A UAE work permit is the authorisation issued by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) that allows a registered private sector establishment to employ a specific worker; the employer applies for it, not the worker, and it is separate from the residence visa that the immigration authority issues afterwards. MOHRE’s own guidance sets out 13 types of work permit, issued according to the nature of the job, with most of the standard employment permits valid for two years.
Which type applies to you matters more than most people expect. The permit type determines the validity period, the documents required, whether you can hold more than one job, and in several cases whether you need an employer at all. Below is what MOHRE publishes about each type, then the process and the fees as MOHRE states them.
Who issues what
Three authorities are involved in getting a foreign national legally into work on the UAE mainland:
- MOHRE issues the work permit and registers the employment contract for establishments registered with it.
- ICP, or the emirate’s residency and foreigners affairs authority such as GDRFA in Dubai, issues the entry permit and the residence visa.
- Free zone authorities handle permits and visas for companies inside their own zones, under their own rules.
A work permit alone does not give you the right to live in the UAE, and a residence visa alone does not let you work. You need both, in sequence.
The 13 types of UAE work permit
| Permit type | What it is for | Validity (per MOHRE) |
|---|---|---|
| Recruit a worker from outside the UAE | Bringing a worker in from abroad | 2 years |
| Transfer between establishments | Moving a non-UAE worker from one employer to another | 2 years |
| Resident on family sponsorship | Hiring someone already resident under a family member’s sponsorship | 2 years |
| Temporary | Lending a worker already in the UAE to another company for a limited task, after which they return | Not stated |
| Mission | Bringing a worker from abroad for a specific temporary job or time-bound project | Not stated |
| Part-time | Contracted hours or days fewer than full-time; the worker may hold more than one job with Ministry approval | Not stated |
| Juvenile | Employing a young person, with safeguards | 1 year |
| Student training and employment | Employing or training a student already in the UAE | 3 months |
| UAE/GCC national | Employing a UAE or GCC citizen | 2 years |
| Golden visa holder | Employing someone in the UAE who holds Golden Residency | 2 years |
| National trainee | Training a UAE citizen in line with their qualifications | 12 months, renewable by agreement |
| Freelance | Working independently without an employer sponsor or employment contract | Not stated |
| Private teacher | Giving private lessons to students | 2 years, issued free of charge |
Age and eligibility
MOHRE’s general conditions require the worker to be at least 18, with the juvenile and student permits as the stated exceptions. The juvenile permit covers young people aged 15 to 18, and the student training and employment permit is for a student aged 15 already in the UAE. The private teacher permit is open to a notably wide group: teachers registered in government or private schools, government and private sector employees, unemployed individuals, school students aged 15 to 18, and university students. MOHRE warns that tutoring without that permit is subject to fines and penalties.
The freelance permit is designed for individuals, including foreign nationals on self-sponsored residence visas, who provide services without a sponsoring employer or an employment contract. It is the route for genuinely independent work, not a workaround for employment.
Beyond age, MOHRE requires that the job matches the establishment’s registered activity, that the establishment holds a valid trade licence with no violations that would lead to suspension, and that the application is submitted by its authorised signatory. MOHRE may refuse, cancel or decline to renew permits where an establishment submits incorrect documents, is fictitious, does not actually carry out its registered activity, or does not comply with the Wages Protection System.
How the employer applies
Using the standard overseas recruitment permit as the model, MOHRE’s own service page sets out the sequence:
- Register the establishment. The company registers with MOHRE, obtains an establishment card and number, and applies for its electronic signature card, which MOHRE issues after inspecting the premises and which is needed before any permit application.
- Secure quota. The Ministry sets each company’s employee quota based on its legal status, premises, projects and requirements, and an electronic quota must be available first.
- Issue and sign the job offer. The employer signs the official form electronically and sends it to the worker. MOHRE requires it in Arabic, English and a third language the worker understands, with an annex summarising the law. Professional levels 1 to 3 sign with a signature; levels 4 and 5 may use a fingerprint.
- Submit the application with the required documents, via MOHRE’s website, smart app or a service centre. MOHRE states a service duration of two working days for the overseas permit.
The required documents are a clear colour photo on a white background, a passport copy valid for at least six months, the signed official job offer form, and an academic certificate matched to the worker’s skill level. MOHRE sets that requirement by level: a bachelor’s degree or higher for levels 1 and 2, a diploma or higher for levels 3 and 4, a high school certificate for level 5, and none for levels 6 to 9. Workers from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran must also supply a legible copy of both sides of a valid national ID card.
