UAE issues 2.1mn permits last year

According to the statistics released by the General Directorate for Planning and Development at the Ministry of Interior in UAE it has issued nearly 2.1 million visas and other permits to expatriates for entry into UAE last year. These permits include residence visas, visit visas, work permits and the ones issued to GCC nationals and others.

Of these visas issued, 0.71 million visas which is around 33 percent of the total comprised of visit permits. Workers in the private sector and housemaids made up 87.6 per cent of the work permits issued last year. It is estimated that around 4,76,000 work permits were issued.

Others like drivers and farm workers include 1,35,000 work permits. This category makes up a total of 28.4 per cent of residence visas. Report also indicates that residence visas for non-workers and those sponsored by their spouses such as wives and relatives, totalled nearly 81,700 while tourist visas exceeded 3,03,000.