The Dubai Multi Commodities Centre Freezone now requires sponsors to provide health insurance for foreign national employees in order to issue an Employment Residence Permit (ERP) or to renew existing permits. This development is in line with Dubai's mandatory health insurance law, which is scheduled to be rolled out in phases - phase 1 (applying to entities with 1000 or more employees) was implemented in November 2014. DMCC's health insurance requirement, however, applies to all entities, regardless of size. Currently, DMCC requires health insurance coverage be valid for at least one year, but in the future health insurance coverage for the validity of the ERP may be required.