Your case is encrypted and private. Our software reads it, no person does. How

All work routes·United Arab Emirates, Employment visa (work permit, entry permit for employment, residence visa and Emirates ID)
Work visa check

Check your Employment visa (work permit, entry permit for employment, residence visa and Emirates ID) application before you apply

This page shows the conditions the Employment visa (work permit, entry permit for employment, residence visa and Emirates ID) sets, in the official words, with a free check of your answers. Go over what it finds with a solicitor or a regulated immigration adviser before you apply.

MoHRE for the work permit; ICP, or GDRFA for Dubai, for the entry permit and residence visaMinistry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE), and the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP), or GDRFA DubaiEmployment visa (work permit, entry permit for employment, residence visa and Emirates ID)

Go over these findings with a solicitor or a regulated immigration adviser before you apply.

What is being checked

The job offer and the employer’s papers, the pay, the language level, your qualifications, any money you must hold, police and health papers, and your past visas.

Why applications fail

Pay below the lowest figure the route sets, missing papers from the employer, or papers that do not match each other.

What our software does

The free check reads your answers against these conditions and shows where they usually fall short. It does not say whether you qualify. Paid work checks are not open yet.

01
MoHRE job offer and employment contract

Job offer letter and employment contract

If you are offered a job in the UAE, you must get an offer letter issued by the UAE’s Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE), signed by the authorised manager.

What the decision maker looks at: Whether you hold a real MoHRE offer letter, signed by the employer and by you, with a reference number you can look up, and whether the contract you sign on arrival says the same thing.

The job offer must come through MoHRE, the UAE labour ministry. It is not just a letter from a company. It has a reference number, and you can check it on the MoHRE website. It must be in Arabic, English and a language you understand. You sign it before the employer can ask for your work permit. When you arrive, the offer becomes your contract, and the employer must send it to MoHRE within 14 days. The contract must show the start date, the job, where you work, how long it lasts and your pay. The employer pays the costs of hiring you, not you.

Where this comes from 7 official sources

Evidence that addresses it

  • The MoHRE offer letter with its reference number, signed by the employer and by you
  • A screenshot or print of the MoHRE status check for that reference number
  • Your passport page, so the name and number can be matched to the offer
  • The employment contract, once you sign it in the UAE
02
Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, Article 6; MoHRE work permit conditions

The employer and the work permit

The occupation assigned to the worker must be aligned with the business activity of the establishment.

What the decision maker looks at: Whether the employer is a real, active company registered with MoHRE, with a valid trade licence, whether the job fits what the company is licensed to do, and whether MoHRE has issued the work permit.

Only the employer can ask for the work permit. MoHRE looks at the company, not just at you. The company's licence must be valid, the job must fit the company's business, and the company must really be trading. You cannot hold a work permit with another company at the same time. You can look the company up in the National Economic Register. Whether a company and a job meet these conditions is a judgement, so a solicitor or a regulated adviser should look at it.

Where this comes from 9 official sources
  • it is illegal for a person to work in the UAE without a valid work permit issued by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE). Likewise, employers may not recruit or employ any worker unless a work permit is issued in accordance with MoHRE procedures.

    Work permits (UAE government portal), Getting a work permit

    dated 19 October 2026 · checked against the page on 4 November 2026

  • The occupation assigned to the worker must be aligned with the business activity of the establishment.

    Work permits (UAE government portal), Conditions for issuing a work permit

    dated 19 October 2026 · checked against the page on 4 November 2026

  • The company’s trade licence must be valid and free of violations.

    Work permits (UAE government portal), Conditions for issuing a work permit

    dated 19 October 2026 · checked against the page on 4 November 2026

  • MoHRE may refrain from issuing or renewing, or may cancel work permits if the establishment:

    Work permits (UAE government portal), Conditions for issuing a work permit

    dated 19 October 2026 · checked against the page on 4 November 2026

  • is fictitious or does not exercise its registered activity or

    Work permits (UAE government portal), Conditions for issuing a work permit

    dated 19 October 2026 · checked against the page on 4 November 2026

  • The worker must not have any existing valid work permit/labour card from another company.

