'As a teacher in the UAE, can I legally also tutor children?'

Question: I am a teacher at a private school but I would like to do some tutoring on the side to earn some extra income. I teach maths, and there is always a call for private lessons for students of all ages. I think my school lets us do this, but I don’t want to ask before knowing what the law permits. I also need to know what I have to do as I don’t want to do anything illegal or annoy my employers.

How do I legally do some tutoring? FC, Abu Dhabi

Answer: Teachers are permitted to do private tutoring in the UAE, but they need to follow certain guidelines and be licensed.

The first step is always to check the contract of employment to see what it says. Does it say anything about additional work? Some contracts may forbid this; others may state that express permission is required. If there is no mention, it would still be wise to obtain formal approval from the employer, especially if they are the sponsor and provide a residency visa.

A No Objection Certificate should be obtained so there is a formal record of approval.

The requirements for private tutoring are set out in UAE Ministerial Resolution No. 710 of 2023, which was introduced by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) in co-ordination with the Ministry of Education. It officially regulates private tutoring.

The system of application for the UAE private teacher work permit has been recently updated and is now in the form of an official digital authorisation. Application is via the MOHRE website or smart app using UAE Pass.

All applicants require a valid Emirates ID and passport, UAE residency visa, personal photo, educational/subject qualifications and a signed Ministry of Education code of conduct, plus the latest educational/experience certificate. All employed teachers should have these items.

There is no fee for the UAE private teacher work permit, and it is valid for two years from the date of issue. The permit covers both in-person and online tutoring, as well as one-on-one or small group lessons. There are different requirements for anyone looking to set up a commercial tutoring agency.

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Q: My question is about cancelling my visa. I have been working for a company for nine months and took unpaid leave. This was agreed by them as my father was unwell.

I have now returned to Dubai, but the company has closed. The owner has left the country. He just left without telling the four employees.

I will need to get another job, and I may have found something, but I still have a visa. If the company is not operating and the owner has gone, what can I do? How can I get my visa cancelled? DN, Sharjah

A: This is an unfortunate and unfair situation, but it should not be hard to arrange cancellation.

It is understood that this was a UAE mainland employer with visa and work permits issued by MOHRE. A person in this situation can file a complaint with MOHRE.

The first step is to contact MOHRE, either by telephone on 600 590000 or by using the MOHRE app to lodge an official complaint against the unreachable or closed company.

MOHRE will try to contact the employer/company. If the employer cannot be reached or fails to respond within the designated window, which is usually five to 10 working days, the ministry can intervene and process a unilateral cancellation of a work permit and labour contract. A receipt to this effect will be issued.

The next step is to get the immigration file cleared to cancel the residency visa.

As the visa was issued in Sharjah, DN should visit a Tasheel or ICP (Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship) centre and request an “exemption cancellation”. This cancels a residency visa without the need for sponsor or employer action.

This process applies to all emirates with the exception of Dubai, which has a slightly different second part of the process.

For visas issued in Dubai, a person needs to visit an Amer centre after going through the MOHRE process. Immigration at Dubai airport should also be able to assist, especially when someone wants to cancel and then immediately leave the country.

If someone has sponsored family members, such as a spouse and children, or any domestic staff, they must completely cancel all dependent visas before immigration will allow them to cancel their own.

Once all items have been cancelled, DN will have the standard grace period. This varies from 30 to 90 days depending on the visa classification. He can secure a new sponsor/employer during this time.

Contact Keren Bobker at keren@holbornassets.com or at www.financialuae.com

The advice provided in our columns does not constitute legal advice and is provided for information only