To get a Dubai work visa, you need a UAE-licensed employer to sponsor you through the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE), which issues the work permit; your employer then arranges an entry permit through immigration authorities, and once you arrive you complete a medical fitness test, biometrics, and Emirates ID enrollment before the residency visa is finalized. Under Article 6 of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, working without a permit and hiring without one are both illegal, and the employer bears all recruitment and visa costs.1The Official Platform of the UAE Government. Work Permits Start to finish, the process usually takes a few weeks.
Who Can Sponsor You and Who Qualifies
Every Dubai work visa starts with a sponsor. A locally licensed company, free zone entity, or authorized individual acts as your legal guarantor and holds a valid trade license permitting hiring in its jurisdiction. The sponsor is legally responsible for your presence in the country and initiates every step of the visa process on your behalf.
You must be at least 18 years old to qualify for a standard work permit. Juveniles aged 15 to 17 can work only under a separate juvenile permit with additional restrictions.2The Official Platform of the UAE Government. Employment and Training of Minors You also have to pass a medical fitness examination and be free of certain communicable diseases, including tuberculosis.
Article 6(4) of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 prohibits employers from charging workers any recruitment or visa fees, directly or indirectly.3UAE Legislation. Federal Decree by Law No. 33 of 2021 Concerning Regulating Labor Relations If an employer asks you to pay for your work permit, entry visa, or medical test, that violates UAE labor law, and you can file a complaint with MOHRE.
Documents You Need to Provide
Your employer handles most of the filings, but you supply the personal documents that make the application possible:
- A passport valid for at least six months beyond your expected entry date.4UAE Embassy. Visas for Non-US Citizens
- Recent passport photos against a plain white background that meet digital scanning standards.
- Attested educational certificates. Degrees and diplomas need to be attested through the proper chain: the relevant authorities in the country that issued them, followed by the UAE Embassy or its designated service provider.5Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Documents Attestation
The attestation step is what usually delays applicants. It can take weeks, so begin it as soon as a job offer looks likely.
Your employer generates a formal offer letter through the MOHRE system. It functions as a binding preliminary agreement and must accurately reflect the job title, salary, and your qualifications.6The Official Platform of the UAE Government. Job Offers and the Employment Process Any mismatch between the offer letter and the final contract can stall or kill the application. The employer signs it electronically and sends it to you for review and approval before the work permit is issued.
Job titles on the offer letter must match the government’s recognized classification list. Your title determines your salary grade and which labor protections apply. The employer also submits its own establishment card and trade license to verify its standing as a sponsor.
The Step-by-Step Process
Work Permit Approval
Once you accept the offer, your employer files for the work permit with MOHRE. Approval clears the way for immigration to issue an entry document.
Entry Permit
After MOHRE approves the work permit, your employer applies for an entry permit through the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) in Dubai or the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP).7The Official Platform of the UAE Government. Check Where to Apply for a Visa This lets you fly to Dubai and start the residency process. It has a limited validity window, so travel promptly after it’s issued.
Medical Fitness Test
After arrival, you complete a medical fitness examination at a government-approved Medical Fitness Center. Dubai has more than 20 such centers.8Dubai Health. Medical Fitness Exam for Residency Visa The screening includes blood tests and a chest X-ray, primarily checking for tuberculosis and other communicable diseases. Results typically come back within 24 hours. A positive finding for certain conditions leads to denial of the residency visa and possible deportation.
Biometrics
Next you attend a biometrics appointment for fingerprints and facial recognition. This data is used to produce your identity documents and is linked to national security databases.
Labor Card, Emirates ID, and Residency
The final stage produces two documents: the Labor Card, which is your official work permit showing your employer and professional details, and the Emirates ID, the primary identification card for all UAE residents. You need the Emirates ID for almost everything in daily life, from opening a bank account to signing a rental lease.
The Emirates ID typically prints within a few days after biometrics and reaches you by courier. The full cycle from medical test to card in hand can run from a few days to about two weeks.9Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security. Emirates Identity Authority Explains Reasons for Delay in Delivering ID Cards Physical visa stickers have largely been replaced by digital residency approvals you can verify through government portals and apps; that digital status is your proof of legal residence in the interim.
