Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2012, published 102nd ILC session (2013)

Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138) - United Arab Emirates (Ratification: 1998)

Article 3(1) and (2) of the Convention. Minimum age for admission to, and determination of, hazardous work. The Committee previously requested the Government to take the necessary measures to ensure the promulgation of a ministerial order to determine the types of hazardous work prohibited for persons under 18 years of age.

The Committee notes the Government’s information regarding the promulgation of Ministerial Order No. 803 of 2012, which amends Ministerial Order No. 1189 of 2010 relating to the rules and conditions governing the granting of work permits to young persons. The Committee notes with satisfaction that section 3 of this Order prohibits employers from engaging young persons under the age of 18 years in 31 types of hazardous work, including mineral extraction in mines and quarries, work in nightclubs and bars, work with explosives or dangerous machinery, welding of lead or silver and the slaughter of animals.

Article 6. Minimum age for admission to apprenticeship. The Committee previously observed that, according to section 42 of the Labour Code, the minimum age to enter into an apprenticeship contract (defined as the contract whereby the employer undertakes to provide the employee full vocational training) was 12 years. It also noted the Government’s statement that the draft amended text of section 42 of the Labour Code provided 15 years as the minimum age for being accepted in training or vocational education, and observed that this text was going through the constitutional channels in the State.

The Committee notes the Government’s statement that the draft amendment to section 42 of the Labour Code is still under examination and awaiting approval by Parliament. The Committee once again urges the Government to take the necessary measures to ensure that the draft amended section 42 is adopted in the very near future. It once again requests the Government to keep it informed of any progress in this regard, and to provide a text of the amended provision as soon as it has been adopted.