The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a popular location for people who relocate abroad for work, Dubai Immigration For Foreigners for better Feature and this number has increased significantly in recent years. The UAE’s sizable ex-pat population, which makes up approximately 88% of the total population, results from the country’s specific job visa requirements. Foreign citizens and expats alike must apply for a UAE work visa before relocating to the country. There are various steps in this application procedure, including selecting the appropriate work visa, acquiring an entry visa, applying for an Emirates ID, and getting a medical exam we outline the methods for applying for a visa, compare the several work visas offered by the UAE, and list the necessary paperwork. We also investigate how employing an immigration specialist simplifies the overall work visa procedure for international businesses looking to hire expats in the UAE or relocate talent there.
UAE Work Visa Types
Foreign nationals must acquire a UAE work visa before traveling to the UAE to work. Three different types of UAE work visas are available to foreigners: the standard work visa, the Golden Visa, and the Green Visa. Depending on each applicant’s unique situation, the best access will vary.
Typical Work Visa
- An employer-sponsored work visa, known as a regular work visa in the UAE, enables an expat to live and work as an employee in the country for two to three years. The employer must either renew or terminate the visa after this point.
- A standard work visa is one of the most popular alternatives for working or hiring people in the UAE. An employment contract, Ministry of Human Resources, and Emiratization permission are necessary (MoHRE).
- A foreign national must accept a job offer in writing and get an entry permit before traveling to the UAE on a regular work visa. They can enter the UAE with an entry permit and start the formal application procedure for their work and residency visas.
Green Card
The UAE created the Green visa in October 2022 to entice and assist foreign freelancers and independent contractors in the UAE. While the ordinary UAE work visa requires employer sponsorship, the Green visa provides five-year resident residency. Other advantages of the Green visa include sponsoring immediate family members to move to the UAE, a grace period of six months following the expiration or cancellation of the permit, and a streamlined application procedure. Different documents are needed to submit a Green visa application depending on the applicant’s work category. The only regular requirements are a valid job contract or self-employment permit from the MoHRE, proof of education, and evidence of sufficient income during the applicant’s stay in the UAE.
GOLD VISAS
Professionals with extraordinary qualifications are eligible for the 10-year Golden visa, which enables them to live, work, and study in the UAE without needing a local sponsor. Doctors, scientists, athletes, innovators, artists, healthcare workers, and others with specific qualifications are frequently eligible for the Golden Visa. Gold visa holders are entitled to several advantages, including free sponsorship of immediate family members and support personnel and access to exceptional health insurance plans. Also, they are permitted to leave the UAE at any moment without having it affect the duration of their visa. Depending on the applicant’s history, different supporting documents are required for a Golden visa. To determine if a person is eligible for the Golden Ticket, take the eligibility test on the Federal Authority for Identification, Citizenship, Customs, and Port Security (ICP) website.
Who May Apply for a UAE Work Visa?
If both the employer and the employee adhere to the requirements of the More, anyone above 18 may work lawfully as an expat in the UAE. A general summary of the More requirements for employment in the UAE may be found below:
- The business is properly licensed.
- There are no offenses by the employer
- The employee’s job is consistent with how the business operates.
- The worker at least has a high school diploma.
- Although there is no upper age limit for candidates, firms who hire people over 65 must pay an additional AED5,000 (US$1,360) cost every two years.
- Conditions for Getting an Employment Visa for the UAE
- Depending on the visa category, different UAE employment visa requirements apply. A general list of the supporting documents needed to apply for a work visa in the UAE is provided below:
- Genuine and replica passports
- images the size of a ticket that complies with UAE criteria
- Dubai ID card
- a permit issued by the Ministry of Labor (MoL)
- a medical certificate from a UAE health facility that has received official approval.
- Copy of the worker’s academic credentials with permission from the Ministry of foreign affairs and an embassy of the UAE in the worker’s country of residence
- documents from the employer, including their business license and identification card
- While the employee is in charge of submitting the paperwork for the residence permit, the employer is in order of the application procedure and associated expenditures for the work visa.
Steps for Obtaining a UAE Work Visa
Obtaining an employment entrance visa, requesting an Emirates ID, and acquiring a resident visa and work visa are the three steps that make up the application process for a UAE work visa. Here, we list the stages and their associated grades. Getting an employment entry visa for the UAE is the first step.
