Dubai work visa: how employment visas and work permits work

Most people who move to Dubai for a job live there on an employer-sponsored residence visa, usually called a work visa. Your employer arranges a work permit and entry permit, then your medical test, Emirates ID and residence visa after you arrive, and UAE law says the employer pays. This guide explains each step, how long it takes, and what happens when you change jobs or your visa is cancelled.

Rules, fees and timings change and can vary by authority, emirate and worker category. Treat the figures below as a guide and confirm your own situation with MOHRE, GDRFA or ICP.

Key facts

• Your employer sponsors your visa and pays for it. Charging job seekers recruitment or employment costs is illegal in the UAE (Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021).
• A standard private-sector work residence visa typically lasts two years and can be renewed. Other categories differ.
• Two separate 60-day clocks apply on the employer-sponsored route: you must enter the UAE within 60 days of the entry permit being issued, and then complete residence within 60 days of arriving.
• A visit or tourist visa alone does not authorise employment.
• After cancellation there is a grace period to find a new job or leave. GDRFA lists 60 days for a Dubai private-sector residence permit; some categories get longer. Check your own file (see below).
• Overstaying costs AED 50 a day in the relevant categories.

How a Dubai work visa works

A “work visa” is really two approvals:

• A work permit from the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE), which allows a company to employ you. MOHRE issues several permit types; new arrivals usually get the two-year permit for recruiting a worker from outside the UAE.
• A residence visa, tied to your Emirates ID, which lets you live in the UAE. In Dubai it comes from the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA); elsewhere from the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP).

Free-zone employers normally handle the permit stage through their free-zone authority instead of MOHRE. Another type, the part-time permit, lets you work for more than one employer with ministry approval, useful if you are considering part-time jobs. The broad steps are similar for jobs in Abu Dhabi and the northern emirates, but the authorities, permit types and specific requirements differ by emirate and free zone, so check the rules for where you will actually work.

Before you start: the offer letter and your documents

The MOHRE offer letter

Your first official document is a job offer issued through MOHRE’s system. Your employer signs it electronically and sends it to you, directly or through an agency, and you sign it before the work permit application goes in. Check the salary, allowances, job title, hours and notice period carefully: your contract must match it.

• The offer is issued in Arabic and in English (or another language the worker understands); confirm the exact language requirement with MOHRE for your case.
• After you arrive, you both sign it again and MOHRE registers it as your employment contract. Confirm the registration deadline (commonly cited as within 14 days) and what event starts that clock with MOHRE.
• You can check an offer’s reference number on MOHRE’s application status service, and confirm the company is listed in the National Economic Register.

Red flags include being asked to pay for a visa or permit, an offer that is not on MOHRE’s system, or being told to start work on a visit visa while the papers are processed. If you use an agency, pick a licensed recruitment agency; nobody may legally charge you recruitment fees.

Getting your degree attested

MOHRE asks for academic certificates according to the job’s skill level: a bachelor’s degree or higher for levels 1 and 2, a diploma for levels 3 and 4, and a high-school certificate for level 5. Levels 6 to 9 need none. To be classed as skilled, your certificate must be attested.

Attestation generally means having the document verified by the authorities in the issuing country, then attested by the UAE embassy or consulate there, applying through the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ attestation service. The chain varies by country, so check first and start early. Ask your employer whether it will reimburse the cost.

Step by step: from job offer to Emirates ID

Step	What happens	Who does it	Official timing
1. Job offer	You sign the MOHRE offer letter	You and employer	–
2. Work permit	Employer applies and pays the fees	Employer	Work Bundle’s published target is five working days once the employer submits
3. Entry permit	Lets you travel to the UAE	Employer	Use within 60 days of issue
4. Arrival	You enter, or change status if already here	You	Complete residence within 60 days of arrival
5. Medical test	Blood test and chest X-ray	You attend; employer pays	–
6. Emirates ID biometrics	Fingerprints and photo	You attend; employer pays	–
7. Contract	Offer re-signed and registered with MOHRE	You and employer	Confirm deadline with MOHRE
8. Residence visa	Issued and linked to your Emirates ID	Employer	GDRFA lists 48 hours

Steps 5 to 8 can happen in a different order. The five-working-day figure is the official Work Bundle service’s published target for the permit-and-residence steps once the employer submits a complete application, not a guarantee that your whole move finishes in five days: attestation, your notice period, employer readiness and exceptions can extend the overall timeline.

Work permit

Your employer applies through MOHRE with your signed offer. The company needs a valid licence free of violations, the job must match its licensed activity, and you must be at least 18. Regulated professions, such as doctors and teachers, also need a professional licence. Once approved, the employer pays the fees plus a bank guarantee or insurance.

