UAE Work Visa: How the Employer-Sponsored Process Works
A private-sector UAE work visa starts with a signed job offer. Your employer then applies to the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) for a work permit. Employees cannot self-sponsor a standard work visa, so nothing moves until the employer starts the process. Working on a visit visa is illegal and can bring fines of Dh100,000 to Dh1 million for the employer, so do not start work before the permit and residence are in place.
The steps in order
- The employer issues a formal offer letter, signed by both sides.
- The employer applies for a MoHRE work permit through its online channels, attaching the signed offer. MoHRE checks compliance and issues the permit.
- After approval, the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) issues an entry permit. You then have 60 days to enter and finish the visa process. If you are already in the UAE, a change-of-status permit replaces it.
- You complete the medical fitness test at an authorised centre, which typically includes a blood test and chest X-ray.
- Once the medical result is released, the employer applies online for the residence visa. Dubai says it is issued within 48 hours.
- You give your fingerprints and photo for the Emirates ID, and MoHRE issues the employment contract.
Documents
You will need a passport valid for at least six months, a coloured photo on a white background and the signed offer. Academic certificates depend on the job’s skill level: levels 1 and 2 need a bachelor’s degree, levels 3 and 4 a diploma, level 5 a high school certificate, and levels 6 to 9 none. Regulated professions need a professional licence. You must also have valid health insurance.
Validity
A work residence visa is valid for two years and can be renewed for similar periods under the same conditions. It can also cover your family, subject to salary and accommodation conditions.
What it costs
There is no single flat fee. The employer pays the work permit costs, and reported fees are a Dh50 application fee plus a two-year permit fee of Dh250, Dh1,200 or Dh3,450 depending on the employer’s category, plus service-centre charges, a bank guarantee or insurance, and the separate visa, medical and Emirates ID fees. Those figures were reported in 2025, so confirm current amounts on the MoHRE website. Under UAE law the employer bears recruitment costs, so ask for the split in writing before you start.
Once your card is issued, you can track your Emirates ID application status online. If your employer is hiring from abroad, see MoHRE’s digital work permit system.
Frequently asked questions
How long do I have to enter the UAE after the entry permit is issued?
You have 60 days to enter and finish the visa process.
Who pays the recruitment costs?
Under UAE law the employer bears recruitment costs. Ask for the split of other charges in writing before you start.
Where to go next
- MoHRE digital work permits: 13 types
- How to verify a MOHRE job offer
- Job offer asking for fees
- Track your Emirates ID application
Already living in the UAE on a family visa? See how to work on a spouse visa in the UAE with a MOHRE dependents work permit.
