Overview

About 65% of the Indian community in the United Arab Emirates (estimated at 1.2-1.5 million) are blue collar workers. The Labour and Welfare Wing of the Consulate attends to complaints received from such workers and other personnel employed in Dubai and the Northern Emirates regarding non-payment of salary, violation of contractual terms, etc. and provides guidance and support for the redressal of their grievances.

Housemaids/domestic servants who approach the Consulate complaining of ill-treatment by their employers are also provided help and in many cases their repatriation arranged. Victims of human trafficking/sex racket are also assisted by the Labour & Welfare Wing to return to India. (Helpline No. 050-9433111). Air tickets for such persons are arranged through the Indian Community Welfare Committee (ICWC).

Consulate officers regularly visit jails in Dubai and the Northern Emirates for providing consular access to Indian prisoners in these jails, to ascertain their welfare and to take up their problems, if any, with the concerned authorities. Officials from the Labour & Welfare Wing also visit major hospitals in these Emirates and provide necessary assistance to needy Indian nationals undergoing treatment there and repatriation of destitute patients to India through ICWC.

The Labour & Welfare Wing liaise with local jail/police authorities, Labour/ Immigration Departments, hospitals/sponsors/employers etc. on matters relating to labour and welfare of Indian nationals to resolve the difficulties faced by them. The Consulate provides free legal counselling to the needy every Wednesday from 1430 hours in the Consulate.

The Labour & Welfare Wing also runs a Crisis Prevention Programme through ICWC under which free and confidential psychological counselling is provided to the needy on every Saturday at the Consulate. Those who require counselling may please contact telephone number 050-9433111 for fixing up the appointment. The Labour & Welfare Wing also makes arrangements for free transportation of dead bodies of Indian nationals by Air India/Indian Airlines in cases where the sponsors fail to do so and in cases where the deceased is illegal or destitute.

Claims of death compensation and other legal dues of deceased Indian nationals are followed-up by the Labour & Welfare Wing with the sponsors and concerned courts and wherever the Consulate is authorised to collect these dues, the amount is remitted to the legal heirs through the concerned district authorities.