Champagnemami:
So I've been in the UAE for all of two years and boy has it been venturesome and hygge?

I've always wanted to write about my struggles in this seducing desert city but just never found the time.

'UAE' is a proper noun but I can't help myself, its always 'the UAE' to me.

I'll be taking y'all through steps on how i got here, how I got a means of livelihood, the stress and joy that comes with the job and all that.

Stay tuned.

Nice right up..

. My question if I hav someone that can help legitimately with 2years work permit. With accomdation and transport all free...

Will the company working for seize the passport while you are working...

Since you are in Dubai legally

Isn't it modern day slavery if your passport is withhold by your employer?

With what I've seen so far on nairaland, this country is not good place for blue collar jobs worker. And to think my bro is adamant on going to this place.
Dubai is a place for fkexing.

Just watched this and it’s truly pathetic. Never really been fascinated about the UAE but I’ve been thinking it would be nice to visit but Bleep it! They’re not going to be getting a dime of my money not even from transit flights.

budaatum:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMh-vlQwrmU

The fact that they keep your passport from you should raise all red flags about the ‘job’ such things should be illegal. OP why don’t you tell us the kind of work you do over there.

Nigeria bad Nigeria bad so people becoming willing to consciously submit themselves to slavery

People should stop breeding like rats in Nigeria to reduce all these unnecessary pressure of ‘taking care of my family abi village’

This is modern day slavery.

Why will they withhold an employee's passport?

I graduated some 7 years ago. I studied English education. Got done with the clarion call, and with as much fierceness and vigor I could muster, faced the labor market.

I started with Abuja. People had told me knocking on company gates could be more favorable than submitting applications on line. The rational was that sometimes there was just a single opening and the company would not bother to announce online. And so with my credentials and CV, I began my door to door job search.

It was that time of the year when the sun in Abuja was as extreme as the ice in Alaska, but I didn't relent When I remember those times, I keep asking myself if some few nuts were unscrewed in my head. I was living with my sis and her family at the time. She kept asking me to slow down but I no gree o . Maybe i thought if I suffered more, the blessing would come faster. And just like that it continued for the next 3 years - every year I would relocate to a different city in search of greener pastures. None of such moves yielded any tangible result. at some point of course I stopped the door to door.

My family could see the misery I was in and reached out. There were two options- go to the UK for a masters, or train to become a nurse. Care job is my 'hatest' job. So deep down I knew it was going to be a masters degree but after the degree then what? Return to Nigeria to face the same labor market?? Though this prospect seemed like a step up, it still wasn't a solution.

The powers that be, the ones footing the bills insisted I went for a nursing course since it was more lucrative. At a point i wanted to say I no do again but my Sis in d UK suggested I come see first and then I'll understand why nursing was it. And so I packed my kaya, headed for the UK.

One day, I had just finished from a campus tour at middle sex university and was just chilling in a cafe. I overhead some people talking about working in the middle east. There was this agency who was locally interviewing for the position of teachers in Dubai and how a CACHE certificate provided an edge. I was able to grab the name of the agency and looked them up online. By the next day, I had registered for a cache course

soleexx:



Nice right up..

. My question if I hav someone that can help legitimately with 2years work permit. With accomdation and transport all free...

Will the company working for seize the passport while you are working...

Since you are in Dubai legally

Sorry dont get your question.
Can you rephrase?

PrincessB1:
This is modern day slavery.


Why will they withhold an employee's passport?

That was the red flag I saw & I decided against going to Dubai when I had the opportunity to work there back in Sept..
When the offer came, I went online to make my research & I found out about the withholding of passport, I confronted the agent & he confirmed it, i told him "even though, I desperately want to leave Nigeria, I cannot trade my freedom.. Seize my passport for 2 yrs? God forbid"
He just said you never ready to travel..

Twizzy30:
With what I've seen so far on nairaland, this country is not good place for blue collar jobs worker. And to think my bro is adamant on going to this place.
Dubai is a place for fkexing.

Dubai can be where your brother blows.
Its important he knows what hes coming here to do first tho.