    Recruiting on the mainland (UAE government portal), Other terms and conditions to consider

    dated 27 October 2026 · checked against the page on 4 November 2026

  • whether the employee possesses professional competence or academic qualifications needed in the country, and

    Recruiting on the mainland (UAE government portal), Key provisions for recruiting foreign employees

    dated 27 October 2026 · checked against the page on 4 November 2026

  • Make sure that the company legally exists. You can search the company’s English and Arabic name in the National Economic register and get their details.

    Tips to stay safe from labour and visa fraud (UAE government portal), Tips to stay safe from labour and visa fraud

    dated 24 September 2026 · checked against the page on 4 November 2026

  • The establishment must be actively conducting its business when obtaining entry visas.

    Issuance of a Visa (ICP service card), Entry visa for a work mission or residency: terms

    checked against the page on 4 November 2026

Evidence that addresses it

  • The company's name in English and Arabic, and its record in the National Economic Register
  • A copy of the company's trade licence, if the employer will share it
  • Proof that any earlier UAE work permit or labour card of yours was cancelled
03
Entry permit for employment (ICP, or GDRFA for Dubai)

Passport and entry permit for employment

Before arriving, expatriates must ensure their passport is valid for at least six months and obtain an entry permit in accordance with the procedures of the authority of residency and foreigners affairs in the relevant emirate.

What the decision maker looks at: Whether your passport has at least six months left, whether the entry permit is real and in your name, and whether you will enter within its 60 days and finish the residence steps in time.

After you sign the offer, the employer sends you an electronic entry permit for work. It is issued by GDRFA if the job is in Dubai, and by ICP for the other emirates. You can check that it is real on their websites. Your passport needs at least six months left. You must enter the UAE within 60 days of the permit being issued. After you arrive, the residence steps must be done in time, or fines start. ICP, the authority that issues the permit, says you can stay up to 60 days after you enter to finish them. One older UAE government page says one month, so finish as soon as you can. In Dubai the work entry permit fee is AED 200 plus 5% VAT, and the employer applies for it.

Where this comes from 8 official sources
  • Before arriving, expatriates must ensure their passport is valid for at least six months and obtain an entry permit in accordance with the procedures of the authority of residency and foreigners affairs in the relevant emirate.

    Preparing to work (UAE government portal), Passport and visas

    dated 24 September 2026 · checked against the page on 4 November 2026

  • An entry permit remains valid for two months from the date of issue, and within one month of entering the UAE, the sponsored individual must complete the necessary procedures to obtain a residency visa, which is valid for two years.

    Preparing to work (UAE government portal), Passport and visas

    dated 24 September 2026 · checked against the page on 4 November 2026

  • After you sign the offer letter, the employer will send you an electronic entry permit for employment to allow you to enter the country.

    Tips to stay safe from labour and visa fraud (UAE government portal), Tips to stay safe from labour and visa fraud

    dated 24 September 2026 · checked against the page on 4 November 2026

  • If your visa/entry permit was issued in Dubai, you can verify its validity on the website of GDRFA.

    Tips to stay safe from labour and visa fraud (UAE government portal), Tips to stay safe from labour and visa fraud

    dated 24 September 2026 · checked against the page on 4 November 2026

  • The holder must enter the UAE within the 60-day validity period of the entry permit from its date of issuance.

    Issuance of a Visa (ICP service card), Entry visa for a work mission or residency: terms

    checked against the page on 4 November 2026

  • It is required that the foreigner’s stay in the UAE does not exceed sixty (60) days from the date of entry for the purpose of completing the residence issuance procedures.

    Issuance of a Visa (ICP service card), Entry visa for a work mission or residency: terms

    checked against the page on 4 November 2026

  • 2. A passport copy with at least a six-month validity period.

    Visa Issuance for Foreigners linked with Job Contract (GDRFA Dubai), Requirements

    checked against the page on 4 November 2026

  • Work visa fee: AED200 In addition to the value-added tax (5%).

    Visa Issuance for Foreigners linked with Job Contract (GDRFA Dubai), Fees

    checked against the page on 4 November 2026

Evidence that addresses it

  • Your passport, with at least six months left
  • The electronic entry permit for employment
  • A print of the GDRFA or ICP check showing the permit is valid
  • Your flight booking, with a date inside the permit's 60 days
04
Attestation of academic certificates (MoFA)

Attested certificates and professional licences

Certificates must be authenticated in the country of origin by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and then by the UAE embassy or consulate.

