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Dubai: Recruitment agencies must be managed and owned by Emiratis only and those who break this law will be prosecuted, and would face hefty fines and jailed.

"Recruitment agencies cannot be owned or managed by expatriates or rented to expatriates," said a senior official from the Ministry of Labour.

In a meeting with owners of labour recruitment agencies at the Ministry of Labour premises yesterday Humaid Bin Deemas, acting Director-General, said that the meeting was only for Emiratis and expatriates cannot talk or participate in the meeting.

He told the gathering that he will not accept any comment or question or discussion from expatriates or from PROs (Public Relations Officers).

Bin Deemas told an Arab expatriate in the meeting that he does not have the right to speak because he was an expatriate.

"I invited only Emiratis not expatriates to attend this meeting to discuss the new decision of the Ministry of Labour No1283/2010 on regulating and licensing private recruitment agencies," he said.

He said the government has decided that recruitment agencies must be owned and managed by Emiratis.

"This is a very serious issue and cannot be compromised. I have cooperated with public prosecutions in Dubai and we will work together on strictly implementing this law," he said. Bin Deemas warned that there is law in the country and there are strict ways to enforce that law.

He said Emiratis who wish to obtain recruitment agency licence must pay a guarantee of Dh300,000 and Dh50,000 and Dh25,000 for renewing the same each year.

The ministry had until recently stopped issuing recruitment agencies licences but then began issuing it now in order to encourage Emiratis to own and work in that field.

He said there cannot be any compromise on the policy of Emiratisation and recruitment agencies "form the base of our labour market so it should be owned and managed by Emiratis in order to protect the country".

"If such agencies are managed or owned by expatriates that will be dangerous for our country," he said.

He added that he cannot accept a Filipino, Indian, Indonesian or any other nationality to own or manage recruitment agency here.

He said expatriates cost the country each year around Dh50 billion spending on water, electricity, gas and other utilities and social services.

Bin Deemas said the department of economic development have no right to issue labour recruitment licences.

The official said there will be a new law of 50 articles to regulate the domestic helpers' entry into the country.

"The law will also protect labour agencies from interference from police and Residency and Foreigners Affairs officials," he said. The constitution stresses on giving job opportunities to Emiratis and not to expatriates, he said.

He said the countries of the expatriate workers are the ones who are abusing them (the workers) back home before coming here.