UAE: Contracts, residency renewal poses a threat to Syrians

Members of the Syrian community in the United Arab Emirates are facing growing difficulties in renewing their employment contracts and residency visas. According to those affected, this stems from new procedures implemented by the UAE Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research to verify the university degrees of resident employees.

Complaints indicate that the verification process has revealed that degrees issued by several private Syrian universities—as well as the Syrian Virtual University—do not meet the recognition criteria established by the relevant Emirati authorities. Consequently, the renewal of employment contracts and residency visas has stalled for a number of individuals who have lived and worked in the UAE for years while holding these qualifications.

Concerns are particularly acute among graduates of the Syrian Virtual University—a Syrian public institution—who report being caught off guard by the disruption to their administrative procedures, despite having relied on these academic credentials to build their professional careers in the UAE over many years.

The repercussions of these measures extend beyond employment, threatening the stability of Syrian families residing in the UAE. These individuals often carry significant financial and familial obligations—including housing, living expenses, and education costs—in addition to providing financial support to relatives back in Syria, a country still grappling with the aftermath of years of war and economic collapse.

Those affected argue that the inability to renew their contracts and residency visas poses a major threat to their professional and family futures, especially given that many have spent years in the Emirati labor market and have structured their lives around the assumption that they would be able to continue working and residing in the country legally. Amid these concerns, members of the Syrian community are appealing to the relevant authorities to examine the situation of those affected. They are requesting clarification on the criteria for the recognition of Syrian university degrees—specifically those from the Syrian Virtual University—and the establishment of a mechanism to address existing cases. Such a mechanism should take into account the professional and family circumstances of the residents, enabling them to regularize their status in accordance with the country’s established regulations.

Furthermore, those affected hope to open a dialogue with the relevant authorities to understand the reasons behind the non-recognition of certain degrees and to identify available options. This would help them avoid the loss of their jobs or the risk of jeopardizing the legal stability of their residency status.