Can UAE worker start new job before visa is cancelled by former employer?

I have been working as an IT professional with a company in Abu Dhabi, although my visa is from Dubai. I have resigned and completed the 30-day notice period as per the law and I now have another job offer. My previous employer is processing the visa cancellation but they are taking a long time and my future company requires me to start quickly. So how can I join them without my current visa being cancelled? If I make a complaint it might not look good, because I want to leave in a pleasant manner. Can I join a new company while my old visa is being cancelled as I don’t want to lose my new job? LS, Abu Dhabi
Strictly speaking a person should not start working for a new company if they are still sponsored by a previous employer. The process of cancelling a visa is not complicated and there is no reason why it cannot be done in just a few days in the vast majority of cases. Your new employer should contact the Ministry of Labour to confirm that the process has been started and then, provided they have put in the initial application for your new residency visa, you can start work for them. The new visa must be issued within 60 days of you starting work.
Keren Bobker is an independent financial adviser with Holborn Assets in Dubai, with over 20 year’s experience. Contact her at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter at @FinancialUAE
The advice provided in our columns does not constitute legal advice and is provided for information only. Readers are encouraged to seek appropriate independent legal advice
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