I have been working for a company for five years. During this period the company renewed my iqama (work/residency visa) twice and paid its charges. Now, they are informing me that they are going to deduct the cost of the iqama renewals from my salary. Is it fair? There is nothing mentioned about iqama renewal in my contract. Who should pay this fee?
Legally iqama fees are on the employer unless stipulated otherwise in the contract to which you have agreed. It is not mentioned in your contract that you would pay or share in your iqama fees. Moreover, your company already paid for them in the past, so they have no legal right to ask you to pay them now or in the future. You would be within your legal right to refuse to pay. If your company insists, you may complain to the Labor Office.
Nevertheless if you find it in your own interest for whatever reason, and by your own free will agree to pay all or part of your iqama fees, you may do that. This would be treated as a new agreement between you and your company. If you decide to do that, it would be very difficult for you in the future to say you had to agree to that under duress.
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