GDRFA Dubai wins top digital government award for domestic workers initiative.
Dubai: The award underscores Dubai’s commitment to making government services simpler and more efficient through digital transformation, while recognising GDRFA Dubai’s efforts to create seamless, integrated customer experiences that reduce paperwork, cut procedural steps and enhance service delivery.
The achievement was celebrated at a ceremony attended by Lieutenant General Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri, Director-General of GDRFA Dubai; Mohammed Rashid Bin Taliah, Assistant Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Government Knowledge Exchange; Thani Abdullah Al Zaffin, Director-General and Board Member of Emaratech; Dr Amer Ahmed Sharif, CEO of Dubai Health; Eman Al Suwaidi, Executive Director of the Assessment and Studies Department at the General Secretariat of The Executive Council of Dubai; Mohammed Samer Al Hellou, General Manager of Dubai Insurance; along with GDRFA Dubai’s assistant directors-general, senior officials, project teams and strategic partners.
Nine services integrated into a single digital journey
Developed through a partnership between GDRFA Dubai, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security, Digital Dubai, Dubai Health and Dubai Insurance, the initiative combines multiple government services into one seamless digital journey, allowing users to complete the entire process through a single integrated platform.
The platform brings together nine essential domestic worker services into a single digital process, including employment contracts, health insurance, work permit issuance and cancellation, visa issuance, status adjustment, medical fitness testing, residence permits and Emirates ID issuance.
By replacing what was once a fragmented, multi-step process with a unified digital journey, the initiative has reduced the number of completion steps from 11 to six, merged six separate payment channels into one and cut required customer visits from six to a maximum of two.
Customer savings
According to GDRFA Dubai, the platform has processed 10,813 transactions so far, eliminated the need for 25,676 paper documents and delivered direct customer savings of Dh4.33 million.
Officials added that the fully digital service has also generated environmental benefits, reducing carbon emissions by the equivalent of 72.5 tonnes of carbon dioxide.
‘Result of genuine collaboration’
Lieutenant General Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri said the award reflects the commitment of government teams and the strong collaboration between federal and local entities.
“What we have achieved today is the result of genuine collaboration that enabled us to deliver an integrated service bringing five entities together within a single customer journey,” he said.
Al Marri said the next phase will focus on expanding the single-window model to further integrate government services, in line with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and the directives of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence.
He added that GDRFA Dubai will continue advancing service integration and digital innovation to further improve customer experience and boost the efficiency of government services.
More integrated digital services
Colonel Expert Khalid Ahmed Bin Madia Al Falasi, Assistant Director-General of the Digital Services Affairs Sector at GDRFA Dubai, said the initiative highlights how digital transformation can strengthen collaboration between government entities while delivering a smoother, more seamless experience for customers.
He said the project has simplified a high-demand public service by integrating data, unifying service channels and making government services easier to access.
The ceremony concluded with the recognition of project teams and partner organisations whose contributions helped deliver the award-winning initiative, further reinforcing Dubai’s position as a global leader in innovative, customer-focused government services.
