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Guide · 6 min read

Hiring From Abroad: How the UAE Work Permit and Residence Visa Process Works

Before a new hire can start work in the UAE, your company needs a MoHRE work permit, then an entry permit, a medical test, a residence visa and an Emirates ID. Here is the order of steps, the 13 work permit types, the conditions MoHRE checks and the mistakes that slow founders down.

By Startup Roof Editorial ·

You have found the right person. They have said yes. Now comes the part many first-time founders underestimate: getting that person legally able to live and work in the UAE. The process is well defined, but it runs in a set order, and skipping or mixing up steps causes delays.

This guide walks through the work permit and the standard residence visa for a private sector employee, using information from u.ae, the Dubai Government portal and the GDRFA Dubai, all linked at the end. We have left out all fees; MoHRE and the visa authorities show current figures, and they depend on your company's classification.

General information, not legal advice. Procedures change; always check the official source.

Why the work permit comes first

According to u.ae, Article 6 of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, the UAE Labour Law, makes it illegal for a person to work in the UAE without a valid work permit issued by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE). Employers also may not recruit or employ any worker unless a work permit has been issued under MoHRE procedures.

So the visa is not the starting point. The work permit is. u.ae also warns that working without the proper visa status is illegal, and that penalties apply to both the employer and the employee.

The 13 types of work permit

MoHRE issues 13 types of work permit to establishments registered with it, depending on the nature of the job. As listed on u.ae, they are:

  1. Recruiting a worker from outside the UAE, valid for two years.
  2. Transferring a non-UAE worker from one establishment to another, valid for two years.
  3. A resident on family sponsorship, so companies can hire people already living in the UAE under a family visa, valid for two years.
  4. Temporary work permit, for assigning a worker already in the UAE to a task at another company for a limited period.
  5. Mission work permit, for bringing in a worker from abroad for a temporary job or time-bound project.
  6. Part-time work permit, for fewer hours or days than a full-time employee.
  7. Juvenile work permit, for workers aged 15 to 18 under specific conditions, valid for one year.
  8. Student training and employment permit, valid for three months.
  9. UAE or GCC national work permit, valid for two years.
  10. Golden visa holder work permit, valid for two years.
  11. National trainee work permit, valid for 12 months.
  12. Freelance work permit, for individuals working independently.
  13. Private teacher work permit.

Most early-stage startups hiring from overseas will use the first type. If you are hiring someone already in the UAE, check whether a transfer, family-sponsored or Golden visa permit fits instead.

The conditions MoHRE checks

u.ae lists the conditions for issuing a work permit:

  • The worker must be at least 18, except for juvenile and student permits.
  • The worker's occupation must match the business activity of your establishment.
  • Your trade licence must be valid and free of violations.
  • The worker must meet any licensing conditions for specialised professions.
  • The application must be submitted by someone legally authorised to represent the company.

MoHRE may refuse, decline to renew or cancel work permits if an establishment provides incorrect documents, is fictitious or not carrying out its registered activity, or is not compliant with the Wages Protection System or other labour market systems.

The documents your new hire provides

u.ae's page on employing expatriates says the employer will ask the worker for:

  • a colour photograph with a white background
  • a copy of a passport valid for at least six months
  • authenticated academic qualifications, where the job level requires them
  • an approval letter from the competent authority for certain regulated posts, such as doctors, pharmacists, nurses and teachers.

The same page notes that UAE law requires the employer to pay for the entry visa, travel to the UAE and post-arrival steps such as medical tests and the residence permit.

Before any of this, the employer must issue an official job offer that conforms to MoHRE's standard employment contract, signed by both sides and registered with the ministry.

Step by step: from offer to Emirates ID

The Dubai Government portal sets out the steps for a residence visa for employment in Dubai:

  1. Employment offer. The employer, who becomes the sponsor, makes the job offer.
  2. Work permit. The employer applies to MoHRE.
  3. Entry permit. Once the work permit is approved, an entry permit is issued, allowing the employee to enter within 60 days. If the person is already in the UAE, this step is replaced by a change of status permit.
  4. Medical fitness test at an authorised centre, typically a blood test and chest X-ray.
  5. Residence visa. Once the medical result is released, the employer applies online, and the portal says the visa is issued within 48 hours.
  6. Emirates ID. The employee submits biometrics (fingerprints and photo).
  7. Health insurance. The employee must have cover in place.

u.ae adds that the work permit lets the employee enter and stay for two months while the employer finalises the residence permit.

How long the residence visa lasts

According to u.ae, the standard work visa is valid for two years and renewable, and the employer must apply for it. GDRFA Dubai's service page for issuing residence permits for the private sector also describes a two-year permit, renewable on the same conditions, and lists three core requirements: a passport copy, a recent photo with a white background and an approved medical examination for those over 18.

GDRFA notes a 60-day grace period to stay in the country after a residence permit expires or is cancelled.

The Work Bundle

u.ae describes the Work Bundle, an integrated platform under the UAE's Zero Bureaucracy Programme. It lets employers handle work permits, residence visas, medical examinations and Emirates ID fingerprinting in one place. According to u.ae, it combines 5 platforms into one, cuts the steps from 15 to 5 and the required documents from 16 to 5, and reduces processing time from 30 working days to 5 working days.

Renewing and cancelling

u.ae summarises the rules:

  • Renewal: the original conditions must still be met, the required documents must be provided, and the fee depends on the permit type and your company's classification.
  • Cancellation: submit a formal request, complete the data, settle any outstanding fines for late issuance or renewal, and confirm the worker has received all their entitlements.

A founder's checklist

  1. Register your establishment with MoHRE before your first hire.
  2. Check the job title matches your licensed activities. If not, update the licence first.
  3. Issue a MoHRE-standard job offer and have both sides sign it.
  4. Collect the documents early, especially attested degrees, which can take time.
  5. Apply for the right work permit type.
  6. Track the 60-day entry window after the entry permit is issued.
  7. Book the medical test and biometrics as soon as the employee arrives.
  8. Set up payroll through WPS, since non-compliance can block new permits.

Common mistakes

  • Letting someone start before the permit. It is illegal for both sides.
  • A job title that doesn't fit the licence. MoHRE checks this.
  • Asking the employee to pay visa costs. u.ae says these fall on the employer.
  • Missing the entry window. The entry permit allows entry within 60 days.

Official sources

Last checked: 24 October 2026.

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