Overview
- The sudden closure of Dubai’s Iranian Hospital has left hundreds of expatriate healthcare workers, mostly Malayali nurses, without employers and unable to secure new sponsor visas.
- Affected workers say employment, visit and dependent visa applications are being rejected with vague ‘security reasons’ noted in UAE immigration records.
- Many former employees are now on short grace periods and face the risk of deportation if they cannot obtain fresh visas or transfers to new employers.
- Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 7 asking the Ministry of External Affairs and India’s embassy in Abu Dhabi to engage Emirati authorities for a humane review and help secure new visas or jobs.
- Workers warn that entry bans and unresolved visa flags could revoke professional licences, block future Gulf employment and deepen financial strain on families and Kerala’s remittance‑dependent economy.