Work visa for United Arab Emirates: documents, fees and steps

Documents requested

Copy of the passport, valid for at least six monthsConditions and details
The Dubai GDRFA page on the entry visa for employment requires a copy of the passport valid for at least six months. The official portal reminds applicants that before coming, the passport must be valid for at least six months and that an entry permit must be obtained according to the procedures of the emirate's residency authority.
Recent colour ID photo on a white backgroundThe Dubai GDRFA page on the entry visa for employment requires a personal photo; the one on the private sector residence permit specifies a recent photo on a white background.
Job offer issued under the MOHRE procedure and signed by the employer and the workerConditions and details
The job offer describes the rights and obligations of both parties under UAE labour law and the employment conditions. It is provided in Arabic and English, and in a third language that the worker understands, with an annex summarizing the law. The employer signs it electronically and sends it to the worker in his country of origin; the worker signs (signature for professional levels 1 to 3, fingerprint accepted for levels 4 and 5). The signed offer is attached to the initial work permit application.
Initial work permit approved by MOHRE, applied for by the employer, which authorizes the worker to enter the UAEConditions and details
MOHRE verifies that the documents are complete before approval of the initial work permit, which authorizes the worker to enter the UAE. It is applied for by the employer, an establishment registered with the ministry. The work permit to recruit a worker from outside the UAE is valid for two years. The worker does not have to apply for it himself.
Electronic entry permit for employment, sent by the employer after the offer is signedConditions and details
After the offer is signed, the employer sends the worker an electronic entry permit for employment that allows him to enter the country. The residence visa cannot be processed for an applicant who is outside the UAE: he must first enter with a valid entry permit and remain in the country until the end of the procedure. In Dubai, this entry permit for employment allows a stay of 60 days from entry, until the residence formalities are completed.
Medical fitness examination approved by the authorities, from the age of 18Conditions and details
The residence visa requires a medical fitness examination from the age of 18; the Dubai GDRFA requires an examination approved by the competent authorities. The tests are not all universal: U.AE reserves in particular syphilis and hepatitis B screening for workers in nurseries, domestic work, restaurants, beauty salons and health clubs. The pregnancy test targets female domestic workers. The approved medical centre specifies the examinations applicable. For certain tuberculosis cases on renewal, the page provides for conditional fitness and a one-year residence with treatment in the UAE.
Application for the Emirates ID card with the federal identity authority, after arrivalConditions and details
A residence visa requires that the applicant aged 18 or over undergo a medical examination proving his fitness, undergo a security check and apply for an Emirates ID card with the federal identity authority (ICP).

Depending on your situation

Attested diplomas (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the country of origin, then UAE embassy or consulate), for certain jobsConditions and details
Certain jobs require attested university certificates to finalize residence and employment. The certificate is authenticated in the country of origin by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, then by the UAE embassy or consulate; for certain professions, attestation of the diploma by the Ministry of Education is also required in the UAE. The applicant himself checks whether his job is concerned.
Local professional examinations for certain sensitive professions (doctors, laboratory technicians, etc.)Conditions and details
Certain sensitive professions, such as doctor or laboratory technician, require passing local professional examinations before being authorized to work. They are organized by the Ministry of Health and Prevention or by a local health authority such as the Dubai Health Authority or the Abu Dhabi Department of Health. The applicant himself checks whether his profession is concerned.

Official fees

Entry visa for employment, GDRFA Dubai (5% VAT extra) 200 AED
Private-sector residence permit, GDRFA Dubai: issuance fee (valid two years) 200 AED
Private-sector residence permit, GDRFA Dubai: delivery 20 AED
GDRFA Dubai: additional fee if the sponsored person is already in the UAE 500 AED
GDRFA Dubai: Knowledge Dirham, supplement 10 AED
GDRFA Dubai: Innovation Dirham, supplement 10 AED

