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An employment visa in the UAE is filed by the employer in five steps: the MOHRE work permit (2 working days), the GDRFA entry permit, the medical test, Emirates ID biometrics and the GDRFA residence (about 48 hours). The permit fee depends on the company's MOHRE category, AED 250 to AED 3,450 for two years. This page is the process; every price per head is on employee visa cost in Dubai.
Who applies
The employer applies, not the employee. The standard UAE work visa runs for 2 years, and in Dubai the private-sector residence is renewable on the same 2-year cycle. This page covers mainland companies with a MOHRE file. Free zone companies process staff visas through their own free zone authority, so if you are still choosing between the two, read business setup in Dubai first.
MOHRE work permit fees
| Fee | Category 1 | Category 2 | Category 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Application | AED 50 | AED 50 | AED 50 |
| Two-year work permit | AED 250 | AED 1,200 | AED 3,450 |
Source: MOHRE "Recruiting a worker from overseas" service page, checked . The amounts exclude tax and collection charges.
The category is the company's, not the employee's. MOHRE's service page does not explain which companies fall into which category, so confirm yours in your MOHRE establishment account before you budget. On ten hires, category 3 instead of category 1 changes the permit bill a lot.
MOHRE also caps what a business service center (Tasheel) may charge on top: AED 72 per service. Filing on the MOHRE website or app costs nothing beyond the federal fees.
Documents for the work permit
- White-background photo of the employee.
- Passport valid for at least 6 months.
- The MOHRE job offer, signed by the employee.
- Educational certificates, attested, matching the skill level of the job.
- A professional licence where the job needs one, for example in health or engineering.
- National ID card for nationals of Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran.
Skill levels
| MOHRE level | Minimum education |
|---|---|
| 1 and 2 | Bachelor's degree or higher |
| 3 and 4 | Diploma or higher |
| 5 | High school |
| 6 to 9 | None |
MOHRE counts a job paying under AED 4,000 a month, or one held without a degree, as not skilled. Getting the level right matters later. Skilled levels 1 to 3 get a longer grace period from ICP after cancellation (see overstay fines in Dubai), and levels 1 to 3 with a salary of at least AED 15,000 qualify for the green visa. Attest the degree before you file, because the level on the permit follows the certificate you submit. Our certificate attestation page covers how.
From work permit to residence
- MOHRE work permit: 2 working days.
- GDRFA entry permit: the employee enters on it, or, if already in the UAE, changes status. Being inside adds an AED 500 inside-the-country fee plus AED 10 and AED 10, and the status change itself is AED 500 plus AED 10 and AED 10. See visa change in Dubai.
- Medical test: AED 270 for the normal 24 hour service at a Dubai Health center, more for VIP slots.
- Emirates ID: biometrics at an ICP center.
- GDRFA residence: AED 200 + AED 10 Knowledge Dirham + AED 10 Innovation Dirham + AED 20 delivery, plus AED 100 for each year over two. GDRFA quotes 48 hours.
GDRFA's employment entry permit costs AED 200 plus 5% VAT, and if the new hire is already inside the UAE you add AED 500, AED 10 and AED 10 (GDRFA service page, checked ). The permit is valid for 60 days.
How long the whole process takes
| Step | Official time | What usually decides it |
|---|---|---|
| MOHRE work permit | 2 working days | Attested certificates and a signed job offer |
| GDRFA entry permit | 48 hours | The establishment card being valid |
| Medical test | Result in about 24 hours on the normal service | Booking a slot |
| Emirates ID biometrics | When ICP asks | The ICP appointment |
| GDRFA residence | 48 hours | The medical result arriving |
The official times add up to only a few working days; the real wait is travel, the medical slot and the biometrics appointment. A hire inside the UAE skips the flight but adds the status change. Price lists put the full employer cost at about AED 4,500 to 8,000 per employee; the line-by-line budget is on employee visa cost.
Renewal and cancellation later
The visa runs 2 years. At renewal the employer renews the MOHRE work permit and then the GDRFA residence, AED 740 in GDRFA fees when renewed inside the UAE, plus a new medical test. See work permit renewal. When an employee leaves, the order reverses: the MOHRE work permit is cancelled first, then the residence at AED 100 plus AED 10 and AED 10. Put both dates in your HR calendar the day the visa is issued.
What holds up an employment visa
- Certificates not attested. The permit cannot carry a skilled level without them.
- Passport under 6 months. MOHRE will not take it.
- Job offer not signed. The employee signs the MOHRE offer, not a company letter.
- The hire's old visa still open. GDRFA's status change needs the previous permit cancelled, so the old employer has to act first, see visa cancellation.
Doing it yourself
A company owner with UAE Pass can file the work permit on the MOHRE website or app, then the visa on the GDRFA app. It is realistic for one or two hires a year. Employees can check their permit on MOHRE's inquiry service under Electronic Work Permit Information. Companies hiring often usually move to a monthly arrangement, compared on PRO services in Dubai.
Handing over a new employee's visa
Send the employee's passport, photo, certificates, and the job title and salary you are offering. The partner team checks which MOHRE skill level the certificates support and what attestation is still missing, since an unattested degree is a common reason a skilled permit is held. They type the MOHRE job offer and work permit, file the entry permit or status change with GDRFA, book the medical and Emirates ID biometrics and follow the residence to the end. Nobody from your office queues at Tasheel or Amer. Each employee is quoted as one total, government fees and the service charge itemised. In two years the same team can take the visa renewal.
