Egyptians living and working in the UAE are facing growing uncertainty after a series of reported residency cancellations left some unable to return to their jobs despite holding apparently valid permits.
Several Egyptian workers say they discovered their UAE residency had been cancelled while they were outside the country, with some reporting that they received no prior warning or clear explanation.
The issue has prompted concern among Egyptian expatriates and reached parliament in Cairo, where MP Islam al-Talawani submitted a parliamentary question seeking details on how many citizens have been affected, the reasons behind the cancellations and whether Egyptian diplomatic missions have received complaints.
Workers stranded outside UAE
Among those affected is 33-year-old schoolteacher Mahmud Adel, who travelled to Egypt in July for his annual holiday before being informed by his employer that his residency had been cancelled while he was preparing to return to Sharjah.
Another Egyptian worker, 36-year-old interior decorator Abdel Rahman Ahmed, reportedly discovered his residency had been cancelled when he arrived at Cairo Airport to return to Abu Dhabi after visiting Egypt.
Ahmed said the development brought an abrupt end to eight years of working in the UAE.
Separate reports have also documented dozens of Egyptians employed by the same company in Abu Dhabi having their residencies cancelled, while other cases involving engineers, teachers and private-sector employees have surfaced in Arab media and on social platforms.
One Egyptian resident wrote on Reddit that fears over unexplained cancellations had made him reluctant to travel despite his own residency remaining valid until 2027.
Some residents have also raised concerns over Police Clearance Certificate requirements affecting employment and travel arrangements, although Emirati authorities have not announced any blanket new residency policy specifically targeting Egyptian nationals.
No official explanation
There has so far been no public announcement from UAE authorities confirming a wider campaign to cancel Egyptian residency permits or explaining why the reported cancellations have taken place.
The lack of clarification has fuelled anxiety among some members of the country’s large Egyptian expatriate community, particularly those considering travelling home before returning to work in the UAE.
Media reports citing Egyptian diplomatic figures put the number of Egyptians living and working in the UAE at around 1.3 million by the end of 2024.
Egyptians abroad remain an important source of foreign currency for Cairo, with remittances reaching $43.1 billion between July 2025 and May 2026, according to the Central Bank of Egypt.
Close allies with regional differences
Egypt and the UAE have maintained close political and economic ties for years, with Abu Dhabi emerging as a major investor in the North African country.
The two governments have nevertheless diverged over some regional issues, particularly Sudan, where Egypt has maintained close ties with the Sudanese Armed Forces while the UAE has faced persistent accusations of supporting the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces — allegations Abu Dhabi denies.
For now, the scale and cause of the residency cancellations remain unclear, with no evidence of an officially announced blanket policy against Egyptian nationals.
However, the growing number of reported cases and the intervention of Egyptian lawmakers have increased pressure for clarity over whether the cancellations are isolated administrative decisions or part of a broader, undeclared change in practice.
