United Arab Emirates Work Permit: What You Actually Need

If you're moving to Dubai or Abu Dhabi for a job, the United Arab Emirates work permit is the document that legally lets your employer pay you. Get it wrong and you're working illegally — even if your residence visa is fine.

Quick answer

A United Arab Emirates work permit is issued by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) for mainland jobs, or by the relevant free zone authority if your employer sits inside one. It's separate from your residence visa, though the two are usually processed back-to-back. Standard mainland permits last two years, cost between AED 250 and AED 5,000 depending on company category and skill level, and require an offer letter, attested degree, medical fitness test, and Emirates ID enrolment. Without one, you cannot legally start work.

Who issues your work permit depends on where you'll actually sit

This is the part most clients get wrong on day one. The UAE has two parallel systems.

If your employer is licensed by a Department of Economic Development (mainland), MOHRE issues your permit under Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations.[1] If your employer is in a free zone — DIFC, ADGM, JAFZA, DMCC, Dubai Internet City, and roughly 40 others — the free zone authority issues a free zone work permit, and MOHRE has nothing to do with it.

The rules differ. Mainland workers fall under the federal labour law. DIFC employees fall under DIFC Employment Law No. 2 of 2019. ADGM under its own Employment Regulations 2024.[2] Gratuity calculations, notice periods, end-of-service entitlements — all different.

Ask your employer which entity is actually hiring you before you sign anything. The trade licence will tell you.

The documents you'll need (and the ones people forget)

For a standard mainland permit, MOHRE wants:

• A signed offer letter on MOHRE's template (the "job offer" — separate from the contract)
• Your passport with at least 6 months validity
• A passport photo against a white background
• Attested educational certificates for skilled roles (categories 1–3)
• The employer's valid trade licence and establishment card
• Emirates ID application receipt
• Medical fitness certificate from an approved DHA or SEHA clinic

The attestation is the one that bites. Your degree needs to be attested in the country of issue, then by the UAE embassy there, then by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs after you arrive. Honestly, start this two months before you fly. People underestimate Pakistani HEC queues, Indian MEA backlogs, and Nigerian foreign affairs counters all the time.

Watch out: If your role is classified as skill level 1, 2 or 3, an unattested degree will freeze your file. MOHRE won't tell you in advance — your typing centre will spot it when the system rejects the application.

Costs and timelines in 2024

Fees depend on your employer's MOHRE classification (Category 1, 2A, 2B, 2C, or 3) which reflects Emiratisation compliance and workforce diversity.

| Category | Standard permit fee (AED) | |---|---| | 1 | 250 | | 2A | 1,200 | | 2B | 1,500 | | 2C | 2,000 | | 3 | 3,450 (and restricted issuance) |

Add roughly AED 500 for the Wages Protection System (WPS) registration, AED 300 for the medical, AED 370 for Emirates ID (2-year), and AED 500–1,000 for the residence visa stamp.[3] Free zones bundle these differently — DMCC quotes around AED 5,000 all-in for a standard permit and visa package; DIFC is closer to AED 6,500.

Timeline, realistically: 5–10 working days for MOHRE approval if your documents are clean. Add 2–3 weeks for medical, Emirates ID biometrics, and visa stamping. Free zones often run faster — JAFZA can turn a permit around in 3 days if the file is complete.

The Golden Visa, Green Visa, and freelance permit confusion

A regular work permit ties you to one employer. If they cancel you, you have a 60-day grace period (extendable to 180 days in some categories) to find another sponsor or leave.

But there are alternatives worth knowing:

The Green Visa is a 5-year self-sponsored permit for skilled workers earning at least AED 15,000 monthly with a bachelor's degree. You don't need an employer sponsor.[4] You can switch jobs without restarting the visa.

The Golden Visa runs 10 years for investors, specialised talent (doctors, scientists, top executives earning AED 30,000+), and outstanding students. Your dependents stay even if you lose your job.

The freelance permit, issued by GoFreelance (under TECOM), Dubai Development Authority, or Abu Dhabi's licensing regime, lets you invoice multiple clients. It's not a work permit in the MOHRE sense — it's a trade licence that doubles as your right to work. Cost: roughly AED 7,500 per year plus visa.

For most arriving employees on a single job offer, none of these apply. You'll get the standard 2-year MOHRE permit tied to your employer. The closing question is whether you should push for Green Visa eligibility at the offer stage — frankly, if you qualify, do it.

Cancellation, transfers, and the bits employers don't explain

When you resign or get terminated, your employer must cancel your work permit and residence visa through MOHRE and the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA). You sign a cancellation form. Make sure your end-of-service gratuity, unpaid wages, and any leave balance are settled before you sign — once the visa is cancelled, your leverage drops to zero.

Article 43 of the Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 governs notice periods (30–90 days, as agreed in the contract). Article 51 covers gratuity: 21 days' basic pay per year for the first 5 years, 30 days thereafter, capped at 2 years' total wage.[1]

Transferring between employers no longer requires a No Objection Certificate (NOC) since the 2022 reforms. You serve your notice, your old employer cancels, your new employer applies for a fresh permit. The 6-month ban that used to scare people? Gone, in most cases.

Costs to remember at exit: unpaid fines on your file (traffic, immigration overstays) will block cancellation. Clear them first.

For the broader picture on residency rules that interact with your permit, see our UAE visa categories guide.

Common mistakes that cost you the job

A few things I see repeatedly:

Signing the MOHRE offer letter without reading the Arabic version. The Arabic governs. If the English says AED 20,000 salary and the Arabic says AED 15,000, you're earning AED 15,000.

Starting work before the permit is issued. Even one day is illegal employment under Article 6 of the labour law. Fines on the employer can hit AED 50,000 per worker, and you risk a labour ban.[1]

Assuming your free zone permit lets you work elsewhere. It doesn't. A DIFC permit means you work inside DIFC for a DIFC entity. Doing project work for a mainland client without a secondment agreement is a violation.

Not registering for WPS. If your salary doesn't come through WPS, you have almost no proof of underpayment when you complain. Insist on it from month one.

For employment disputes after you're hired, see our employment law category.

One last thing on dependents

Your work permit alone doesn't bring your family. You need a separate residence visa for dependents, and you must earn at least AED 4,000 (or AED 3,000 plus accommodation) to sponsor a spouse, with stricter rules for sponsoring parents (AED 20,000+ typically). Plan that budget before you accept an offer that looked generous on paper but won't actually support a family in Dubai Marina rent.

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[1] Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations, UAE Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation. https://www.mohre.gov.ae

[2] ADGM Employment Regulations 2024, Abu Dhabi Global Market. https://www.adgm.com

[3] MOHRE fee schedule and service catalogue, 2024. https://www.mohre.gov.ae/en/services.aspx

[4] Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security — Green Visa criteria. https://icp.gov.ae

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