To work in Dubai as a foreign national, you need a Dubai work permit visa: a work permit issued by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) that ties you to a specific employer, followed by a residency visa linked to that permit.1The Official Platform of the UAE Government. Employment Laws and Regulations in the Private Sector The permit is valid for two years and governed by Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021. Under the UAE’s “Work Bundle” system, the combined permit and visa process can be completed in roughly five working days when the paperwork is clean.2The Official Platform of the UAE Government. Work Permits
Who Qualifies
You need a formal job offer from a company holding a valid Dubai trade license. That employer becomes your legal sponsor and takes responsibility for your permit while you are in the country. The permit is tied to that specific employer, so a job change means cancelling the old permit and filing a fresh one.
Applicants must be at least 18. There is no hard upper age limit for most roles, though workers over 65 may face higher insurance costs. MoHRE classifies positions into five skill levels, from level one (professionals with university degrees) down to level five (manual labor). Your level shapes minimum salary requirements, the qualifications you have to prove, and the grace period you receive if your job ends.1The Official Platform of the UAE Government. Employment Laws and Regulations in the Private Sector
Documents You Need to Prepare
Your passport must be valid for at least six months from the date you enter the UAE.3The Official Platform of the UAE Government. Check if You Need a Visa to Enter the UAE You will also need recent passport-sized photos with a white background that meet the digital specifications set by the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP).
Attested Educational Certificates
For skilled positions, your degree has to be authenticated before the UAE will accept it. The chain runs through your home country’s education department, its Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the UAE Embassy there, and finally the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) once the document is in Dubai. MOFA attestation costs 150 AED per educational certificate.4Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Attestations Guide Documents in a language other than Arabic or English need a certified legal translation.
Good Conduct Certificate
A police clearance from your home country or last country of residence is required for all new work visa applications, whether you apply from abroad or from inside the UAE. Start this early. Processing times vary widely between countries, and an expired certificate can hold up the entire application.
Offer Letter and Contract
Your employer prepares the offer letter through MoHRE’s digital portal. It has to state the job title, salary, and notice period. Under UAE Labour Law, the contractual notice period cannot be shorter than 30 days or longer than 90.5Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation. Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 Concerning Regulating Labour Relations Every detail on the offer letter has to match your passport and educational documents exactly. Spelling variations in your name, mismatched job titles, and inconsistent salary figures are among the most common reasons applications get bounced back.
How the Application Is Filed
Your employer uploads the verified documents to MoHRE’s online portal and pays the fees. The work permit costs between 250 AED and 3,450 AED depending on the company’s classification. MoHRE rates companies A, B, or C based on their compliance history with labor law, the Wages Protection System, and worker welfare standards. A clean record means a lower fee; violations push the employer to the top rate.2The Official Platform of the UAE Government. Work Permits There is also a 50 AED federal application fee.6Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation. Issuance of a New Work Permit – Overseas
Once approved, MoHRE issues an entry permit that lets you fly into the UAE to complete the residency process.
After You Arrive: Medical, Emirates ID, Residency Visa
Every residence visa applicant aged 18 and above has to pass a medical fitness examination at a government-authorized health center managed by Dubai Health.7Dubai.ae. Medical Fitness for Residence Visa The screening includes blood collection and a chest X-ray, and some job categories require vaccinations.8Dubai Health. Medical Fitness Exam for Residency Visa Results usually come back within 24 hours by email and SMS. Failing can lead to visa cancellation and deportation.
Once cleared, you visit an ICP service center for biometrics, including fingerprints and a photo, so your Emirates ID card can be issued.9The Official Platform of the UAE Government. Emirates ID The Emirates ID is your primary identification document in the UAE. You will need it to open a bank account, sign a lease, connect utilities, and access government services.