Entry permit

GDRFA issues entry permits in Dubai, ICP elsewhere. You must enter within the permit’s 60-day validity, then complete residence within 60 days of arrival. These are two separate deadlines: the first is about entering the country, the second about finishing your residence processing once you are in. If you are already in the UAE on a visit visa, your employer applies for a change of status instead, so you do not need to leave.

Medical test and Emirates ID

Everyone aged 18 or over applying for residence must pass a medical test; in Dubai it typically involves a blood test and chest X-ray at an authorised centre. You also give fingerprints and a photo for your Emirates ID, delivered by courier. You must carry it, and it expires with your residence.

Residence visa: no more passport stamp

GDRFA issues private-sector residence permits, commonly for two years. The UAE began replacing passport residence stickers with the Emirates ID in 2022, so the card is now your main proof of residence, and you can view your residence details through the authorities’ online services. Your employer may need your passport during processing, but confiscating it is illegal.

Dubai also requires employers to insure their staff, and proof of cover is part of the residence process. See our health insurance guide.

Who pays for what

Article 6 of the UAE Labour Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021) bars employers from charging workers recruitment or employment costs, directly or indirectly, including through salary deductions. Government guidance confirms the employer pays for your entry visa, the medical test and your residence permit. This table concerns your own employment costs, not optional extras or dependant costs.

Cost	Who pays
Work permit, entry permit and any change of status	Employer
Flight to the UAE to take up the job	Employer (confirm the specific basis with your contract/offer; the recruitment-cost prohibition is the general rule)
Medical test, Emirates ID and residence visa	Employer
Your health insurance in Dubai	Employer; it cannot be deducted from your pay
Visas and insurance for family members	Usually you, as their sponsor, unless your package includes them
Degree attestation	Not set out in official guidance, so agree it in writing

Selected government fees (published figures, checked 14 Oct 2026)

Confirm each at the official service page before relying on it; totals can vary by service channel, emirate and applicant status, and some lines combine a base fee, VAT, a refundable deposit and service charges.

Item	Fee	Notes
MOHRE work permit (two years)	AED 250 to AED 3,450	Depends on the company’s MOHRE category (A, B or C); employer pays. Government fee
Dubai work entry visa (GDRFA)	AED 200 + 5% VAT	A higher amount applies if you change status inside the UAE (confirm the current figure); employer pays. Government fee
Dubai jobseeker visit visa (GDRFA)	AED 200 (60 days), AED 300 (90 days) or AED 400 (120 days) + VAT	Base fee only; plus a separate refundable AED 1,000 deposit and related fees. You pay. Reconfirm current amounts
Overstay fine	AED 50 a day	Applies once your visa or grace period runs out, in the relevant categories

If anyone asks you to pay for your work permit or employment visa, treat it as a warning sign.

How long it takes

The government’s Work Bundle platform combines the work permit, residence visa, medical test and Emirates ID into one process. The official portal states it has cut processing from 30 working days to five, and in-person visits from seven to two. That is the service’s published claim for its own steps. In practice the overall timeline also depends on degree attestation, your notice period, your employer’s internal approvals and your travel date. Once the entry permit is issued, the two 60-day clocks apply, and missing the second means overstay fines.

Job hunting on a visit visa

The jobseeker visit visa

The UAE offers a dedicated jobseeker visit visa that needs no sponsor or host. It lasts 60, 90 or 120 days. You need a bachelor’s degree or equivalent, and must either be a skilled worker at MOHRE level 1, 2 or 3 or a recent graduate of one of the world’s top 500 universities. You will also need an attested qualification certificate and a financial guarantee. Apply through GDRFA in Dubai or ICP elsewhere.

This is a specific route with its own eligibility. Many people instead job hunt on an ordinary visit or tourist visa, and what you can get there depends on your nationality, so check with GDRFA or ICP before you travel. Neither route lets you work: a visit or tourist visa alone does not authorise employment (UAE work-permit rules).

What you cannot do on a visit visa

• Work. Starting before your permit is issued leaves you without a registered contract or salary protection, and employers who hire without a work permit face fines of AED 100,000 to AED 1 million. That penalty is on the employer, not a fine charged to the job seeker.
• Overstay. Fines are AED 50 a day. If you land a job while visiting, your employer can change your status without you leaving.

When you are ready, browse current openings on our jobs board.

Changing jobs

When you can move

You can work for a new employer once your contract ends lawfully: it expired without renewal, it was ended on grounds set out in the Labour Law, or your employer ended it through no fault of yours. In most cases you no longer need a no-objection certificate from your old employer. Notice periods must be 30 to 90 days, although both sides can agree to shorten or waive them.