What It Costs
MOHRE fees vary by the employer’s classification. For a two-year work permit, the issuance fee is AED 250 for Category 1 employers, AED 1,200 for Category 2, and AED 3,450 for Category 3, with a flat AED 50 federal application fee added to every category.10Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation. Issuance of a New Work Permit – Overseas Applications submitted through the MOHRE website or app avoid additional service center commissions. Your employer pays all of these costs by law.
Health Insurance Is a Prerequisite
Health insurance is required before a residence visa will be issued or renewed. As of 2026, this applies across all emirates for work and residence visas. Employers cannot deduct the cost from your salary. The basic scheme covers emergencies up to AED 150,000 and includes inpatient and outpatient care with co-pay limits: about 20 percent for inpatient visits (capped at AED 500 per visit) and 25 percent for outpatient visits (capped at AED 100 per visit). Non-compliance blocks visa processing and triggers fines of AED 500 per month per uncovered employee.
If You Don’t Have a Traditional Employer
Not every route into Dubai requires a company to sponsor you. Two long-term residency options allow qualifying individuals to sponsor themselves, and a third covers remote workers.
Golden Visa (5 or 10 Years)
The Golden Visa targets investors, exceptional professionals, and other high-value residents. Investors need a minimum of AED 2 million in public investments or real estate for the 10-year version. Business owners can qualify if their company pays at least AED 250,000 annually in federal taxes.11The Official Platform of the UAE Government. Golden Visa Other eligible categories include scientists, doctors, inventors, creatives, athletes, PhD holders, and outstanding students, each with specific documentation requirements.
Green Visa (5 Years)
The Green Visa is a more accessible self-sponsored option for skilled workers and freelancers. Skilled employees need a valid UAE employment contract, a bachelor’s degree or equivalent, and a monthly salary of at least AED 15,000. Freelancers and self-employed applicants need a MOHRE freelancing permit, a bachelor’s degree or specialized diploma, and proof of at least AED 360,000 in annual income from the previous two years.12Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security. Green Residency The Green Visa is renewable and doesn’t tie your residency to one employer.
Remote Work Visa
Dubai offers a one-year virtual working visa for people employed by companies outside the UAE who want to live in Dubai while working remotely. As of 2026, applicants must submit six months of bank statements showing regular salary deposits, up from three months previously. The government processing fee is roughly USD 81, excluding medical examination and Emirates ID costs. You still complete the medical fitness test and biometrics.
After You Start Working
Your salary is protected by the UAE’s Wage Protection System (WPS). Every private-sector employer registered with MOHRE must pay wages through this system, which routes payments through banks, exchange houses, or financial institutions authorized by the Central Bank of the UAE.13The Official Platform of the UAE Government. Payment of Salaries/Wages If your contract doesn’t specify a pay period, you must be paid at least once a month, and payment is considered late after 15 days past the due date.
When your employment ends, you may be entitled to an end-of-service gratuity based on your length of service, calculated from your most recent basic salary and excluding allowances. Nothing accrues in the first year. From one to five years, the rate is 21 calendar days of basic salary per year worked. Beyond five years, it rises to 30 days per year for each year past the fifth, on top of the 21-day rate for the first five. The total is capped at two years’ wages.14The Official Platform of the UAE Government. End of Service Benefits for Workers in the Private Sector
Leaving a Job or Changing Employers
If you leave or are terminated, your employer must cancel your work visa. You then get a grace period to find a new sponsor, switch visa types, or leave the country. The grace period can extend up to six months depending on your residency category.15The Official Platform of the UAE Government. General Provisions for the Residence Visa Staying beyond it triggers overstay fines and can result in a re-entry ban. If a new employer is hiring you, they file a fresh work permit and visa application, but you need valid immigration status throughout the transition.
A Note for U.S. Citizens
The UAE has no personal income tax. American citizens and green card holders still have to file U.S. tax returns on worldwide income no matter where they live. The Foreign Earned Income Exclusion lets qualifying U.S. taxpayers exclude up to $132,900 of foreign earned income from U.S. taxation for the 2026 tax year, plus up to $39,870 in housing costs, provided you meet the physical presence test (330 days outside the U.S. in a 12-month period) or establish bona fide residence in the UAE.16Internal Revenue Service. Figuring the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion Separately, if your foreign financial accounts exceed $10,000 combined at any point in the year, you must file a Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBAR) with FinCEN.17FinCEN.gov. Report Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts