Foreign housemaids must have certificates of good conduct that also show they are not suffering from any psychological problems before they are brought into the UAE, a member of the Federal National Council (FNC) has proposed.
Salim Al Shehi, secretary of the FNC’s defence, interior and foreign affairs committee, also proposed deposits paid by maid supply offices to the state should be extended to one year instead of three months to guarantee the rights of maid employers.
Quoted by the Dubai-based Arabic language daily ‘Emarat Al Youm’, Shehi said employers pay Dh15,000-20,000 to hiring offices to get a housemaid and they cannot recover any of those funds in case they decide to dispose of the maid due to her bad behavior or lack of qualifications.
“Employers are suffering from large financial losses in such cases…there is a need for extending the deposit to one year to guarantee the employer’s rights,” he said.
“Maids must also present certificates of good conduct before they are allowed to come to the UAE. These certificates should also show they are free of any psychological diseases. These terms have become imperative because of the persistent problems caused by the foreign domestic workers in the UAE and other Gulf countries,” he added.