🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates · Work Visa
Work permit categories, eligibility, sponsorship, application steps, and processing times.
Quick answer
Working in the UAE requires a work permit and a residence visa, typically sponsored by an employer or a free-zone company. The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) governs mainland employment; free zones issue their own permits. There is no personal income tax on salaries.
Work permits on the mainland are issued by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE), with residence visas handled by the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP). Free zones sponsor their own visas.
- Mainland employees need a MOHRE work permit and an ICP residence visa.
- Free-zone entities sponsor employee visas under their own free-zone authority.
- The Golden Visa offers long-term residence to qualifying investors and skilled professionals.
Step-by-step
- 1
Secure a job and confirm the route
Secure a job with a UAE employer; most workers are sponsored by the employer, while the self-sponsored Green Visa suits skilled workers, freelancers and investors.
- 2
Employer obtains the work permit and entry permit
The employer applies to the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) for a work permit and an entry permit (free-zone workers go through the free-zone authority).
- 3
Enter on the entry permit
Enter the UAE on the entry permit, which allows you to begin the status-change process.
- 4
Complete the medical and Emirates ID
Complete the medical fitness test and the biometrics for the Emirates ID.
- 5
Get the residence visa stamped
The residence visa is issued and linked to your file; you receive the Emirates ID card.
- 6
Renew and consider long-term visas
Renew the work and residence permits before expiry; skilled workers may qualify for the Green Visa or the 10-year Golden Visa.
Checklist
- Job offer + route confirmed (employer-sponsored or Green Visa)
- Work permit + entry permit (MoHRE or free-zone authority)
- Entry on the entry permit
- Medical fitness test
- Emirates ID biometrics + card
- Residence visa issued
- Work/residence renewals tracked
- Green Visa / Golden Visa eligibility considered
Official authorities
- Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE)
Work permits and labour relations.
- Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship (ICP)
Residence visas and entry permits.
Frequently asked questions
Who sponsors my UAE work visa?
Usually your employer or the free-zone entity you join sponsors your work permit and residence visa; the Golden Visa allows longer self-sponsored residence for eligible people.
Is income taxed in the UAE?
There is no personal income tax on salaries; corporate tax applies to businesses above a threshold, and VAT applies to most goods and services.
Can I sponsor my family?
Yes — residents meeting an income threshold can sponsor a spouse and children for residence visas.
Official-information aggregation, not legal advice. Always verify on the authority's own site.
Government portals
- The UAE Government Portal — Official UAE government portal — services, visas, residency
- Federal Authority for Identity & Citizenship (ICP) — Entry permits, residence visas, Golden Visa, Emirates ID
- Federal Tax Authority (FTA) — VAT and corporate-tax registration and filing
- Ministry of Economy — Company registration, business licensing, foreign investment