What the decision maker looks at: Whether the certificates the job needs were attested in the right order, in the country that issued them, and whether the job needs a local licence or exam as well.

Many jobs need your degree or diploma to be attested. Attested means officials have checked the stamp and signature. For a Nigerian certificate, the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs attests it first. Then the UAE Embassy in Abuja attests it, through the UAE foreign ministry website, and that covers the UAE foreign ministry too. The original paper is needed. A laminated certificate cannot be attested, and each paper must be apostilled on its own, not in a bundle. A certificate from another country must be attested in that country. Some jobs, like doctors and lab staff, also need a local exam and licence before you can work.

Where this comes from 9 official sources
  • Certain jobs require expatriates to present attested academic certificates to complete residency and employment procedures. Certificates must be authenticated in the country of origin by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and then by the UAE embassy or consulate.

    Preparing to work (UAE government portal), Attestation of academic certifications

    dated 24 September 2026 · checked against the page on 4 November 2026

  • In the UAE, some professions also require the attestation of university degrees by the Ministry of Education.

    Preparing to work (UAE government portal), Attestation of academic certifications

    dated 24 September 2026 · checked against the page on 4 November 2026

  • Employee qualifications relevant to the required role, authenticated by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

    Recruiting on the mainland (UAE government portal), Required documents

    dated 27 October 2026 · checked against the page on 4 November 2026

  • Nigeria-issued documents: must be attested by the Ministry of Foreign affairs in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    UAE Embassy in Abuja - Attestation Information, Can I attest documents at the UAE Embassy in Abuja?

    checked against the page on 4 November 2026

  • Please note: The original physical document is required for the digital attestation process.

    UAE Embassy in Abuja - Attestation Information, How to Apply

    checked against the page on 4 November 2026

  • Documents apostilled in a bundle are not accepted. Each document must be apostilled individually.

    UAE Embassy in Abuja - Attestation Information, Additional guidelines

    checked against the page on 4 November 2026

  • Laminated documents cannot be attested.

    UAE Embassy in Abuja - Attestation Information, Additional guidelines

    checked against the page on 4 November 2026

  • No. Documents that are not issued in the Federal Republic of Nigeria must be attested by the UAE Embassy or Consulate in their country of issuance.

    UAE Embassy in Abuja - Attestation Information, Frequently Asked Questions

    checked against the page on 4 November 2026

  • Some sensitive professions such as physicians, lab technicians and others require expatriates to pass local professional exams before being licensed to work

    Preparing to work (UAE government portal), Additional tests

    dated 24 September 2026 · checked against the page on 4 November 2026

Evidence that addresses it

  • Your original certificates and transcripts
  • The Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs attestation on each one
  • The UAE Embassy in Abuja digital attestation, with its reference number
  • For a health or other licensed job: the licence or exam result from the health authority
05
Cabinet Resolution No. 5 of 2016; medical fitness for residency

Medical fitness test and good conduct certificate

Foreigners planning to work or live in the UAE will need to undergo medical tests to confirm they are in good health before proceeding with residency procedures.

What the decision maker looks at: Whether you are likely to pass the medical fitness test in the UAE, and whether your job category also asks for an attested good conduct certificate.

The medical test is done in the UAE, after you arrive. It checks for HIV, hepatitis B, leprosy, syphilis and TB. A positive HIV or leprosy result means no residence. Some jobs, like food or nursery work, must also test negative for syphilis and hepatitis B. The test includes a chest X-ray for TB. Dubai's health authority says its test is a blood test and a chest X-ray, and Abu Dhabi does a chest X-ray too. One older UAE government page says Dubai does no X-ray, but Dubai's own rules say it does. You need a 'Fit' result before your Emirates ID can be issued. For some job categories ICP also asks for a certificate of good conduct, attested. Our software cannot judge health results, and a doctor should answer any health question.