Steps

The employer, an establishment registered with MOHRE, draws up the job offer in Arabic, in English and in a third language that the worker understands, with the annex to the labour law.
Receive the offer in one's country of origin, read it and sign it: signature for professional levels 1 to 3, fingerprint accepted for levels 4 and 5.
Check the validity of the offer with its reference number on the consultation service on the MOHRE website.
The employer attaches the signed offer to the initial work permit application, examined by MOHRE: approval authorises the worker to enter the UAE.
The employer obtains the entry permit for employment (GDRFA in Dubai, ICP for the other emirates) and sends it to the worker electronically.
Enter the UAE with a passport valid for at least six months and the entry permit; working with a visit or tourist visa is prohibited.
On arrival, the employer and the worker sign the offer, registered with MOHRE as the employment contract filed within 14 days of arrival.
After entry, undergo the medical examination, apply for the Emirates ID and finalise the residence within the entry permit's time limit; in Dubai, the entry permit for employment provides for 60 days.
Renew the visa on its expiry: the standard work visa is valid two years and renewable according to the conditions of the authorities that issue it.

Where to apply

Digital services of the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) for the employer: issuance, renewal and cancellation of the work permit
"Work Bundle" platform (workinuae.ae): work permit, residence visa, medical examination and fingerprints for private-sector companies
GDRFA Dubai smart services (website and application, with UAE Pass or a username) and Amer service centres, for the entry visa for employment
eChannels platform and chat of the Federal Authority for Identity (ICP) for entry permits and visas for emirates other than Dubai
MOHRE consultation service (application status) to check a job offer using its reference number

Good to know

Working with a visit or tourist visa is prohibitedConditions and details
UAE law strictly prohibits working with a visit or tourist visa, with or without pay. Offenders, employees or employers, face fines and prosecution. The official portal invites you to verify the job offer, with its reference number on the MOHRE website, and the validity of the entry permit before travelling.
Recruitment fees paid by the employerConditions and details
Under UAE labour law, the employer is responsible for paying the recruitment fees. The official portal also advises checking that the company exists legally by searching for it, in English and in Arabic, in the national economic register.
MOHRE work permit typesConditions and details
MOHRE issues 13 types of work permits to registered establishments, depending on the nature of the employment: recruiting a worker from outside the UAE (valid two years), transferring a non-Emirati worker from one establishment to another, resident under family sponsorship, temporary permit, mission, part-time, minor, student in training, UAE or GCC national, golden visa holder, national intern, freelance worker and private teacher. This sheet describes recruiting a worker from abroad.
Conditions for issuing the work permitConditions and details
To issue a work permit: the worker is at least 18 years old (except a permit for a minor or student in training), the profession corresponds to the establishment's activity, the company's commercial licence is valid and free of violations, the worker meets the legal conditions of specialised or licensed professions, and a person legally authorised to represent the company submits the application. MOHRE may refuse, not renew or cancel the permit if the establishment provides inaccurate documents, is fictitious, or does not comply with the wage protection system.
Cost of the work permit for the employerConditions and details
The cost of issuing and renewing a work permit ranges from 250 AED to 3 450 AED depending on the company's classification (A, B or C), which reflects its compliance with labour law, the wage protection system and ministry decisions. This cost is paid by the employer, who is responsible for the recruitment fees.
Duration of the employment contractConditions and details
The contract specifies the start date, the type and place of work, the conditions, the duration and the salary; it is based on the signed offer and must be filed with MOHRE within 14 days of the employee's arrival. Under Article 8, paragraph 3, of the consolidated federal law, it is concluded for a fixed term, renewable by agreement of the parties. The former three-year cap no longer appears there. The duration of the contract is distinct from the validity of the work permit and of the residence permit.
Free zones: sponsorship by the zone authorityConditions and details
Employment procedures in a free zone fall under the rules of the zone authority. U.AE states that workers are sponsored by that authority and specifies that the terms of the contract must comply with labour law. The applicable regime must be checked with the zone concerned. This sheet describes recruitment in the private sector outside a free zone.
GCC nationals: work permit, without residence visaConditions and details
Establishments that recruit GCC nationals must obtain a work permit for them from MOHRE; once the permit is issued, they can start working in the UAE immediately, without a residence visa, unlike nationals of other countries. MOHRE treats them in the same way as Emirati nationals for employment and insurance coverage.
Professions reserved for EmiratisCertain professions, such as that of a lawyer authorised to plead before the judge and to provide the defence, may be exercised only by UAE nationals.
Green visa for skilled workers and freelancersConditions and details
The official portal presents a green visa for skilled workers, freelancers and self-employed persons, distinct from the standard work visa described here, which requires an employer.
Grace period and duration of the residence permitConditions and details
In Dubai, the private-sector residence permit grants the right to reside in the country for two years, renewable; the issuance fees increase by 100 AED per year when the residence exceeds two years. The grace period for staying in the country after the residence permit expires or is cancelled is 60 days. GDRFA announces a processing time of 48 hours for the entry visa and for the residence permit.

