Expats In Dubai Must Have Health Cover

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Expats In Dubai Must Have Health Cover

New laws in Dubai have put the burden of providing international private medical insurance (iPMI) firmly on the shoulders of employers of expats.

With 10,000 UK nationals having moved to the UAE since 2007 and only 16.5% of the total 8.2 million people living there being Emiratis, Jelf Employee Benefits believes this move was inevitable and employer responsibilities could continue to escalate in future.

Under the new rules, it is mandatory for all expats and visitors to Dubai to hold basic compliant health insurance in order to be issued with a visa, and in addition all insurance products need to be regulated by the Dubai Health Authority (DHA). Products will need to at least match mandatory benefits such as maternity coverage and non-exclusion of pre-existing conditions.

Spouse and dependents will also need to be covered by the employer or the employee themselves before a visa is granted.

The new legislation was passed in 2013 but the following dates relate to the implementation of the law:

31 October 2014: Companies with 1,000+ employees
31 July 2015: Companies with 100-999 employees
30 June 2016: Companies with <100 employees
30 June 2016: Dependants of sponsors including employed domestic workers.

If employers are growing and expecting to hire further staff during this period, taking them to the next eligible category, they should implement a compliant health insurance policy before taking on further employees.

Expat Network has developed a comprehensive international health insurance plan designed specifically to meet the needs of expats. To find out more please check out our Expat Health Plan pages.

Moving Abroad Checklist

Initial Considerations

Will your partner be travelling with you?

If so, what will they be giving up in your present home and will they be able to continue with their career in your new home? You will need to check whether a separate visa is required for your partner to work or if your visa gives that right. If they are unable to work you will need to decide on the effect on your finances and what alternatives are available to give a fulfilling life (home business, training, voluntary work).

Are you taking family with you?

Moving with family raises many exciting opportunities, but also can create challenges. The HSBC Expat Explorer survey indicates that expat kids can take six months to settle in to their new country (see article). Getting young or even older children to prepare to move and leave their friends and family behind can be a challenge and should be thought through.

The options for education is another area that needs to be thought through.

Moving your child to a new country with a different education system can be a great opportunity to broaden their experience, but if they are close to key exams the timing can make this inadvisable. If you do take your family with you, it is important to decide between joining the local school system or choosing an international school.

Where will you be living?

Whether you will be living in a house or apartment, furnished or unfurnished, these decisions will affect what you need to take with you. The time you are planning to live overseas will also affect whether you should leave your property at home empty, rent it out or sell it. See the article Sell, Store or Ship.