A plan to ban the conversion of tourist visas into work permits has been knocked back by the Shura Council, with ministers arguing that existing enforcement has already cut such cases by 87 per cent. They warned that the proposal would only add costs for businesses without solving any real issue. The upper house threw out the amendment to the Aliens (Immigration and Residence) Law of 1965 and sent it back to Parliament for another look. The draft law aimed to introduce a new Article (7) bis, barring visit visa holders from switching to work permits in all cases. Proposal But after going through the proposal put forward by MPs, the Foreign Affairs, Defence, and National Security Committee decided there was no need for it. Committee Chairman Dr Ali Al Rumaihi, pointed to a ministerial decision already in place, saying it had slashed visa conversions. “The Interior Minister’s decision has reduced tourist visa switches by 87 per cent,” he said. Inspections “That shows the authorities are on top of the matter. The committee agreed that inspections by the Interior Ministry and the Labour Market Regulatory Authority are doing the job well enough. Instead of rushing into new laws, we should […]