Employment and Work Visas

If you’re coming to the UAE for a job, you’ll need an employment visa. Some people call it a work visa. Same thing.

What Is an Employment Visa?

An employment visa is a residence permit issued to foreign nationals sponsored by a UAE-based employer. It’s valid for 2 years typically and renewable as long as you stay with the same employer.

Two things you get with this visa:

A work permit from MOHRE (Ministry of Human Resources) that allows you to work
A residence visa from immigration (ICP or GDRFA) that allows you to live here

Your visa is tied to your employer. They are your sponsor. If you change jobs, your new employer must transfer or issue a new visa .

Who Needs an Employment Visa?

Anyone who isn’t a UAE or GCC citizen and wants to work for a company here.

This includes:

Private sector employees (mainland companies)
Free zone employees
Government and semi-government sector workers
Domestic workers

The only exceptions are people on Green Visas (self-sponsored freelancers) or Golden Visas (long-term talent), who don’t need employer sponsorship.

The Two-Step Process

This confuses people. Here’s how it actually works:

Step	What happens	Who handles it
Step 1: Work permit	Your contract gets approved	MOHRE (Ministry of Labour)
Step 2: Residence visa	Your visa is issued	ICP or GDRFA

First, your employer gets your labor contract approved by MOHRE. Once that’s done, they apply for your actual residence visa through immigration. Dubai uses GDRFA. Everywhere else uses ICP.

Step-by-Step Application Process

Here’s what happens from the moment you accept a job offer to the day you get your visa.

Your employer starts everything. They must:

Have a valid trade license and no violations with MOHRE.
Apply for a visa quota based on their office space (for free zones, it’s typically one visa per 9 square meters).
Submit a job offer and employment contract through the MOHRE system.

The contract must be signed by both parties. Once submitted, MOHRE reviews it. This takes 1 to 5 working days.

Once the work permit is approved, you receive an entry permit. This is sometimes called a “pink visa.”
If you’re outside the UAE, the entry permit lets you enter the country. It’s valid for 60 days.
If you’re already in the UAE, you’ll get a “change of status” permit instead. Same 60-day validity.
During these 60 days, you must complete all remaining steps: medical, biometrics, and visa stamping.

All applicants must pass a medical test at a government-approved center .

What they check:

Blood test (HIV, hepatitis, etc.)
Chest X-ray (for tuberculosis)

Results usually come within 48 hours. VIP services can be faster—4-6 hours .

If you test positive for certain communicable diseases, your visa will be rejected.

Next, you visit an EIDA center (ICP) to provide biometrics, fingerprints, and a photo.
This registers you for your Emirates ID, which is your official ID card in the UAE. It’s linked to your visa and lets you open bank accounts, sign contracts, and more.
Emirates ID is usually issued within 1-2 weeks.

Once your medical results are clear and your biometrics are done, your employer applies for your residence visa.

For Dubai visas: Processed through GDRFA
For other emirates: Processed through ICP

The visa is issued electronically within 48 hours. Your passport gets stamped (or digitally linked) with the residence visa.

For private sector employees, MOHRE activates your work permit after the residence visa is issued. This officially authorizes you to start working.

Documents You'll Need

From you (the employee):

Document	Requirements
Passport copy	Valid for at least 6 months, clear scan of the photo page
Passport photo	Recently, a white background
Educational certificates	Attested by relevant authorities (if required for your job)
Professional license	For regulated professions (doctors, nurses, teachers, engineers, etc.)
National ID	For some nationalities (Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran)

From your employer:

Valid trade license copy
Establishment card
Signed job offer and labor contract (MOHRE-approved)

How Much Does It Cost?

The employer is legally required to cover all visa costs. If anyone asks you to pay before you start, that’s illegal.

Estimated costs (AED):

Item	Cost Range
Work permit / Entry permit	1,500 – 3,500
Medical fitness test	300 – 750
Emirates ID	370 – 570
Visa stamping	500 – 1,000
Total approximate	2,000 – 6,500

Fees vary based on company category (mainland vs free zone) and skill level.

How Long Does It Take?

Stage	Time
Work permit approval	1-5 working days
Medical results	24-48 hours
Residence visa issuance	Within 48 hours after medical
Emirates ID delivery	1-2 weeks
Total process	2-4 weeks typically

Free zones are often faster (5-10 working days). Mainland can take 7-15 working days due to coordination between the MOHRE and GDRFA. If your application shows ‘Pending’ for more than a week, our guide to processing and pending status explains what might be causing the delay.”

How to Check Your Employment Visa Status

What you’ll need:

Your application number or passport details

Go to the MOHRE website

Select the most used services option

Choose the Issuance of a New Work Permit – Overseas option

On this page, you can see the option for application tracking.
Enter your application number after choosing the appropriate option.

Status	What it means
Approved	The labor part is done. Moving to immigration.
Pending	Still being reviewed.
Rejected	Something’s wrong. Your employer needs to fix it.

For Dubai visas: GDRFA website. Use the Visa status option homepage and enter the transaction and order number for status.

For other emirates: ICP Smart Services, use the “File Validity” tool

Enter your passport number and expiry date. The system shows your current status.

For detailed step-by-step instructions on how to track your visa status using your passport number, Emirates ID, UID, or file number, visit our homepage.