All people who wish to stay in the UAE to work need a work permit in UAE. A work permit is a legal document that allows a foreign individual to look for work, work and obtain official income in the country. Also, you can legally stay in any emirate in the UAE getting all the benefits of residents. For instance, bring your relatives with a family visa.

In this article, you will see all the information related to the work permit in UAE. The first thing will be to describe the different work visas for which you can apply. Secondly, we will show you the different eligibility criteria for people who want to opt for this document. In addition, you will see a step-by-step guide on what you must do to obtain the work permit in UAE; including the necessary documents.

1. Do you know the types of work permits in the UAE?

We can find that there are different Job visas in UAE and it is important to know what they are. For this reason, the following will talk about the work visa for UAE that you can request:

1.1 The green visa to work

The green visa in the UAE is a type of residence visa that will allow its holder to be self-sponsored for 5 years. This eliminates the need for an employer or UAE citizen to sponsor the visa for you. This visa can be requested by self-employed, freelancers, and skilled employees.

Self-employed and/or freelancers who want to apply for a green visa must present certain documents. Among them are an autonomous/independent work permit from the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization. In addition, you must have a specialized diploma or proof of a bachelor’s degree.

They must provide evidence of their annual self-employment income for the previous two years; where these are not less than AED 360,000 or proof of financial solvency during their entire stay in the country. On the other hand, for qualified employees to be able to apply for a green visa they must follow other criteria.

They must have a current employment contract and be qualified in the first, second, or third occupational level according to the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization. In addition, they must have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent and a salary of not less than AED 15,000 per month.

1.2 Standard work visas

A foreign person will be able to obtain a normal Dubai or UAE Work visa, usually for two years. This will be valid if this employee works in the private sector, in the government sector, or in, a free zone. It is important to keep in mind that each process will be different and will depend on the sector in which you are working.

In addition, you should be aware that your employer will have to apply for this standard residence visa. This is because, in the UAE, visas are requested by employers for their employees. Therefore, this process must be carried out by your employer and not by the employee. Likewise, if you wish to renew it, this process will be carried out by your employer.

2. What are the eligibility criteria if you want this document?

To request these types of documents, certain eligibility criteria must be followed. For this reason, you should know what these criteria are and you can do it below:

2.1 Good conduct, Age, and health

The person making the request must be a specialist over 18 years of age and without a criminal record. In addition, you must be free of dangerous diseases such as tuberculosis and HIV.

2.2 You must have employment in the UAE

They must provide a job offer or, failing that, an employment contract with any company in the UAE. In this way, you will be able to make your application for a work visa.

2.3 A good rating

This must be confirmed by documents that are according to the skill level of the applicant:

• Those who are specialists and have a bachelor’s degree or higher provide their university diplomas.
• Those workers who have graduated from a vocational school or college. In this case, they must also provide their certificates or diplomas.
• If the applicant only has completed high school, they must present their high school diplomas.

3. Know the requirements to obtain a job visa in UAE

If you want to apply for a work permit in UAE or a residence visa, the list of required documents is the same. In either case, the employer is in charge of submitting all the requirements. In addition, to complete the application for a work permit in the UAE, the company must provide certain legal and administrator information. Next, you will see the list of all the documents that are needed for this procedure.

• A photocopy of the applicant’s international passport with an expiration date of no more than six months is required.
• In case you are a citizen of Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Iran, they need to hand over your ID cards.
• Once you enter the UAE, you are assigned the unified number as identification and stamped on your entry permit. You must give me that number.
• A qualification test is required. That is a university, secondary school, or vocational school diploma certified by the Certification Office of the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
• In the case of specialists in the medical, educational, legal, or sports field, need a certificate of practice.
• A clear and sharp detailed photo on a white background.
• In case the applicant has a driving license, Emirates ID, and certificate of good conduct, it must be provided.

Those are the documents that the employee must provide to the employer; but some company documents must also be delivered, below, you will see them in detail.

• Establishment card.
• Photocopy of the visas and passports of the shareholders of the company.
• The employment contract of the applicant.
• Electronic signature card.
• Current business license.

