriated from the UAE to India. At least 6,500 pregnant women in the UAE, have registered with the Indian embassy (in Abu Dhabi) and consulate (in Dubai) to return home to India.

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