If you have registered a company in the UAE and want to hire someone, an employment contract alone is not enough. The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) issues a work permit for every private-sector worker, and the type of permit depends on the worker's situation and the kind of work. This article is based on the "work permits" page of the official UAE Government portal (`u.ae`), checked on 24 October 2026; the page was updated on 19 October 2026.
Legal basis
The UAE labour law is "Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Employment Relations and its amendments". For job offer forms, the UAE Government portal refers to "Ministerial Decision No. 46 of 2022". The Ministry of Human Resources issues permits to establishments registered with it.
The 13 types of work permit
| No. | Permit type | Duration, according to the portal |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Recruiting a worker from outside the UAE | 2 years |
| 2 | Transferring a non-UAE worker between establishments | 2 years |
| 3 | Resident on family sponsorship | 2 years |
| 4 | Temporary work permit | Not stated |
| 5 | Mission work permit | Not stated |
| 6 | Part-time work permit | Not stated |
| 7 | Juvenile work permit | 1 year |
| 8 | Student training and employment permit | 3 months |
| 9 | UAE or GCC national work permit | 2 years |
| 10 | Golden residence holder work permit | 2 years |
| 11 | National trainee work permit | 12 months, renewable by agreement |
| 12 | Freelance work permit | Not stated |
| 13 | Private teacher work permit | 2 years |
For the temporary, mission and part-time permits, the portal page does not give the duration; ask for it on the Ministry's service page.
Conditions
| Party | Condition, according to the portal |
|---|---|
| Employer | The establishment must be registered with the Ministry of Human Resources; the company's trade licence must be valid and free of violations |
| Worker | Usually at least 18, except for the juvenile and student permits |
| Job offer | Based on the forms of Ministerial Decision No. 46 of 2022 |
Fees
The UAE Government portal says the cost of issuing and renewing a work permit ranges from AED 250 to AED 3,450 and depends on the company's class, i.e. A, B or C. The private teacher permit is free for two years. The portal does not say exactly what each class pays; ask the Ministry for your company's class and the exact amount.
Work permit and residence are two separate things
A work permit is permission to work for a specific employer, and a residence visa is permission to live in the UAE. A worker coming from abroad needs both. A golden residence holder or a resident on family sponsorship has residence, but still needs their own type of work permit to work for a private company.
Work visa and employment contract
The UAE Government portal, on its "residence visa for working" page (updated on 7 August 2026), says the employer applies for the standard work visa, which is valid for 2 years and renewable under the conditions of the issuing authorities.
The page "employment contracts: duration and models" (updated on 12 August 2026) says this about contracts:
| Topic | Rule |
|---|---|
| Contract type | A worker is hired on a fixed-term contract; the contract may be extended or renewed for the same or a shorter period |
| Work models | Full-time, part-time, temporary, flexible, remote work and job sharing |
| Probation | At most 6 months and not extendable |
| Employer ending employment during probation | At least 14 days' written notice |
| Worker moving to another UAE employer during probation | At least one month's written notice |
| Leaving the job and the UAE during probation | At least 14 days' written notice |
The same page says the labour law came into force on 2 February 2022. If the contract is not renewed at the end of its term and both parties continue working, the contract is treated as renewed on the same terms.
Three examples
These examples are hypothetical and only show which permit type fits which situation.
| Situation | Likely permit type |
|---|---|
| A Dubai company hires an accountant from another country | Recruiting a worker from outside the UAE, 2 years |
| The spouse of a resident employee, whose residence is under family sponsorship, is hired by the same company | Resident on family sponsorship, 2 years |
| An employee of another company working in the UAE joins your company | Transfer between establishments, 2 years |
If someone with a golden residence joins your company, the "golden residence holder" permit applies. The Ministry makes the final decision on the permit type.
Practical points
- Before hiring, make sure the company's trade licence is valid and free of violations; this is a condition for issuing the permit.
- The company's class in the Ministry's system affects the permit fee; know it.
- Prepare the job offer on the official form.
- State the probation period clearly in the contract; it is at most 6 months and cannot be extended.
- The work visa lasts 2 years; track the expiry of the visa and the work permit together so both are renewed on time.
- Plan the work permit and the residence together so one does not wait for the other.
Royal Golden does not give legal or employment advice. This article is general information, and the decision on any permit rests with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation.
Sources
- UAE Government portal, work permits — https://u.ae/en/information-and-services/jobs/Sector-of-employment/employment-in-the-private-sector/work-permits (checked on 24 October 2026)
- UAE Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, text of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 — https://www.mohre.gov.ae/assets/download/e82f7872/Federal%20Decree-Law%20No.%2033%20of%202021%20Regarding%20the%20Regulation%20of%20Employment%20Relationship%20and%20its%20amendments_638990571068264034.pdf.aspx (via the search index; checked on 24 October 2026)
- UAE Government portal, residence visa for working in the UAE — https://u.ae/en/information-and-services/visa-and-emirates-id/residence-visas/residence-visa-for-working-in-the-uae (checked on 24 October 2026)
- UAE Government portal, employment contracts: duration and models in the private sector — https://u.ae/en/information-and-services/jobs/Sector-of-employment/employment-in-the-private-sector/employment-contracts-duration-and-models-in-the-private-sector (checked on 24 October 2026)