Air ticket to home country on completion of labour contract-UAE

The employee has the right to get the air ticket at the time he cancelled his visa and leaves work unless he is going to join a new employer without exit the country.

The employee is entitled to receive airfare for return journey. This is in accordance with the provisions of Article 131 of the Labour Law which states:

Upon expiry of contract, the employer shall bear the cost of the worker’s repatriation to his point of hire or to any other point that was mutually agreed upon. Where a worker joins another employer upon expiry of his contract, the latter shall bear the cost of the worker’s repatriation at the end of his service.

Without prejudice to the foregoing, if the employer fails to return the worker or to pay his repatriation expenses, the competent authorities shall do so at the employer’s expense and may then recover any expenditure incurred in this connection by attachment. Where the reason for the termination of the contract is attributable to the worker, his repatriation shall be at his own expense if he has the means to pay.”

Further it may be noted as follows: Article 131 (repeated 1)

1. For the purpose of the preceding Article, the worker’s “repatriation expenses” refers to the value of his travel ticket as well as the travel expenses of his family and the cost of shipping of his personal effects, as stipulated in the Labour contract or the firm’s policies.
2. A worker who is provided with accommodation by his employer shall vacate it within thirty days from the date of termination of his service.
3. The worker shall not overstay in the accommodation beyond the specified period for any reason, provided, however, that the employer pays the worker the following:
   • the expenses specified in paragraph 1 of this Article.
   • severance pay and any other entitlements the employee is bound to pay in accordance with the employment contract, the firm’s policies, or the law.
4. If the worker contests the amount of the expenses and entitlements referred to above, the Labour Department concerned shall urgently determine these expenses and entitlements within a week from notification, and shall promptly inform the worker accordingly.
5. In this case, the thirty-day grace period referred to in paragraph 2 of this Article shall be calculated to run from the date on which the employer deposits the value of the expenses and entitlements, as determined by the Labour Departments concerned, with the Ministry of Labour’s treasury. If the worker does not vacate the accommodation within the said thirty-day period, the Labour Department, with the assistance of the authorities concerned in the emirate, shall take the necessary administrative measures for eviction.
6. The provisions of this Article shall not prejudice the worker’s right to contest its application before the competent court.