Private sector employees and domestic workers will be covered under a mandatory health insurance scheme from next year, it was announced Monday. Employers will be required to pay for the health coverage of their registered workers while issuing or renewing their residency permits.
The decision will be enforced starting January 1, 2025.
This came as the UAE Cabinet approved the scheme for private sector employees and domestic workers who do not have existing cover. Employers of domestic workers would need to foot the cost of their coverage.
Currently, Abu Dhabi and Dubai have laws that make it compulsory for employers to get health insurance for their employees. In UAE Capital, the mandatory scheme covers employees and their families.
The new UAE-wide scheme will ensure the country's sizeable private sector workforce can access quality healthcare. The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) will roll out relevant awareness campaigns and programmes to implement the scheme.
This is the second mandatory insurance rolled out for employees in the UAE. Last year, workers were required to subscribe to a scheme that protected them from job loss. To date, more than 7.2 million employees from the private and federal government sectors are registered in the scheme.
As he chaired the Cabinet meeting, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE, noted that 98.8 per cent of the workforce in the country are covered under the Workers' Protection Programme. The scheme protects workers’ wages and other dues in case their employers declare bankruptcy.
Sheikh Mohammed said: “Today, we approved a new structure for the MoHRE, including establishing a coordinating council for the labour market in the UAE, to maintain its stability and enhance its competitiveness. The workforce is the real engine of the economy, and monitoring their concerns and protecting their rights are essential elements for advancing our national economy.”
Meanwhile, the UAE has approved extending the validity period of the Emirati passport from five to 10 years for Emiratis aged 21 and above.
The Cabinet also heard that the Digital Wellbeing Council shut down over 160,000 websites and social media accounts that targeted youth by promoting substance abuse.
The council also blocked more than 2,700 websites that promoted illicit activities such as online scams, phishing, and unauthorised product promotions, among others.
Sheikh Mohammed stressed that the family serves as the strongest defence for the UAE’s children. It is crucial to instill awareness in new generations. “We emphasise the importance of cooperation among families, the media, and schools to safeguard our children, who are the most valuable asset of our nation.”