Nationalities covered

This procedure applies to 243 nationalities.

Afghanistan
Åland Islands
Albania
Algeria
American Samoa
Andorra
Angola
Anguilla
Antarctica
Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Armenia
Aruba
Australia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Bahamas
Bangladesh
Barbados
Belarus
Belgium
Belize
Benin
Bermuda
Bhutan
Bolivia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Bouvet Island
Brazil
British Indian Ocean Territory
British Virgin Islands
Brunei
Bulgaria
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cambodia
Cameroon
Canada
Cape Verde
Caribbean Netherlands
Cayman Islands
Central African Republic
Chad
Chile
China
Christmas Island
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Colombia
Comoros
Congo
Cook Islands
Costa Rica
Côte d'Ivoire
Croatia
Cuba
Curaçao
Cyprus
Czechia
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Denmark
Djibouti
Dominica
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Estonia
Eswatini
Ethiopia
Falkland Islands
Faroe Islands
Fiji
Finland
France
French Guiana
French Polynesia
French Southern Territories
Gabon
Gambia
Georgia
Germany
Ghana
Gibraltar
Greece
Greenland
Grenada
Guadeloupe
Guam
Guatemala
Guernsey
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Guyana
Haiti
Heard Island and McDonald Islands
Honduras
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Ireland
Isle of Man
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Jersey
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kiribati
Kyrgyzstan
Laos
Latvia
Lebanon
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macao
Madagascar
Malawi
Malaysia
Maldives
Mali
Malta
Marshall Islands
Martinique
Mauritania
Mauritius
Mayotte
Mexico
Micronesia
Moldova
Monaco
Mongolia
Montenegro
Montserrat
Morocco
Mozambique
Myanmar
Namibia
Nauru
Nepal
Netherlands
New Caledonia
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Niger
Nigeria
Niue
Norfolk Island
North Korea
North Macedonia
Northern Mariana Islands
Norway
Pakistan
Palau
Palestine
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Pitcairn Islands
Poland
Portugal
Puerto Rico
Réunion
Romania
Russia
Rwanda
Saint Barthélemy
Saint Helena
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Martin
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Samoa
San Marino
São Tomé and Príncipe
Senegal
Serbia
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Sint Maarten
Slovakia
Slovenia
Solomon Islands
Somalia
South Africa
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
South Korea
South Sudan
Spain
Sri Lanka
Sudan
Suriname
Svalbard and Jan Mayen
Sweden
Switzerland
Syria
Taiwan
Tajikistan
Tanzania
Thailand
Timor-Leste
Togo
Tokelau
Tonga
Trinidad and Tobago
Tunisia
Türkiye
Turkmenistan
Turks and Caicos Islands
Tuvalu
U.S. Outlying Islands
U.S. Virgin Islands
Uganda
Ukraine
United Kingdom
United States
Uruguay
Uzbekistan
Vanuatu
Vatican City
Venezuela
Vietnam
Wallis and Futuna
Western Sahara
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe

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