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A labour card in Dubai is the MOHRE electronic work permit that lets someone work for a mainland company. MOHRE charges AED 50 to apply and then AED 250, AED 1,200 or AED 3,450 for the two-year permit, depending on the company's category. It takes 2 working days, and you can check and print it on MOHRE's inquiry site.
Labour card, work permit, labour contract: same thing?
Close, not identical. People in Dubai say "labour card" for the work permit. MOHRE itself talks about an electronic work permit, and we found no MOHRE page that uses "labour card" or lists a separate fee for one. The fee you pay is the work permit fee.
The labour contract is a separate document. MOHRE issues the work permit first. The employment contract is then filed within 60 days of the worker's entry or status change. Workers at skill levels 6 to 9 receive their contract at a Tawjeeh center, and levels 5 to 9 attend a short guidance session.
What the company pays
| Company category | Application | Two-year permit |
|---|---|---|
| Category 1 | AED 50 | AED 250 |
| Category 2 | AED 50 | AED 1,200 |
| Category 3 | AED 50 | AED 3,450 |
Source: MOHRE "Recruiting a worker from overseas" service page, checked . Tax and collection charges are not included.
Two other numbers matter. A Tasheel business service center may charge a commission of up to AED 72 per service package, and filing on the MOHRE app or website saves that. UAE and GCC nationals pay no work permit fee at all.
The category belongs to the company, not to the job. If you don't know yours, read company labour file first. It explains how categories 1, 2 and 3 are decided.
Conditions before MOHRE will issue one
MOHRE's work permit service lists an available electronic quota as a condition for each new permit, and the company's authorised signatory, who must also be authorised by ICP, files it. Beyond that, guides commonly report that the employee must be at least 18, the trade licence valid and the candidate free of another active work permit; treat those as reported conditions and check the MOHRE service page for your case.
The last point often holds up hires who are changing jobs. If the worker's previous permit has not been cancelled, the new one will not issue. Ask the previous employer to cancel before you file.
Documents from the employee
- White-background photo.
- Passport valid at least 6 months.
- The MOHRE job offer, signed by both sides.
- Certificates by skill level: bachelor's for levels 1 and 2, diploma for 3 and 4, high school for 5, nothing for 6 to 9.
- A professional licence where the job requires one.
- National ID card for nationals of Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran.
Certificates for skilled jobs have to be attested. If the degree is from abroad and not yet attested, start that first, because the permit cannot be filed at the right level without it. Our certificate attestation page explains the route.
How to check, view and print a labour card
MOHRE's inquiry service lists 32 options. The ones people want:
| What you want | Option on MOHRE inquiry |
|---|---|
| See the current permit and its expiry | Electronic Work Permit Information |
| Print or save a copy | Print Electronic Work Permit |
| Track a permit still in process | Application Status |
| Check a pre-approval | Pre-approval status |
| Check worker insurance on the permit | Worker Insurance |
There is no option called "labour card status". Use Electronic Work Permit Information instead. Our MOHRE enquiry guide covers the other lookups, such as the job offer and the attested contract.
Renewal, transfer and cancellation
The permit lasts two years. Renewal can be filed up to 60 days before expiry, and the details are on work permit renewal. When a worker moves to a new employer, the new company files a transfer permit within 90 days of the old permit's cancellation.
Cancellation is free online apart from federal charges and takes 2 working days. MOHRE asks for its cancellation form signed by both parties for a used permit, proof that the worker's dues are paid, and any late fines settled. The GDRFA residence is cancelled after the MOHRE permit, not before. See visa cancellation.
After the labour card: the visa
The work permit is only half the hire. GDRFA then issues the entry permit or status change, the employee takes the medical test and Emirates ID biometrics, and GDRFA stamps the residence. For the money side per person, see employee visa cost. For the full process, see employment visa UAE.
What PRO firms charge
Published price lists of Dubai PRO firms show about AED 1,000 to 2,000 for handling a work permit issuance, excluding government fees, and AED 300 to 800 for labour contract updates. Checked . A Tasheel center doing the typing is capped by MOHRE at AED 72 per service, so ask what the higher fee covers before you pay it.
Getting the labour card done for a new hire
Send the employee's passport, photo, certificates, the job title and the monthly salary. The partner team checks the skill level the certificates support and confirms your quota and category before anything is typed, because a job title that does not fit the certificate is a common reason the offer comes back. They file the MOHRE job offer and work permit, then go straight to the GDRFA entry permit or status change, the medical and the Emirates ID biometrics. Your HR team stays out of the Tasheel queue. Each employee gets one total price, MOHRE and GDRFA fees listed apart from the service charge.
