A 'certificate of good conduct' will now be a prerequisite for obtaining a work visa in the UAE, a high-level panel has announced. The decision of the committee, which was approved on Monday, will come into effect from February 4.

The certificate should be issued by the country of origin of the person, or the country where he has been living for the past five years, the committee added. It should then be ratified by the state's mission, as well as the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

The certificate will only be applicable for the worker concerned and not his/her dependents. Those coming to the country on visit or tourist visas needn't get the certificate either.

The committee, which includes representatives from multiple government agencies, said the action comes within the framework of the efforts of the UAE government to create "a safer and more sustainable society".

"Making the UAE one of the safest countries in the world is the government's main aim," the committee noted in a statement.

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