Employment Visa UAE: How to Hire a Foreign Employee (Mainland, Free Zone, DIFC)

Employment Visa UAE: The Employer's Process for Hiring a Foreign Employee

You have found the right candidate abroad and want them in Dubai next month. The legal starting point is simple: under Article 6 of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 (the UAE Labour Law) no one may work without a valid work permit, and no employer may hire without one. On the mainland that permit comes from the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE); in a free zone, from the zone authority; in DIFC, under DIFC's own regime. After the permit, the sequence is broadly the same everywhere: entry, medical test, Emirates ID biometrics, residence visa.

This guide is about hiring staff. For your own visa as a founder or investor, see residence visa through your company.

Step zero: where is the employer licensed?

• Mainland — MOHRE work permit, federal Labour Law, Wage Protection System (WPS), Emiratisation quotas where applicable.
• Free zone — the zone authority issues the permit and visa; the official portal notes that free zone employees are sponsored by the zone authority rather than the employer, and that each zone has its own employment rules.
• DIFC — its own Employment Law (DIFC Law No. 2 of 2019) and its own courts.

Everything that follows — documents, fees, termination later — depends on this answer.

Mainland: conditions MOHRE checks

According to u.ae, a work permit is issued only if:

• the worker is at least 18 (except juvenile and student permits);
• the job matches the business activity on the trade licence;
• the licence is valid and free of violations;
• regulated professions (doctors, pharmacists, teachers and similar) have the sector regulator's approval;
• the application is filed by a person legally authorised to represent the company.

MOHRE may refuse, decline to renew or cancel permits where documents are incorrect, the company is fictitious or not operating, or it is not compliant with WPS. Under Ministerial Resolution No. 543 of 2022, firms with certain violations — including unsuitable worker accommodation — are denied new permits for set periods.

Company classification and the permit fee

MOHRE places establishments in categories A, B or C based on compliance with the Labour Law, WPS, ministry resolutions and diversity policy; firms with a record of violations land in C. The fee for issuing or renewing a work permit ranges from AED 250 to AED 3,450 depending on the category (Cabinet Resolution No. 21 of 2022 as amended by No. 37 of 2022). Entry permit, medical, Emirates ID and visa fees are separate and set by the immigration authorities; we price them on the filing date.

Hiring from overseas: the sequence

1. MOHRE job offer. Issue the official offer on the ministry's standard form; both parties sign. Candidates can verify an offer's authenticity through MOHRE's service.
2. Candidate documents. Colour photo on white background, passport valid for at least six months, attested academic qualifications where the job level requires them, and regulator approval for licensed professions.
3. Work permit. The permit to recruit from abroad is valid for two years. The official portal says a new permit usually takes about five calendar days.
4. Entry. The permit allows the employee to enter and stay for two months while the employer completes residency.
5. Medical fitness test and Emirates ID biometrics at authorised centres.
6. Employment contract on the MOHRE form, signed and registered (forms set by Ministerial Decree No. 46 of 2022).
7. Residence visa and Emirates ID — valid for one or two years depending on the contract, per u.ae.

UAE law requires the employer to bear the cost of the entry visa and travel to the UAE, the medical test and the residence permit. These costs cannot be passed to the employee.

Already in the UAE? A different permit applies — transfer from another employer, a resident on family sponsorship, a Golden Visa holder (see Golden Visa), part-time work and others. MOHRE issues 13 types of permit in total. The government's Work Bundle platform brings permit and visa issuance, renewal, medical and Emirates ID biometrics into a single channel.

Payroll: WPS is not optional

Every employer registered with MOHRE must pay wages through the WPS — via banks, exchange houses or financial institutions authorised by the Central Bank. Ministerial Resolution No. 340 of 2026 makes the previous month's salary due on the first day of each Gregorian month and requires at least 85% of total wages due to be paid on time. Escalating measures start from the second day after the due date. WPS non-compliance is itself a ground on which MOHRE refuses new permits, so a payroll shortcut today becomes a hiring freeze tomorrow.

Emiratisation: does it apply to you?

Per u.ae (updated 12 August 2026), the published private-sector targets are:

The 14 sectors are: information and communications; finance and insurance; real estate; professional, scientific and technical activities; administrative and support services; education; health and social work; arts and entertainment; mining and quarrying; manufacturing; construction; wholesale and retail; transport and warehousing; hospitality. Below 20 employees there is no published quota. Targets beyond 2026 we confirm on the date. Sham Emiratisation — hiring on paper to meet the quota — carries separate penalties. How these rules apply to a free zone entity we check individually.

Free zone differences

• The zone authority issues the permit and visa and acts as sponsor.
• Employment is governed by the zone's rules; u.ae notes that contract terms must still be in accordance with the Labour Law.
• Visa quotas depend on the zone and the premises — flexi-desk, private office, larger office — and each zone sets its own numbers. Confirm the quota before choosing a package, not after.

DIFC in brief

DIFC runs its own Employment Law (DIFC Law No. 2 of 2019), with disputes before the DIFC Courts. End-of-service rules differ from the mainland — see end-of-service gratuity. Visa procedure for DIFC employers we confirm at the time of hiring.

Mistakes we see employers make

• The job title on the permit does not match the licence activity.
• The two-month post-entry window runs out before medical and Emirates ID are done.
• Part of the salary is paid outside WPS.
• Visa costs are deducted from salary — not permitted.
• On departure, the permit and visa are not cancelled on time; see terminating an employee.

Frequently asked questions

Can a new hire start work on a visit visa while papers are processed?

No. Working without a MOHRE or free zone permit is illegal, and penalties apply to both employer and employee.

How much does an employment visa cost the employer?

The MOHRE permit fee is AED 250 to AED 3,450 depending on the company's category. Entry permit, medical, Emirates ID and visa fees are added at immigration-authority rates, which vary by emirate, zone and employee category.

How long is the visa valid?

The permit to recruit from abroad is issued for two years; the residence visa for one or two years depending on the contract.

Do Emiratisation quotas apply to a 12-person startup?

The published targets start at 20 employees in the listed sectors and at 50 employees across the board.

Sources

• u.ae — Work permits (conditions, 13 types, fees, categories A/B/C): https://u.ae/en/information-and-services/jobs/Sector-of-employment/employment-in-the-private-sector/work-permits — checked 24.09.2026
• u.ae — Employment of expatriates in privately held companies: https://u.ae/en/information-and-services/moving-to-the-uae/expatriates-working-in-the-uae/employment-of-expatriates-in-privately-held-companies — checked 24.09.2026
• u.ae — Payment of wages and WPS (Ministerial Resolution No. 340 of 2026): https://u.ae/en/information-and-services/jobs/Sector-of-employment/employment-in-the-private-sector/payment-of-wages — checked 24.09.2026
• u.ae — Emiratis' employment in the private sector: https://u.ae/en/information-and-services/jobs/Sector-of-employment/employment-in-the-private-sector/emiratis-employment-in-private-sector — checked 24.09.2026
• u.ae — Working in free zones: https://u.ae/en/information-and-services/jobs/Sector-of-employment/working-in-free-zones — checked 24.09.2026
• DIFC — Employment Law, DIFC Law No. 2 of 2019: https://www.difc.com/business/laws-and-regulations/legal-database/difc-laws/employment-law-difc-law-no-2-of-2019 — checked 24.09.2026

This is a general framework, not legal advice. Procedures and fees differ by emirate, zone, company category and employee category, and change by ministerial decision. We review each hire individually.