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The cost of an employee visa in Dubai is usually AED 4,500 to 8,000 per person for two years, according to published price lists of Dubai typing centers, PRO firms and free zones. The government part starts with the MOHRE work permit, AED 50 plus AED 250, AED 1,200 or AED 3,450 by company category. GDRFA, the medical test, Emirates ID and insurance come on top.
This page is the budget. For the steps themselves, see employment visa UAE.
Every item, per employee
| Item | Who charges | Amount | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work permit application | MOHRE | AED 50 | MOHRE |
| Two-year work permit, category 1 / 2 / 3 | MOHRE | AED 250 / AED 1,200 / AED 3,450 | MOHRE |
| Entry permit, employment | GDRFA | AED 200 plus 5% VAT | GDRFA |
| Medical fitness test, normal service | Dubai Health center | AED 270 | Dubai Administrative Resolution No. 66 |
| Emirates ID | ICP | AED 100 per year of residence plus AED 100 | ICP renewal rates |
| Residence permit, 2 years | GDRFA | AED 200 plus AED 10, AED 10 and AED 20 delivery | GDRFA |
| Typing at a Tasheel center | Private center | AED 60 to 200 | Market |
| Amer service charge | Private center | AED 100 to 300 per transaction | Market |
| Health insurance, basic | Insurer | AED 600 to 1,200 | Market |
Official items checked on the MOHRE, GDRFA and ICP service pages and the Dubai medical fees resolution, . Market items: published price lists of Dubai typing centers, PRO firms and free zones, same date.
Two notes on the table. The Emirates ID line uses ICP's published renewal rate; the page we checked did not list a separate first-issue rate. And MOHRE's fees exclude tax and collection charges, while a Tasheel center may add up to AED 72 per service.
One category 1 hire from abroad, worked out
The government items for one employee at a category 1 company, hired from abroad on a 2-year residence:
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| MOHRE application and 2-year work permit | AED 50 + AED 250 |
| GDRFA employment entry permit | AED 200 plus 5% VAT |
| Medical test, normal service | AED 270 |
| Emirates ID, 2 years | AED 100 x 2 plus AED 100 |
| GDRFA residence | AED 200 + AED 10 + AED 10 + AED 20 |
| Government items, total | between AED 1,000 and AED 1,500 |
Add typing and Amer charges, about AED 60 to 200 and AED 100 to 300 per transaction, and basic insurance at about AED 600 to 1,200 a year. So the government part is a modest share of the AED 4,500 to 8,000 that price lists show per head; insurance, deposits and provider fees make up much of the rest, which is why an itemised quote matters. A category 3 company pays AED 3,450 for the permit alone. Fees from the MOHRE, GDRFA and ICP pages and Dubai's medical fee resolution, checked .
What moves the price most
1. The company's MOHRE category
The work permit is the only line that changes between companies. On a single hire, category 3 pays AED 3,450 where category 1 pays AED 250. If you plan ten hires, find out your category before you set salaries. Our company labour file page explains how MOHRE decides it.
2. Inside or outside the UAE
| Hire outside the UAE | Hire already inside the UAE | |
|---|---|---|
| Entry permit | AED 200 plus 5% VAT | Same, plus AED 500, AED 10 and AED 10 |
| Status change | Not needed | AED 500 plus AED 10 and AED 10 |
| Travel | Flight to Dubai | None |
Source: GDRFA entry permit and status amendment pages, checked . GDRFA's status amendment page also lists an AED 50 establishment fee when a company files it.
A hire on a visit visa saves you the flight and the waiting, but the GDRFA bill is higher. Published price lists put the whole in-country route at about AED 3,000 to 5,500 per person in government fees. More on visa change in Dubai.
3. Medical test speed
AED 270 is the normal service. VIP in 6 hours is AED 700 and VIP in 2 hours is AED 1,020, under the same Dubai resolution. Paying for speed only helps if the rest of the file is ready. See the medical test page.
4. Who does the work
| Route | Typical price beyond government fees |
|---|---|
| Owner files on the MOHRE and GDRFA apps | None |
| Typing at Tasheel and Amer centers | AED 60 to 200 typing, AED 100 to 300 Amer charge |
| PRO firm, per visa | AED 500 to 1,500 |
| PRO firm, full employment visa processing | AED 3,000 to 6,000 |
| PRO firm, pay as you go per employee (one firm, not split into government and service fees) | AED 2,500 to 7,000 |
Same published price lists. Ranges differ because firms bundle different items: the AED 500 to 1,500 per visa is a service fee alone, while the higher figures may include some government items, so ask. Ask whether government fees and insurance are inside the quote.
Costs that are per company, not per head
Before the first visa, the company pays for two files, once:
- GDRFA establishment card: AED 200 plus 5% VAT with small extras, renewed every year. See establishment card.
- MOHRE labour file: AED 406 Ta'qeem fee, see company labour file.
Spread over five hires, these barely move the per-head figure. On one hire they are noticeable.
Insurance and deposits
Health insurance is not a government fee, and GDRFA's residence page does not list it as a document. Dubai price lists still include it in every employee budget: about AED 600 to 1,200 a year for basic employee cover. Some providers also ask for a refundable deposit of around AED 3,000. Ask the insurer up front whether a deposit applies, since it changes your cash need on day one.
The next two years
| When | What you pay | Typical amount |
|---|---|---|
| At renewal, after 2 years | MOHRE permit at the category fee, GDRFA renewal, medical, Emirates ID, insurance | AED 2,000 to 4,000 lean |
| If the employee leaves | GDRFA cancellation | AED 100 plus AED 10 and AED 10 |
| If a PRO handles the exit | Service fee | AED 500 to 1,200 |
Sources: GDRFA renewal and cancellation pages and the same price lists. The renewal steps are on work permit renewal and visa renewal.
Why quotes for the same visa differ
- One quote includes insurance, another doesn't.
- One assumes category 1, another category 2.
- One prices a hire from abroad, another a status change.
- One includes a VIP medical test.
- One treats the establishment card and labour file as included, another bills them separately.
Ask for the quote line by line, government fees separate from service fees. Then compare.
Getting a line-by-line cost for each hire
Tell us how many people you are hiring, their job titles and salaries, and whether each is inside the UAE. Send passports, photos and attested certificates. The partner team checks your MOHRE category and quota, because the category alone moves the work permit fee from AED 250 to AED 3,450, and works out each person's government fees. They then file the work permits, entry permits or status changes, medicals, Emirates ID biometrics and residence visas. Budgets usually break on the in-country charge or a missing attestation. Each employee gets one total price before any work starts, with the government fees and the service charge listed separately.
