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No. Article 6 of Federal Decree by Law No. (33) of 2021 Concerning Regulating Labour Relations provides that an employer may not recruit or employ any worker except after obtaining a work permit from the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation. The permit is the employer's application, not the employee's. MOHRE's published service conditions require the establishment to hold a valid licence with no registered violations or suspension, to have electronic quota available and to file through its authorised signatory; the candidate must be 18 or older and must not already hold an active work permit. Only once the permit is approved does the file move to the entry permit and residence stage. We file the job offer and permit application and track each approval.

Sources: UAE Legislation portal (Government of the UAE) — Federal Decree by Law No. (33) of 2021 Concerning Regulating Labour Relations (English text); UAE Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation — Issuance of a New Work Permit - Overseas (accessed 24 October 2026)

MOHRE publishes a service time of two working days for a new overseas work permit, and the permit runs for two years. Federal fees depend on the establishment's category: AED 250 for a two-year permit in Category 1, AED 1,200 in Category 2 and AED 3,450 in Category 3, plus a AED 50 application fee, excluding tax and collection charges. Apart from these federal fees the service is free through MOHRE's website and app, and MOHRE caps a business centre's commission at AED 72 per service. Academic certificates are required by skill level: a bachelor's degree or higher for levels 1 and 2, a diploma for levels 3 and 4 and a high-school certificate for level 5. We tell you which category your company sits in before you budget.

Source: UAE Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation — Issuance of a New Work Permit - Overseas (accessed 24 October 2026)

Two years. The u.ae government portal states that a foreigner can get a normal employment visa valid for two years, renewable on terms set by the issuing authority, and that the employer must apply for it. Once the employee enters on the entry permit, the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security requires the residence procedure to be completed within 60 days of entry. The file includes a passport valid for at least six months, a photo, the MOHRE work permit, the employment contract and a medical report. ICP's published fees are AED 100 for the application and AED 100 per year of residence, with AED 500 for a status adjustment inside the country; completion time is two days. We run the sequence as one job.

Sources: The United Arab Emirates' Government portal (u.ae) — Work visa; Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) — Issuing Residency Permit (accessed 24 October 2026)

A grace period runs first, then daily fines. GDRFA Dubai's service page for private-sector residence permits gives a grace period of 60 days after expiry or cancellation, and the u.ae portal notes that some resident categories now have flexible grace periods of up to six months. After that, the overstayer pays AED 50 for each day, the standardised rate ICP applies to visit, tourist and residence visas. The Emirates ID issued by ICP also expires when the visa expires, so the employee is left without valid identification. The sponsor is responsible for renewing before expiry, so both the cancellation of a departing employee and the renewal of a continuing one have to be diarised against the visa date. We keep this calendar for clients and start renewals early.

Sources: General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs - Dubai — Issuing residence permits for the private sector; The United Arab Emirates' Government portal (u.ae) — Renewing your residence visa (accessed 24 October 2026)

Renewal is the sponsor's duty and must be completed before expiry: the u.ae portal states that your sponsor must renew your residence visa before it expires, and that the Emirates ID expires with the visa. Renewing one to six months early, for example because the employee will be travelling, is possible but needs ICP's special permission and approval first. GDRFA Dubai's private-sector residence service lists a residence permit fee of AED 200, an issuance fee that increases by AED 100 annually whenever the residency is over two years, AED 500 for applications inside the country and a 48-hour completion time. A medical examination approved by the relevant authorities is required for applicants over 18. We diarise expiry dates and open the renewal file, including the medical, well ahead of time.

Sources: The United Arab Emirates' Government portal (u.ae) — Renewing your residence visa; General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs - Dubai — Issuing residence permits for the private sector (accessed 24 October 2026)

An establishment card is a company-level card issued by the residency authority. GDRFA Dubai describes the service as one through which private sector businesses or free zones get an establishment card carrying information about the business, with related services for renewal, amendment and cancellation. The documents GDRFA lists are a copy of the appendix of the names of the partners and passport copies of the authorised signatories, with sector-specific extras for activities such as hotels, airlines and property. GDRFA's published fee is AED 200 for issuance plus 5% VAT, Knowledge and Innovation Dirham charges of AED 10 each, an optional AED 100 urgent fee and AED 100 more if filed through an Amer centre; expected completion time is 48 hours. We obtain and renew the card for clients.

Source: General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs - Dubai — Establishment Card for Institutions in the Private Sector/ Free Zone (accessed 24 October 2026)

It depends on headcount. MOHRE states that Emiratisation targets apply to companies with 50 workers or more, which must achieve 2% growth in the number of Emiratis in skilled jobs, with 2025 targets to be met before 31 December. A selected group of companies with 20 to 49 workers in specified fast-growing activities must recruit at least one UAE citizen and retain those already employed. MOHRE has announced that financial contributions will be imposed from 1 January 2026 on companies that miss their 2025 rates; for the 2024 cycle the contribution was AED 96,000 for each Emirati not hired. MOHRE also warns that fake Emiratisation schemes lead to legal action and downgrading of the establishment's classification. We map your workforce against these rules before each deadline.

Sources: UAE Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation — MoHRE urges private-sector companies subject to Emiratisation policies to ensure 2025 targets are met before 31 December; UAE Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation — MoHRE calls on establishments included in Emiratisation policies to meet required targets before end of December 2024 (accessed 24 October 2026)