Regulated professions need a professional licence from the competent authority before the permit is issued. MOHRE gives examples: the Ministry of Health for doctors and nurses, education bodies for teachers, the sports authority for fitness trainers, and the Ministry of Justice for advocates. MOHRE also allows the permit to be replaced or the nationality changed within six months of issuance, up to twice, provided the profession and gender stay the same and the replaced worker’s entry permit is cancelled.
What it costs
MOHRE publishes a federal fee of AED 50 for the work permit application, applying to all three establishment categories, plus a two-year permit fee set by the company’s classification: AED 250 for first category, AED 1,200 for second, and AED 3,450 for third. Employment of UAE and GCC nationals is exempt. Where a business centre is used, MOHRE caps its commission at AED 72 per service in the permit package. Apart from the federal fees, MOHRE states the service is free through its website and smart app, and that fees exclude tax and collection charges.
The classification is a compliance score. MOHRE places companies that comply with labour market laws and meet an additional criterion, such as substantially exceeding Emiratisation targets or training UAE citizens through Nafis, in the first category. Compliant companies that do not meet those extra criteria default to the second, and companies that violate labour market rules or labour rights standards fall into the third. Permit fees therefore vary by a factor of almost 14 purely on the employer’s compliance record.
From work permit to residence visa
Once MOHRE approves, the immigration side begins. The employer opens a company file with the residency authority, and a work entry permit is issued. The UAE Government portal states that the entry permit is valid for two months from issue, and that within that period the employee must complete the medical fitness test, apply for an Emirates ID and obtain the labour card, after which the residence visa is stamped. It also states that the sponsored person must complete residence procedures within one month of entering the UAE, and that the standard work residence visa is valid for two years and renewable. The medical screening covers HIV/AIDS, hepatitis B, leprosy, syphilis and tuberculosis, with a pregnancy test for domestic workers.
The employment contract must be submitted to MOHRE within 14 days of arrival, or from the date of status change if the worker was already in the UAE. On arrival both parties sign the offer, and MOHRE registers it as a legally binding contract.
Worker protection obligations
Employers must secure each worker’s entitlements through one of two mechanisms under Ministerial Resolution No. 318 of 2022: a bank guarantee of at least AED 3,000 per worker issued through a UAE bank, or an insurance policy. MOHRE publishes premiums of AED 137.50 per skilled worker, AED 180 per low-skilled worker, AED 250 per worker at high-risk establishments not registered with the Wages Protection System, and AED 105 for domestic workers. Cover extends to the worker’s wages for their last 120 working days, end-of-service gratuity, repatriation costs and, on death, the cost of repatriating the body, up to AED 20,000 per worker.
Take current fees, quota and classification confirmations directly from MOHRE before budgeting, since classification can change. Worldwide Formations has spent 20+ years setting up and maintaining establishment files for companies hiring in the UAE, which is where most permit problems are either avoided or created.
Common questions
How long is a UAE work permit valid?
Most standard MOHRE work permits, including recruitment from overseas, transfer between establishments, family-sponsorship hires, UAE and GCC nationals and Golden Visa holders, are valid for two years. The juvenile permit is valid for one year, the student training and employment permit for three months, and the national trainee permit for 12 months renewable by mutual agreement. MOHRE does not publish a validity period for the temporary, mission, part-time or freelance permits.
Who applies for a UAE work permit, the employer or the employee?
The employer applies. MOHRE requires the application to be submitted by the establishment’s authorised signatory, and the establishment must already hold a valid trade licence, an electronic signature card and available quota. The exception in substance is the freelance permit, which is designed for individuals working without a sponsoring employer or employment contract.
How much does a UAE work permit cost?
MOHRE publishes a federal application fee of AED 50 plus a two-year permit fee set by the company’s classification: AED 250 for first category, AED 1,200 for second category and AED 3,450 for third category. Employing UAE and GCC nationals is exempt from these fees, and a business centre’s commission is capped at AED 72 per service. Confirm current figures with MOHRE before relying on them, as classification can change.
Is a UAE work permit the same as a residence visa?
No. The work permit is issued by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation and allows an employer to employ you; the residence visa is issued by the immigration authority and allows you to live in the UAE. You need both, obtained in sequence, and the entry permit stage comes between them. Free zone companies deal with their own zone authority rather than MOHRE for the permit element.
Can you work for two employers in the UAE?
Yes, under the part-time work permit. MOHRE describes this permit as covering a contract with fewer working hours or days than a full-time employee, and states that the worker may work for more than one employer with Ministry approval. Working a second job without the appropriate permit is not permitted, and MOHRE can cancel permits where an establishment or worker is in breach.
