Around nine in ten private-sector workers in the UAE are expatriates, so this is not an exception process — it is the default way of hiring. The sequence matters: **quota, then offer, then permit, then entry, then medical, then Emirates ID, then residence visa**. Starting employment before the permit is issued is unlawful for both sides.
Work Permit and Residence Visa
Hiring a foreign employee — process and obligations
Around nine in ten private-sector workers in the UAE are expatriates, so this is not an exception process — it is the default way of hiring. The sequence matters: quota, then offer, then permit, then entry, then medical, then Emirates ID, then residence visa. Starting employment before the permit is issued is unlawful for both sides.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Employer | [COMPANY NAME], establishment [NUMBER] |
| Jurisdiction | [Mainland — MOHRE / Free zone — zone authority] |
| Candidate | [NAME], passport [NUMBER], [nationality] |
| Job title (must match the licence activity) | [TITLE] |
| MOHRE skill level | [1–9] |
| Salary offered | AED [AMOUNT] total, of which basic AED [AMOUNT] |
| Recruited from | [Outside the UAE / Inside the UAE — transfer] |
| Quota available? | [Y/N] — confirmed [DATE] |
| Permit type | [Standard work permit / Transfer / Golden visa holder permit / Part-time / other] |
| Target start date | [DATE] |
| All costs borne by | The employer — by law |
1. Before the Offer
| # | Check | Why | Done |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Establishment file active and in good standing | A blocked file stops everything, including WPS breaches | [Y/N] |
| 2 | Quota available for the role | Mainland quota is linked to premises; zones to the package | [Y/N] |
| 3 | Job title matches a licensed activity | A mismatch produces refusal | [Y/N] |
| 4 | Skill level determined | Affects permit category, fees and grace period on cancellation | [Y/N] |
| 5 | Qualifications attested where the role requires them | Attestation takes weeks | [Y/N] |
| 6 | Age 18 or above | Juvenile permits are a separate category | [Y/N] |
| 7 | Candidate’s current UAE status established | Transfer differs from overseas recruitment | [Y/N] |
| 8 | Any existing employer restriction or ban checked | A ban blocks the permit | [Y/N] |
| 9 | Health insurance arranged or budgeted | Required before the visa issues | [Y/N] |
| 10 | Full cost modelled | Permit, visa, medical, Emirates ID, insurance, deposit | [Y/N] |
5 more pages in the Word file
This is page 1 of the Word document, exactly as it appears when you open it. Fields shown like THIS are placeholders for you to complete.
These notes accompany the template and explain the drafting choices, the compliance points and the mistakes most often made with this document. They appear as a final page in the Word file, intended to be deleted before the document is executed.
Mainland quota is linked to premises and activity; free zone quota comes with the package. An offer made before quota is confirmed is an offer that may have to be withdrawn, which is a poor start and occasionally a claim.
Work permits are refused where the role does not correspond to a licensed activity. This surfaces at the permit stage, after the candidate has resigned elsewhere. Check the activity list against the role before the offer goes out.
Beginning work during processing is unlawful for the employer and exposes the individual to penalties and status problems. Time pressure is not a defence, and it is visible if anything goes wrong.
The employment contract must be registered with MOHRE within 14 days of work permit approval. Employers who treat registration as an administrative afterthought miss the window.
Permit, entry permit, medical, Emirates ID, visa, insurance and recruitment fees are all employer costs by law, and cannot be recovered directly or indirectly. Repayment clauses on early departure, salary structured to absorb the cost, and agency fee rebates all fall within the prohibition.
Where the role requires an attested degree, the process runs through the issuing country, the UAE embassy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Start it before the offer, not after the permit application is rejected for a missing document.
MOHRE skill classification influences the permit category, the fees, and the grace period the employee receives after cancellation. Determine it at the outset rather than discovering it at exit.
Retaining an employee’s passport is prohibited. Employers sometimes do it believing it prevents absconding. It does not, and it is a clear contravention that indicates other weaknesses to an inspector.
All entitlements are due within 14 days of the last working day, and settlement is expected as part of the cancellation process. Cancelling the visa while money is outstanding leaves the employee without status and the employer facing a complaint.
After cancellation the former employee has a limited period to remain lawfully, varying by category, with daily fines for overstaying. Telling them clearly costs nothing and prevents a genuinely damaging outcome for someone who has just lost their job.
A Golden Visa holder taking employment still needs a work permit, and the employer still owes WPS, health insurance, gratuity and every other obligation. The visa changes sponsorship, not compliance — and the assumption otherwise is common enough that penalties have followed.
A lapsed permit or visa creates an immediate compliance problem for both parties and can block other transactions at the establishment file. Diarise at issuance with a reminder six months out, not one month.
Subscription to the unemployment insurance scheme falls on the employee, not the employer, but a failure to subscribe attracts a fine and can block a future work permit when they change jobs. Explain it during onboarding — it costs the employer nothing and prevents a problem later.
Hiring someone already in the UAE on another employer’s permit follows a transfer route with its own requirements and possible restrictions. Establish the candidate’s current status before assuming the standard process applies.
Reflects UAE requirements current as of {{DATE OF USE}}. Permit categories, fees, visa validity, grace periods, medical requirements and free zone procedures all change — confirm the current position with MOHRE, ICP, GDRFA or the relevant free zone authority before each hire.
This is a ready-to-use template provided for convenience. Laws and requirements change, and every situation is different — please have it reviewed by a qualified professional (a lawyer, corporate secretary, or accountant as relevant) before you rely on it.