4. Step-by-step guide on how to apply for a work visa in Dubai

To continue with the process of obtaining a work permit in the UAE, you must enter the country. That is why the first step is that they give you an entry permit visa, a residence visa, and an Emirates identification card. The most important thing you need to obtain this document is that you need an employment contract. Having this, you can continue with the whole process. Next, you will see all the steps you must follow to obtain your work permit in UAE.

4.1 Dubai entry permit visa

The first thing you need is an entry permit visa, which is granted by the Ministry of Labor. If everything goes well, you will have this permission to enter the country with a validity of two months from the date of issue. This allows you to stay in the United Arab Emirates for one month, with the possibility of extending twice.

4.2 Emirates ID card and residence visa to work in Dubai

Once your entry clearance visa is approved and you are in Dubai, your employer can begin the process of your residence visa. You are given a total of 2 months to complete the entire process. That is, to be able to deliver all the documents and follow all the steps.

The first thing you should do is visit an Emirates ID Service Center. Thus, you can get your own United Arab Emirates ID. For this, you must bring your entry permit visa and your passport to the center. Subsequently, the following steps must be followed to complete the application for a work permit in UAE.

4.2.1 Fill in the visa application form

After arriving at the center and handing over the passport and entry permit visa, you must fill out a form. You must do this with the help of your employer and he will deliver it for you.

4.2.2 Passports and Photos

In this step, the applicant will provide several passport-size photos, along with a photocopy of the passport and the original. One recommendation is that you keep a few extra copies of your passport and give others to a trusted friend or family member.

4.2.3 Company validation documents

To complete your work visa application; you must present a copy of a valid business license and a photocopy of a valid company card from the company that wants to hire you. This is your new employer’s job and can be fixed quickly and easily.

4.2.4 Medical Checkup and Health Certificate

Anyone applying for a residence permit needs a valid health certificate. To carry out this process, the beneficiary undergoes a health check at a government medical clinic or hospital. It is important that you know that medical tests are not accepted outside the country, they must be carried out in the UAE. You have the option of asking your employer for a health center to get tested.

5. Some FAQs

Because these types of topics can be a bit confusing for some people, frequently asked questions arise. Consequently, we will help you answer these questions that you may have.

5.1 What are the UAE work permit fees?

There are different rates in the UAE for work permits and these are the following:

• Applying for initial approval for a new electronic work permit will be AED 200 in all categories and levels.
• The approval of a new electronic work permit.
• Category 1: AED 300.
• Category 2: has three levels A, B, and C where its rates are 600 AED, 1500 AED, and 2000 AED respectively.
• Category 3: AED 5,000.
• Those foreign workers who are over 65 years old will have a fee of AED 5,000 in all categories.

The second category is divided into levels, which depend on the proportion of workers who are skilled or unskilled and are part of the company. In most cases, your employer will be responsible for covering the costs of your permit to work in the UAE.

5.2 How long can it take to get a work permit?

After the presentation of all the documents, the ministry takes at least 5 business days to issue your work permit.

5.3 Can UAE work visas be renewed?

If possible. The different types of residence visas in the UAE are issued for 1 to 3 years and can be renewed. Your employer must renew your UAE work visa within 30 days before it expires. Thus, the procedure for the renewal of the work visa is similar to the one carried out when you obtained it for the first time.

Your employer must submit the respective application to the General Directorate of Residence and Foreign Affairs (GDRFA) in the corresponding emirate. However, your employer may also renew your visa after it expires. Therefore, this will only be possible if you are within the expiration grace period of your UAE residence visa.

6. Contact KPMPRO services and we will support you throughout this process

Currently, there are many foreigners who want to work in the UAE in one of the many start-up companies. As you can see, in the event that an employer wishes to carry out this operation, they have to go through a long process. As a result, there are companies dedicated to PRO services that you can hire to support you. Consequently, the best one you can hire in Dubai is KPMPRO services. Therefore, in order to get in touch with us, you must enter our website in the contact section.