Dubai: Gaining work experience as a high school student can be a big boost to your CV and work skills. However, if this is your first time looking for an internship, you may be confused about how old you need to be for an internship or which documents you may need to provide.
Here is a detailed guide on how you can apply for an internship in the UAE.
How old do I need to be?
As per Article 5 of the new UAE Labour Law, an individual has to be at least 15 years old to be employed in the country.
Do I need a work permit?
Regardless of whether you are working for a few days, weeks or months, every individual who is a part of UAE’s workforce needs a work permit issued by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE).
Internships for ages between 15 to 18, the company would be required to apply for a ‘juvenile work permit’, according to Trupti Rajesh Nadgauda, a recruitment manager at Sharjah-based development company Arada.
“This permit is applied by the employer. The company will apply through a Tas’heel centre and once approved, they can print the permit through the MOHRE website. The permit consists of the employment date and [details of the] job they are being hired for. Also, insurance needs to be provided for juveniles like other employees.”
Tas’heel is an online government system for all labour-related processes, allowing companies and typing centers to make online transactions and payments to MOHRE.
According to Nadgauda, the total cost for application and approval of a work permit is Dh600. The permit is valid for one year.
This permit is applied by the employer. The company will apply through a Tas’heel centre and once approved, they can print the permit through the MOHRE website
Which documents do I need?
These are the documents that you need to provide when applying for an internship:
1. Written consent or a No Objection Certificate (NOC) or letter from the parent or guardian
2. Valid passport copy,
3. UAE residence visa copy of the parent or guardian and the student
4. Colour photo of the student in white background
5. The internship application form.
6. A valid medical fitness certificate. “The medical certificate is mandatory, and can be availed from an authorised medical centre like Preventive Medical Centres across UAE,” Nadgauda said.
The average cost of a medical screening test for employment is approximately Dh250, according to MOHAP and DHA. The cost for fitness tests differs based on the category and job description of the worker.
What are the work hours for juveniles?
Nadgauda clarified that interns under the age of 18 can work for a maximum of six hours with one hour break, as per Article 5 of the UAE labour law.
The Article also highlights that juveniles should not work for more than four consecutive hours. Moreover, the law also stipulates that a juvenile should not be asked to work overtime and is not allowed to be kept at the workplace after work hours or during rest days or official holidays.
Tips for building your CV
1. Call the organisation:
Instead of sending your CV in a mass email to all the organisations you want to work with, give the organisation a call first to get better results.
“Call the organisation's telephone number and ask to speak to the hiring manager directly,” Jake Postles, a recruitment consultant at Ignite, a Dubai-based recruitment agency said. While you may not always get the desired result all the time, the initiative you show can pay off at times.
2. Use professional networking sites to your advantage:
Postles also recommended getting to work early on your professional profile on LinkedIn or other networks.
“I would recommend that any student looking for an internship create a strong LinkedIn profile. They can then use it to find hiring managers within the organisation. Students can go on the organisation's LinkedIn page, go to ‘People’, and then search ‘Talent acquisition managers’ or ‘HR manager’. Students can then connect with these individuals on LinkedIn and directly message them regarding the position,” Postles said.
3. Take online courses
“Depending on the kind of internship, [students] can complete online courses tailored to the work. For example, if they were applying for a marketing internship, they could complete a digital marketing or a social media course, and this will make them stand out from the crowd,” Postles said.
For example, if they were applying for a marketing internship, they could complete a digital marketing or a social media course, and this will make them stand out from the crowd
4. List your volunteer or extra-curricular work
According to Postles, companies appreciate applicants who display a wide variety of skills, so listing your volunteer work or extra curricular activities you may be involved in could also help your CV stand out.
