Follow our step-by-step guide to apply for an employment visa in Dubai. Learn about required documents, process, fees, and approval timelines.
Dubai is a very appealing place among the professionals in the world as it has a flourishing economy and a vibrant labor market. Nonetheless, one has to have an employment visa in place prior to any employment in Dubai. The visa provides foreigners with a legal opportunity to live and work in Dubai and the UAE in general. Visa process stepwise understanding will help in avoiding delays and adherence to local laws.
This is a step-by-step guide on how to get an employment visa in Dubai, such as the important requirements, time limits, and relevant tips; all of which are designed to ensure that job applicants and employers find the system user-friendly.
The employment visa (or work visa) is a legal document that is provided by the UAE government to the expatriates to work and stay in the country during a certain period, usually two to three years. The visa is employer-sponsored whereby the Dubai based employer is the visa sponsor and can do the bulk of the visa application work.
Standard Work Visa: It is an employer-sponsored visa of the majority of the employees who have a job offer and contract in Dubai. Valid for two to three years.
Green Visa: This is a new type of visa where freelancers and self-employed have five years of unsponsored stay and work in Dubai.
Golden Visa: The long term visa is given to the skilled professionals or investors of high life skills, it lasts 10 years and has various advantages.
The employment visa that is commonly used by most job seekers is the normal employer-sponsored employment visa.
The first step is when the employer applies to the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization (MoHRE) to receive quota approval. The number of visas sponsored by companies is limited depending on their size and offices area, particularly in the free zones that provide distinct visa quota. After the granting of quota, the employer is able to provide job offers and visa applications.
An employee and employer have to sign a contract which will indicate remuneration, position and duties, and employment conditions. Such a contract should be delivered to the MoHRE within a period of 14 days following quota approval. The contract is normally drafted in English and Arabic, and even translated into the native language of the employee.
The employer submits a work visa application with the details of the employee, his passport, qualification and contract with the employee since the contract is signed. At the same time, the employer applies to obtain an entry permit (usually referred to as the pink visa) which would enable the employee to legally enter Dubai to work.
Upon receiving an application that is approved by MoHRE, an employee is issued with an employment entry visa of 60 days. This visa enables the employee to arrive in Dubai and take additional procedures in the form of medical examinations and registration of Emirates ID. In the case the employee is in UAE on some other visa, he or she may apply to change status and change his/her visa to an employment visa.
Soon after landing in Dubai, the employee will be required to seek the Emirates ID at a certified government center. This entails the submission of fingerprints and photographs. The Emirates ID is an obligatory document of identity of all UAE inhabitants which is connected to the residence visa.
The employees should also be medically examined at a designated health facility to detect the presence of communicable infections like HIV and tuberculosis. This is a test that should be passed in order to be given the residence visa.
Final approval of medical test results and signed labor contract is done by the employer on the MoHRE portal. This should be done within 14 days of medical check up.
The health insurance is a compulsory requirement to all the employees in Dubai. Health insurance coverage will be one of the employment benefits that the employer should offer in accordance with Dubai health regulations. The work visa is not allowed to be processed and renewed without valid health insurance.
Once all the appropriate requirements are fulfilled, the Ministry provides the official work visa. At this point, the employee has the legal right to commence working in Dubai and employers are free to commence payroll formalities.
The last procedure is to obtain the residence visa embossed on the passport of the staff members by the Dubai General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA). This visa will allow the worker to live in Dubai with the option of legal residency throughout the working contract, which is usually two years. This also enables the opening of bank accounts, signing of rental contracts as well as getting other important services.
Make sure that there is Proper Documentation: The copy of a passport, legitimate employment contract, and educational diplomas should be up-to-date.
Deadlines: Deadlines are strict in each step; failure to meet them may result in cancellation of the visa, or the payment of huge fines.
Employer Responsibility: The Dubai employer cannot avoid the burden of the visa application fees and submission hence maintain a good communication during the process.
Health Insurance: Make sure that the insurance company complies with the Dubai regulatory standards.
Legal Compliance: Ensure that the job description and salary of the employee is according to MoHRE standards or it will be rejected.
Renewals: To stay legally residing, employment visas should be renewed in time before they expire.
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