Moving during probation

Probation can last up to six months. To join another UAE employer during probation, give at least one month’s written notice; the new employer is then expected to compensate your current one for recruitment costs, unless agreed otherwise. Check your contract for any clause about recruitment costs before you resign.

Be careful about leaving the country. Under the ministerial resolution on one-year work-permit bans, if you resign during probation and depart, you can be barred from a new work permit for one year from your departure date, unless your employer breached the contract. The same ban applies if a proven work-abandonment (absconding) report is filed against you, or if your permit was with a fictitious company. Some workers, including Golden Visa holders and people on family residence visas, are exempt from the work-abandonment ban. Check the specific article for your situation.

How a transfer works

Your new employer applies to MOHRE for a transfer work permit, typically valid for two years. Your old permit and residence are cancelled and a new residence visa is issued, usually without you leaving the country. Do not start the new job until the new permit is issued.

Cancellation and grace periods

When your job ends, your employer cancels your work permit and then your residence visa. Read anything you are asked to sign, keep copies, and make sure your final salary and end-of-service dues are settled. If you sponsor family members, their visas depend on yours; dependants typically get a grace period after their visas are cancelled or expire.

Your own grace period depends on your residence category. GDRFA lists 60 days for Dubai private-sector residence permits, and some categories, such as Golden and Green Visa holders, get up to six months. In that time you can find a new job and have your new employer apply for a permit, switch to another visa, or leave.

Do not rely on what colleagues were given: check your own deadline with ICP’s online file-validity service or with GDRFA. After the grace period, overstay fines of AED 50 a day apply. Your health insurance may run out sooner: in Dubai, cover is required to continue for a period after cancellation (commonly cited as 30 days) or until you leave, whichever comes first; confirm the current rule.

Golden Visa, Green Visa and other routes

Long-term visas let you live in the UAE without relying on one employer’s sponsorship.

Visa	Length	Main criteria for employees
Golden Visa (skilled professionals)	10 years	MOHRE occupational level 1 or 2, salary from AED 30,000/month, bachelor’s degree or equivalent, valid work permit and contract, health insurance for you and your family
Green Visa (skilled employees)	5 years, renewable	MOHRE level 1, 2 or 3, bachelor’s degree, salary from AED 15,000/month, valid employment contract
Remote work visa	1 year, extendable	Remote work for an employer outside the UAE, income from US$3,500/month, health insurance

Criteria and thresholds change, so confirm current requirements with ICP or GDRFA. Golden Visa holders still need a work permit to take a job, but their residence does not depend on the employer. The Green Visa also has a route for freelancers and the self-employed: see our freelance visa guide. For the rest of your move, start with our moving to Dubai guide, and once your residence is issued, open a bank account.

FAQ

How long does it take to get a Dubai work visa?

The Work Bundle platform aims to complete the permit and residence steps in five working days once your employer submits a complete application. Attestation, notice periods and travel usually make the whole move take longer.

Can I work in Dubai on a visit visa?

No. You can job hunt on a visit visa, but you cannot work until your work permit is issued. If you get an offer, your employer can change your status inside the UAE.

Can my employer make me pay for my visa?

No. Employers cannot charge workers recruitment or employment costs, directly or through salary deductions. That covers your work permit, entry permit, medical test, Emirates ID and residence visa.

How long is a Dubai work visa valid?

A standard private-sector residence permit commonly lasts two years and can be renewed. Your Emirates ID expires at the same time. Other categories differ.

Do I need my degree attested for a Dubai work visa?

For skilled jobs, usually yes. MOHRE asks for academic certificates for skill levels 1 to 5, and they must be attested for you to be classed as skilled.

Can I change jobs in Dubai without a ban?

Often, but it depends on why and how the contract ends. If your contract ends lawfully and you serve your notice, you can usually move without a ban. A one-year work-permit ban applies in specified cases, mainly resigning during probation and then leaving the UAE (unless the employer breached the contract), or a proven work-abandonment report. Check your own situation against the current rules.

How long can I stay in Dubai after my visa is cancelled?

GDRFA lists 60 days for Dubai private-sector residence permits, and some categories get up to six months. Check your own deadline with ICP or GDRFA: fines of AED 50 a day apply afterwards.

Can I sponsor my family on a work visa?

Usually, if you earn at least AED 4,000 a month, or AED 3,000 plus accommodation, and meet the housing requirement. You can sponsor your spouse, unmarried daughters, sons under 25 and children with special needs. Their visa and insurance costs are yours unless your package includes them.