Starting next month, anyone who wants to obtain a UAE work visa will need to present a 'certificate of good conduct', according to the Emirates News Agency.
On Monday, the decision to demand the visa prerequisite was approved by the UAE's Coordination Committee, and the latest order is set to take full effect from February 4, 2018.
The document required from expats must be issued by their country of origin or a country they've been living in for the past five years.
"It should then be ratified by the state's mission, as well as the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation," the statement read.
The decision aims to create a safer society
The document is basically a certificate which serves as a proof that the person arriving in the UAE for work has no criminal record and was not previously involved in any crimes that violate the law.
It will only be required of the worker coming into the country and not his/her dependents. People arriving in the UAE on tourist visas will not be required to obtain a certificate either.
In their statement on the matter, the committee involved in passing the latest decision said it comes in line with the UAE government's ongoing efforts 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 explained.