This place is not like Europe/America where you can do 3 odd jobs and get paid hourly.

You can only do one job here at a time, and sometimes it can last for 12hrs

trueking:

@ the bolded, he also said it's the normal thing, there, why I am concerned is because he's one who is usually on social media, both Facebook and Instagram, but since October 29th there's been no update whatsoever from him, the last time we spoke, he said he got another job and needed his passport from his current employer. He has overstayed his visa for like a year.

Overstaying for a whole year is a lot of cash, 359days × #10k daily + #35k first day of overstay = #3625000. That's a lot of money for someone who isn't working over there best bet for him will be to wait for amnesty, one is coming up in their 2020 Expo..

Champagnemami:


Dubai can be where your brother blows.
Its important he knows what hes coming here to do first tho.

This place is not like Europe/America where you can do 3 odd jobs and get paid hourly.

You can only do one job here at a time, and sometimes it can last for 12hrs

One thing I know about Dubai is that you can live there for long hustling and still be broke or without much.. Not everyone you know in Dubai is comfortable o

Akiliogidi:


That was the red flag I saw & I decided against going to Dubai when I had the opportunity to work there back in Sept..
When the offer came, I went online to make my research & I found out about the withholding of passport, I confronted the agent & he confirmed it, i told him "even though, I desperately want to leave Nigeria, I cannot trade my freedom.. Seize my passport for 2 yrs? God forbid"
He just said you never ready to travel..

Your employer takes your passport to prepare your visa. When he's done, he holds on to it cos he has spent money securing your stay, money you have not worked for. To secure his investment, he holds on to your passport so that you wont run after one month. The day you tire, you walk up to him and tell him you no do again, this is usually after a year. He then returns your passport, cancels your visa, and the system gives you 28 days to either renew or leave the country

Factgist:
One thing I know about Dubai is that you can live there for long hustling and still be broke or without much.. Not everyone you know in Dubai is comfortable o

Sure.
Buh I think its like that everywhere.

soleexx:



Nice right up..

. My question if I hav someone that can help legitimately with 2years work permit. With accomdation and transport all free...

Will the company working for seize the passport while you are working...

Since you are in Dubai legally

Your employer will seize your passport except you are on a freelance visa which is quite different from the 2yrs work visa and the freelance visa is very expensive, just like someone said up there it's more or less modern day slavery but you won't know until you get there and experience it yourself.

“walk up to your boss and tell him you no do again...” and if he doesn’t return the passport like the case of hundred of videos of Arab bosses out there? Why does it have to be one year? And who decides how long? what if the boss decides it’s 5 years or even 10?

Is your passport with your employer?

Champagnemami:


Your employer takes your passport to prepare your visa. When he's done, he holds on to it cos he has spent money securing your stay, money you have not worked for. To secure his investment, he holds on to your passport so that you wont run after one month. The day you tire, you walk up to him and tell him you no do again, this is usually after a year. He then returns your passport, cancels your visa, and the system gives you 28 days to either renew or leave the country

Champagnemami:


Your employer takes your passport to prepare your visa. When he's done, he holds on to it cos he has spent money securing your stay, money you have not worked for. To secure his investment, he holds on to your passport so that you wont run after one month. The day you tire, you walk up to him and tell him you no do again, this is usually after a year. He then returns your passport, cancels your visa, and the system gives you 28 days to either renew or leave the country

Oh OK, thanks for the clarity, the agent never told me this ...
But is it that easy to walk up to your boss to tell him you are not working again? what if he refuses? what next?
Success wishes though, one day be one day I will surely leave Naija

CptCharlesVane:
“walk up to your boss and tell him you no do again...” and if he doesn’t return the passport like the case of hundred of videos of Arab bosses out there? Why does it have to be one year? And who decides how long? what if the boss decides it’s 5 years or even 10?

Is your passport with your employer?

I have my passport with me.