The residency visa itself is now mostly digital rather than a sticker in your passport. Your status is linked to your Emirates ID and can be verified through the ICP app or website. For straightforward cases, the whole sequence from filing to visa issuance runs about five working days under the Work Bundle.2The Official Platform of the UAE Government. Work Permits
Health Insurance Is Now the Employer’s Job
Since January 2025, private sector employers have to purchase a health insurance policy for each employee as a condition of issuing or renewing a residence permit. The employer bears the full cost and cannot deduct premiums from your salary.10Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation. The Basic Health Insurance Scheme Basic coverage starts at around 300 to 400 AED annually. If your employer’s plan does not extend to dependents, you as their visa sponsor are responsible for buying separate coverage for your spouse and children.
Your Rights Once You Are Working
Probation
Your employer can put you on probation for up to six months. During that window, either side can end the relationship with 14 days’ written notice. If you want to switch to a different UAE employer during probation, you have to give your current employer at least one month’s notice, and your new employer may need to reimburse the original company’s recruitment costs. Leaving the country during probation without following these rules can trigger a one-year ban on getting a new UAE work permit.11UAE Legislation. Federal Decree by Law Concerning Regulating Labour Relations
Notice Period
Either party can terminate the contract for a legitimate reason with written notice. The contract sets the exact length, but the floor is 30 days and the ceiling is 90. Both sides are expected to keep working through the notice period.5Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation. Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 Concerning Regulating Labour Relations
End-of-Service Gratuity
If you complete at least one year, you are entitled to a gratuity payment when you leave. Less than a year, nothing. One to five years, 21 days’ basic salary for each year served. Beyond five years, 21 days per year for the first five and 30 days per year after that. The total is capped at two years’ wages regardless of tenure.12The Official Platform of the UAE Government. End of Service Benefits for Workers in the Private Sector
Changing Employers
The old blanket “labor ban” that once locked workers to a single sponsor for years has largely been dismantled. You can move to a new employer once your contract has ended, both sides agree to terminate, or you complete the required notice period. The mechanics: cancel the existing permit and residency visa, then the new employer files a fresh application. The status adjustment can usually be done inside the country without leaving.
Restrictions still apply if you break the rules. Leaving without proper notice during probation, abandoning your position, or breaching contract terms can bring a one-year work permit ban.
Bringing Your Family
Once your residency visa is active, you can sponsor your spouse and children. The minimum salary threshold is 4,000 AED per month, or 3,000 AED plus employer-provided accommodation.13The Official Platform of the UAE Government. Residence Visa for Family Members Each dependent goes through the same medical exam and Emirates ID steps you completed, and as their sponsor you are legally responsible for their health insurance if your employer’s plan does not cover them.
If Your Job Ends: Grace Periods and Fines
When your employment ends and your residency is cancelled, you get a grace period to line up a new employer or leave. General workers get 30 days. Skilled workers at levels one and two get 90 days. Golden Visa and Green Visa holders get 180 days.
After the grace period, a fine of 50 AED per day starts accruing with no cap. Overstays beyond 30 days trigger an additional exit permit fee of around 250 AED. These fines must be settled before you can leave the country or apply for a new visa, so starting your transfer process the moment you know your role is ending is the practical way to avoid them.
Mainland vs. Free Zone: Which Rules Apply
Everything above assumes your employer is licensed on the mainland and therefore falls under MoHRE. A mainland permit lets you work anywhere in the UAE and bid on government contracts. Free zone employers are a separate system. Dubai has dozens of free zones, and each one’s licensing authority handles work permits internally rather than through MoHRE. A free zone permit generally restricts you to working within that zone and its clients, and fees, rules, and timelines can vary a lot between zones. If you are not sure which applies, check whether your employer’s trade license was issued by a free zone authority or by the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism.
Self-Sponsored Alternatives
The employer-sponsored permit is not the only route. The UAE Green Visa lets skilled professionals and freelancers sponsor themselves without an employer guarantor. It is valid for five years and comes with longer grace periods if work ends. Eligibility generally hinges on a minimum salary threshold or specific professional qualifications.
Freelancers can also apply for a freelance permit through various Dubai free zone authorities or the Dubai Development Authority. A freelance permit lets you operate under your own name rather than through a registered company. The licensing body varies by industry, and each has its own fees and permitted activity list. If you intend to work independently rather than for a single employer, look at these routes before signing a traditional sponsored offer.