 Request approval of the entry visa quota
The employer must apply for a UAE free zone visa if the candidate lives and works in one of the country’s 46 free zones, which requires permission from the Ministry of Labor’s visa quota Employers in free zones are subject to quota restrictions on work visas, which differ amongst free zones. In Dubai, for instance, there is a quota of one ticket for every nine square meters of office space. If an employer achieves their percentage, they can upgrade their quota or relocate to a larger office.
Send in a completed employment contract
The employer must submit a completed work contract to the MoL for approval after receiving quota approval. If the employee’s native tongue differs from English or Arabic, the agreement must also be in that language.
 Apply for a work visa and an entry visa together
The employer must submit their application for a work visa for approval. At this point, the MoL verifies that the sponsor is an officially recognized corporate body from the UAE and assesses whether any available unemployed UAE nationals can fill the open post in place of the foreign applicant. Before awarding an entry visa, the MoL must approve the application for a work visa.
Receive a visa for employment
The MoL awards an employment entrance visa, often known as a pink visa, after approving the application for a work visa. For those with essential or Green permits, the entry visa is valid for two months; for those with Golden tickets, it is suitable for six months with repeated entries. It enables the worker to formally enter the UAE and submit an application for a resident visa. At the time of the employee’s arrival in the UAE, the entry visa is granted. They may request a one-time extension if they cannot depart for the UAE within 60 days. The employee must apply for a permit “change of status” or perform a “border run” if they are currently in the UAE on another type of visa to receive the entry visa when they arrive. Upon arrival, the employee must gather evidence for their resident visa application, such as an Emirates ID and a health certificate. At the same time, the company submits extra paperwork to grant the work visa formally.
Get an Emirates ID
Foreign nationals traveling to the UAE for employment or residing there must obtain an Emirates ID to undergo the mandatory medical examination. The ID, which replaces a passport as the primary form of identification in the UAE, is directly linked to the expat’s residence permit. The employee must go to an Emirates Identity Authority (EIDA) center with their passport and entry visa and present biometrics, including their fingerprints and a photo, to apply for a UAE ID.
Get a work and residence visa for the UAE in stage three.
Get a Medical Exam
All applicants must get a medical checkup at a clinic in the UAE that the government has approved. The examination’s findings must be submitted with the application for a resident visa.
Deliver a labor contract.
To make the UAE work visa official, employers must post the employee’s work contract on the MoL website within 14 days of getting the employee’s medical screening results.
 Purchase health insurance
In the UAE, health insurance is required for all foreign workers. Employers are required to offer employees and their families health insurance in various Emirates, including Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
Foreign workers must obtain health insurance if they live in Sharjah or one of the northern Emirates. Employees need a current health insurance card to receive work visas from the MoL or have them renewed.
Get a work visa and start the payroll.
The time it takes the MoL to officially grant a work visa after completing the stages above is around five days. Employees can start working legally in the UAE once they have their work visa, and companies can begin processing payroll through the official UAE system.
Get a residence permit.
Once all of the abovementioned requirements have been met, the employee must submit the necessary paperwork with their resident visa application. An application receipt will do if the applicant still needs to obtain their official Emirates ID. The residency permit is extendable for a further two years. To dwell in the UAE, all ex-pats require a resident visa, which according to the MoL, includes the employee’s work visa. Expats also need a residence visa to complete formalities like opening bank accounts, registering cars, and setting up PO boxes.
Things to Think About Before Applying for a Work Visa in the UAE
Every candidate needs sponsorship from a legally incorporated firm in the UAE, which is one of the unique requirements for obtaining a regular work visa in the UAE. This rule makes hiring more difficult for foreign businesses looking to hire talent in the UAE. Instead of creating a local firm in the UAE, a business might partner with an employer of record (EoR) to hire foreign nationals. An EoR is a third-party company that acts as your global workforce’s legal employer, enabling you to hire employees outside your home nation without setting up a local corporation. For businesses to test the UAE market and quickly hire UAE expats or locals without running the risk of breaking UAE employment and immigration restrictions, an EoR manages everything from onboarding and payroll to visa needs and compliance.
What Is an Employer of Record
With Velocity Global, hiring or relocating talent in the UAE is simple. Even though the UAE has relatively straightforward visa procedures, foreign employers and expats need help getting UAE work visas. You can eliminate the headache and compliance risks by working with Velocity Global. The integrated Global Immigration solution from Velocity Global makes obtaining visas easier for distributed workforces in the UAE and elsewhere. With the help of our Global Employer of Record (EoR) service, you can easily hire or move personnel in foreign markets since we take care of document collecting, translation, and administration while guaranteeing compliance with changing immigration rules.