Where this comes from 8 official sources

Evidence that addresses it

  • The medical fitness result from the UAE screening centre
  • A police good conduct certificate, attested, if your employer says your category needs one
06
Residence permit for the private sector and Emirates ID

Residence visa and Emirates ID inside the UAE

A residency visa cannot be processed for applicants outside the UAE. The applicant must first enter the country with a valid entry permit and remain in the UAE until the residency visa issuance process is finalised.

What the decision maker looks at: Whether you will stay in the UAE until the residence visa is done, give your fingerprints in time for the Emirates ID, and avoid overstaying the entry permit.

The residence visa is the last step, and it only happens inside the UAE. You must stay in the country until it is done. You give your fingerprints and signature at an ICP centre for the Emirates ID, inside the time you are given, or the application is cancelled. The residence visa is based on your work permit and lasts two years. If the 60 days on the entry permit run out first, ICP charges a fine of AED 50 for each day.

Where this comes from 8 official sources
  • A residency visa cannot be processed for applicants outside the UAE. The applicant must first enter the country with a valid entry permit and remain in the UAE until the residency visa issuance process is finalised.

    Tips to stay safe from labour and visa fraud (UAE government portal), Tips to stay safe from labour and visa fraud

    dated 24 September 2026 · checked against the page on 4 November 2026

  • Individuals who have completed 15 years of age are required to complete the fingerprint and signature procedures through the Authority’s service centers.

    New Identity Card Issuance (ICP service card), Terms and Conditions

    checked against the page on 4 November 2026

  • Biometrics must be completed within the set period to avoid cancellation.

    New Identity Card Issuance (ICP service card), Terms and Conditions

    checked against the page on 4 November 2026

  • Work permit from the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation if the sponsoring entity is subject to the Labor Relations Law or is in the domestic workers category.

    Issuing Residency Permit (ICP service card), List of Required Documents: employment

    checked against the page on 4 November 2026

  • After all the required documents are completed, the employee will be granted a residence visa based on the work permit, which will be stamped in the employee’s passport along with its full details and validity period.

    Recruiting on the mainland (UAE government portal), Stage 2

    dated 27 October 2026 · checked against the page on 4 November 2026

  • A residence permit entitles private sector workers to the right to reside in the country for a period of two (2) years

    Issuing residence permits for the private sector (GDRFA Dubai), Issuing residence permits for the private sector

    checked against the page on 4 November 2026

  • Expiry of the permitted stay period for the visa holder, or expiration of the entry visa (per day). - 50 AED

    Issuing Residency Permit (ICP service card), Service fines

    checked against the page on 4 November 2026

  • The employer must apply for the standard work visa.

    Residence visa for working in the UAE (UAE government portal), Standard work visa

    dated 7 August 2026 · checked against the page on 4 November 2026

Evidence that addresses it

  • The entry stamp or record showing the date you arrived
  • The Emirates ID appointment and fingerprint receipt
  • The residence visa details, once issued
07
Green residence permit for skilled workers (ICP, GDRFA Dubai)

The Green Visa for skilled workers

You are a skilled worker assuming a position classified as first, second or third level by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization.

What the decision maker looks at: Only if you are asking for the Green Visa and not the standard work visa: whether your job is at MoHRE skill level 1, 2 or 3, whether you hold a bachelor's degree, and whether your pay is at least AED 15,000 a month.

The Green Visa is a different visa from the standard work visa. It lasts five years, and you do not need an employer to sponsor you. For skilled workers there are four conditions. You need a work permit and a valid work contract in the UAE. Your job must be at skill level 1, 2 or 3 in the list kept by MoHRE, the labour ministry. You need at least a bachelor's degree, or one of the same level. Your pay must be at least AED 15,000 a month. Abu Dhabi asks for the degree to be attested. If you do not meet all four, the standard work visa may still be open to you, and it has no lowest pay.

Where this comes from 6 official sources

Evidence that addresses it

  • Your employment contract, showing your job title and monthly pay
  • Your bachelor's degree, attested
  • Your work permit
08
Employment visa through a free zone authority

Jobs in a free zone

You can apply for work permit and residence visa for your employee with the respective free zone authority.

What the decision maker looks at: Only if the job is with a free zone company: whether the employer applies through its free zone authority, whether the company's licence is active, and whether you will enter inside the entry permit's 60 days.

