Offer letter is not a labour contract

A reader in Dubai asks: I am an engineer specialised in interior design. Six months ago I received a job offer with a company in Dubai. The offer included salary, commission and house allowance. I came to Dubai on a visit visa as the company promised to issue the employment visa within a month of me joining work. The first task assigned to me was the completion of interior design work in a villa. The client had signed a six-month contract with the company. I also signed a contract with the company as a contractor for the villa project. The company paid 30 per cent of my fees at the beginning of the project, but after the project’s completion, it delayed payment of the balance. Meanwhile, the company failed to issue the employment visa within a month and kept delaying the process. I have now heard that they are not going to proceed with my work visa and will terminate my services. Can I file a labour complaint to obtain my rights? If a worker signs an offer letter, does it mean he is working legally as per the labour law? The questioner cannot file a complaint with the Ministry of Labour because as per the labour law, he has worked in the company illegally. However, the questioner may file a case before the civil court to claim his rights as he was the contractor for the villa project as per the contract signed between the questioner and the company. Finally, working with only an offer letter without getting a work permit from the Ministry of Labour is against the law.

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