UAE expatriate workers will have to pay an annual fee of AED500 ($136) to renew their health card and AED300 for a replacement if lost, according to a new decree issued on Tuesday.

“Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum has issued a Cabinet decision No.18 for 2013 with respect to the fees of health card and curative and diagnostic services for non-nationals,” the WAM news agency reported.

“According to Article (2) of the decision, which was published in the recent issue of the federal official gazette, the fees of issuing and renewing a health card for non-nationals will be Dhs500 per year for all age categories. A fee of Dhs300 will be levied for the issuance of a health card in lieu of a lost one,” it said.

Health cards allow non-national holders to get a 50 percent discount on healthcare at government facilities.

According to the Dubai Health Authority website, expatriate health card fees for those aged up to 10 years old is AED110, AED210 for those aged 10 to 18 and AED310 for non-nationals aged 18 years and over.

The new fees will come into effect in 60 days.