It is illegal here in the UAE to withhold an employees passport. Your passport is your personal property.
Only those kpangolo employers hold on to passport and desperation is why people work for them

though I am desperate to leave Nigeria, but you see UAE I can't try it ooh, which one is seizing my passport so that I no fit move. it's pure modern slavery and this overzealous agents won't tell you such

CptCharlesVane:
“walk up to your boss and tell him you no do again...” and if he doesn’t return the passport like the case of hundred of videos of Arab bosses out there? Why does it have to be one year? And who decides how long? what if the boss decides it’s 5 years or even 10?

Is your passport with your employer?

Most job contracts have a 2year duration.
After one year you're entitled to a paid vacation that includes to and fro flight to your home country. Many of this contract require that you work at least a year b4 you can resign.

In my case, I work as a teacher and I can only resign at the end of an academic session.

Anything short of this is a breach, and can result in a work ban.

If your employer refuses to give you your passport and you're able to make a case against him, he can be blacklisted and deported too. The UAE is not that lawless

Champagnemami:


Your employer takes your passport to prepare your visa. When he's done, he holds on to it cos he has spent money securing your stay, money you have not worked for. To secure his investment, he holds on to your passport so that you wont run after one month. The day you tire, you walk up to him and tell him you no do again, this is usually after a year. He then returns your passport, cancels your visa, and the system gives you 28 days to either renew or leave the country

BS .

Better to remain in Nigeria.

Champagnemami:


Most job contracts have a 2year duration.
After one year you're entitled to a paid vacation that includes to and fro flight to your home country. Many of this contract require that you work at least a year b4 you can resign.

In my case, I work as a teacher and I can only resign at the end of an academic session.

Anything short of this is a breach, and can result in a work ban.

If your employer refuses to give you your passport and you're able to make a case against him, he can be blacklisted and deported too. The UAE is not that lawless

That's if you have the money to make a case against them. .

I see no reason why an employer should withhold one's passport.

Thanks for enlightening us..

janettee:



That's if you have the money to make a case against them. .

I see no reason why an employer should withhold one's passport.

If an employer insists on keeping your passport, you are very free to decline and walk away. It is not by force.

You don't need money to make a case. Simply walk up into a police station.

Over here people cower at d mention of police

Champagnemami:


Hmmmm
sorry Can't bring myself to watch that video

What's your point/question?

Can you throw more light on CACHE certification. Duration and cost thanks

Op thank you for elighting people on this modern day slavery in UAE

@kelechi50

There's slavery everywhere.
Best bet is to stay in your home country.

You think its all rosy in Europe and the Americas.

Yeah granted no one holds your passport but you see instances where people live in advanced countries and dare not make a move out of the country, stuck there for even up to 10yrs cos its a requirement for papers

I be saying it, when u want to travel outside the country, kindly look at the immigration laws of the country you trying to move it. 2 people I know left UAE for US.

Why will someone hold my passport?You already answered this...


Can you guys drive in the UAE?
Working a whole 12hrs? Damn! Thats alot.
How many breaks are there in btw those 12hrs work?
Is there any benefit like medicals/paid time vacation/sick leave? Etc

Cc Champagnemami

Please leave Champagnemami alone y'all. She is not the one that caused all these issues for UAE. she's not an agency, agent or employer, she created this thread to show the other side of living in the UAE legally. Let her proceed please

trueking:
A friend of mine is in Dubai, I know he has overstayed his visa, he was working and he told me his employer has his passport, we used to chat on WhatsApp, all of a sudden nothing from the guy again, even the line sef s not going through anymore, I hope all is well with him. I know he was staying with some Ibo guys like that.

You could have said "some Nigerians" My opinion though

No offense intended

Shalom

Well done. Good insight about UAE

Champagnemami:
@kelechi50

There's slavery everywhere.
Best bet is to stay in your home country.

You think its all rosy in Europe and the Americas.

Yeah granted no one holds your passport but you see instances where people live in advanced countries and dare not make a move out of the country, stuck there for even up to 10yrs cos its a requirement for papers

But at least you can buy a one way ticket and self deport. From what I read on this thread, you can’t self deport in the UAE, you will be thrown in jail because you’re owing fines from your overstay. If that’s true, that’s crazy!