Many UAE companies sit in a free zone, such as DMCC or Jebel Ali (JAFZA) in Dubai. For these jobs the employer applies to the free zone authority for your work permit and residence visa, not to MoHRE. Each free zone has its own rules, and some, like ADGM and DIFC, have their own job laws. In DMCC the company needs an active licence and an establishment card before it can apply. In JAFZA the entry permit lasts 60 days from the day it is issued, and you must be at least 18. Some nationalities must bring a medical report from home. You still do the medical test and the Emirates ID steps after you arrive.

Where this comes from 5 official sources

Evidence that addresses it

  • The entry permit from the free zone authority
  • The company's free zone licence, if the employer can share it
  • Your passport
09
Working on a visit visa; false information and altered documents

Working on a visit visa, and false papers

The UAE law strictly prohibits working while holding a visit or tourist visa (whether for pay or without compensation).

What the decision maker looks at: Whether you ever worked in the UAE on a visit or tourist visa, entered or stayed in a way that broke the rules, or have any paper that is not real or has been changed.

You must never work on a visit or tourist visa, even for free. Both the worker and the employer can be fined. MoHRE also asks whether you entered lawfully and kept the rules of your stay before. Giving MoHRE false information can mean a fine of up to AED 20,000, and the foreign ministry rejects any document that is not original or has been changed. If any of this applies to you, a solicitor or a regulated adviser should look at it before anything is sent.

Where this comes from 5 official sources

Evidence that addresses it

  • Old passports showing past UAE visas, entries and exits
  • Proof that any earlier UAE fine was paid, if there was one

The UAE employment visa lets a worker from abroad live and work in the UAE for a private sector employer. This rulebook follows the standard route for a mainland company under MoHRE, the labour ministry. The employer applies, not the worker. MoHRE decides the work permit. ICP decides the entry permit and the residence visa, except for jobs in Dubai, where GDRFA Dubai decides them. The steps go in this order. First, the employer sends you a MoHRE offer letter, and you sign it. Then the employer gets your work permit from MoHRE. Then the employer gets your entry permit for employment, and you enter the UAE within its 60 days. In the UAE you do the medical fitness test and give your fingerprints for the Emirates ID, and the employer registers your contract with MoHRE within 14 days. Last, the residence visa is issued for two years. Before you travel, get your certificates attested: in Nigeria by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, then by the UAE Embassy in Abuja. This check is mainly about your own papers: your passport, your attested certificates, your medical test and your offer and contract. The rules on the employer's side are only touched on. Rules differ between Dubai and the other emirates, and between the mainland, free zones and government jobs. For example, a free zone employer applies to its own free zone authority, not to MoHRE, and a later ground covers that in short. Government employers follow different steps, and this rulebook does not cover them. Some official pages could not be read for this rulebook, even in a browser: the MoHRE website, the Emirates Health Services and Abu Dhabi health pages, and the UAE legislation website. Where they might say more, ask your employer or an adviser. The official pages do not list reasons for refusing a work permit or a residence visa, so these grounds are built from the conditions the official pages set. No official page read for this rulebook sets a minimum salary for the standard work visa, and the employer pays the hiring costs. Go over these findings with a solicitor or a regulated immigration adviser before you apply.

Free check

Where does your work visa application stand?

A few questions, read against the conditions above. Nothing you choose leaves this page.

  1. 1 Where are you with the job?

    Most work routes start with a real job offer, and some need a paper from the employer before you can apply.

  2. 2 Is the employer allowed to hire people from abroad?

    Some routes only allow employers on an official list, or with an official licence.

  3. 3 Are your qualifications ready to show?

    Some routes need your degree or licence to be recognised, checked or registered in that country first.

  4. 4 Do you have the health and police papers the route asks for?

    Some routes ask for a police certificate, a TB test or a medical check.

  5. 5 What is your visa history?

    A past refusal for any country has to be told about and answered.

Answer all 5 questions to see the result. Nothing you choose leaves this page.

Paid work checks

Have your documents read against these conditions

Paid work checks are not open yet. The free check and every condition on this page are open now.

Tell me when it opens