Dubai: Unskilled labourers wishing to work in the UAE are required to have basic English language skills and knowledge of the country's rules.

Dr Ali Bin Abdullah Al Ka'abi, Minister of Labour, told Gulf News on Wednesday that the ministry is going to implement the two new pre-conditions, but did not give a time-frame.

"A special committee at the labour ministry will be set up in each country to determine the workers' English language skills. Information booklets on rules will be available in the respective ministries in order to educate workers who are about to start work in the UAE," said Dr Al Kaabi.

Workers who cannot prove that they have English language skills cannot work in the UAE. This new rule will not be applicable to workers from the Arab region, and will mainly apply to the Asian workforce.

Dr Al Ka'abi is planning to tour Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal and the Philippines after Ramadan to sign labour exchange agreements with these major countries that export manpower to the country.

"During the tour, a mechanism and regulations to bring over labour force will be determined," said Dr Al Ka'abi.

He is studying a proposal on how to organise the labour force flow into the UAE.

According to the proposal, workers will only be able to obtain work in the UAE through recruitment offices that are accredited by the Ministry of Labour here and work under the supervision of the concerned bodies in their home country.

Dr Al Ka'abi said he is expecting to have a final draft of the new rules by the end of this year if the meeting with those countries goes as planned and they are able to reach mutual agreements. Meanwhile, a labour exchange agreement between the UAE and Thailand is to be signed, according to Dr Al Ka'abi.

Dr Al Ka'abi told Gulf News that the UAE is planning to import skilled workers from Thailand, but did not specify the number.

"The exact numbers of how many workers are to be brought over are still not determined, but the import of the workers will be according to the new rules we are about to implement," he said.