EOR Visa UAE – Work Permits
Dubai is a city that conveys wealth and prosperity. It is the largest city in UAE and a thriving location for doing business. Likewise, if your company plans to expand abroad, Dubai is an excellent choice as a destination. Therefore, hiring the services of an employer of record in Dubai is a great idea.
In this article, we will explain how is the process to obtain a work permit in the UAE. Due to its growing economy and the relative ease of obtaining work permits for foreign employees who wish to move, Dubai is one of the top choices to relocate. Let us observe:
- How to get an entry visa in the UAE?
- Types of work visas
- What are the requirements to obtain a work visa in UAE?
- The process to obtain a work permit in UAE
- Can I apply for a work visa on my own?
- Can I travel with my family if I get a work visa?
- How can we help you obtain your UAE work visa?
1. How to get an entry visa in the UAE?
It may be helpful to think of obtaining a work permit in the UAE as a three-stage process: obtaining an entry employment visa, obtaining an Emirates ID card, and obtaining a residence visa and work permit.
1.1 Entry visa
However, to begin the process of obtaining such a permit, the employing entity must apply for approval of the visa fee on behalf of the employed person. Said approval is through the Ministry of Labor. Then, the employing entity will send an employment contract to the Ministry of Labor. The candidate employee must sign the contract.
The ministry must approve the work permit application before issuing an entry employment visa. After the approval of the visa, the employed person will have two months to enter the UAE. Then, after entering the UAE with this visa, the employed person has a period of 60 days to obtain a residence visa and a formal work permit.
1.2 Obtaining the UAE ID
Individuals need the UAE ID for the medical exams that employed persons will need to apply for a residence visa. To apply for identification, the employed person must provide their entry visa along with an original passport and corresponding copy. The employed person will need to apply in person at the Emirates Identity Authority (EIDA) center where they will need to provide biometric data, including fingerprints and a photograph.
1.3 Obtaining a visa and work permit
To apply for a visa, the employed person will need all the mandatory documents. The UAE visa is valid for one to three years and then they can renew it. The work permit of the employed person is part of the visa. Once the work permit is approved, the employed person can officially begin work.
However, one of the unique considerations of working in the UAE is that work permits must be sponsored by any EOR organization in Dubai, even for independent contractors. This requirement can complicate the process for companies in the early stages of global expansion. Some employed people may wish to move with their families to the UAE. An employer of record in Dubai can help employed persons sponsor residence visas for relatives once they have received their residence visas.
2. Types of work visas
The first thing you have to know is that there are three types of work visas:
Green visa: For investors, entrepreneurs, as well as exceptional students and postgraduates. This visa allows you to work and reside in UAE without the need to have the sponsorship of your employer to process this work visa. This visa is valid to reside in UAE for between 5 to 10 years. And the best thing is that if you lose your job you can legally stay in the UAE for up to 180 days, which will give you time to find another job and come back to apply for this visa.
Freelance visa: Intended for business owners and self-employed workers or for a non-Emirati company.
Visa under the sponsorship system: This visa is for the other categories of employment that are not selected for the previous two visas. Here you will need to be sponsored by an employer of record in Dubai since this will be the one who applies for the work visa for you. In addition, the duration and validity of the permit will depend on the conditions of your contract. With the work visa, you obtain a residence with a multiple entry permit that is usually valid for three years and can be renewed.
You must correctly choose the type of visa you need so as not to incur more time and money due to an incorrect choice. If you want to know more about this topic, you can hire immigration services in the UAE to obtain more information.
3. What are the requirements to obtain a work visa in UAE?
To work in Dubai, foreigners need a residence visa and a work permit. To obtain the residence visa, they must present the following documents:
- A completed application form.
- The original valid passport of the candidate and a copy.
- Multiple passport photos.
- Company card.
- Health certificate.
- Entry permit.
- Payment of the application fee.
Candidates must also undergo a medical examination when they arrive in the country. In addition to the documents indicated above, it is also required to submit the following documentation:
- An employment contract with a company in the UAE or in Dubai.
- Copies of the birth certificate, passport, and marriage certificate if the candidate is married.
- Proof of accommodation in the country. The most common is a lease.
- Proof that the candidate has sufficient financial means to stay in the country.
These are the necessary documents to start processing a work visa in the UAE.
For its part, to work in Dubai it may not be necessary to speak Arabic, but a good level of English is essential at least a B2 level.
The rest of the requirements to reside in Dubai are:
- Not have contagious diseases such as HIV, hepatitis, or tuberculosis.
- Passport with more than 6 months validity.
- Not being pregnant without being married.
4. The process to obtain a work permit in UAE
The employing entity is responsible for obtaining the necessary visas and permits for foreign workers. This can be easily done with the support of a relocation services organization. The employer of record in Dubai must also pay the fees for the visa. The process for obtaining this visa is as follows:
- The employing entity requests the approval of the Ministry of Labor to hire a foreign employee.
- The Ministry issues an entry permit visa, which allows the employed person to enter the UAE and stay for an initial period of 30 days.
- The employed person travels to the country. Once you arrive, you have 60 days to obtain a residence visa.
- Once the employed person arrives in the country, the employing entity begins the process of applying for a work permit.
- The employed person visits the UAE identification service center with his valid passport and entry visa to obtain identification.
- The candidate goes to a government hospital for a medical examination.
- The candidate applies for a residence visa through the immigration authorities.
- Employed persons submit the relevant documents to the Dubai Naturalization and Residency Department (DNRD), and the they stamp it on their passports.
After obtaining residence and work permits, it is possible that the person who was a candidate for this visa at the time begins to work in the company that promoted his employment.
An important consideration is that the company must be familiar with the process that employees must follow to travel with their family members. Spouses, children, and even parents can move in with the employee if they obtain a residence visa. To do this, the family member who already has the work and residence permit must apply for the visas on behalf of the family members with whom they plan to travel.
5. Can I apply for a work visa on my own?
That will depend on what type of visa you are processing. For the green visa and the freelance visa, you can apply yourself. Now, if you apply for a work visa under the sponsorship system, your employer of record in Dubai is the one who must carry out all the management and documentation of your visa.
Since your employer is the appropriate party to apply for an employment and residence visa for you. This means that you must have an employment contract before your work visa application. The work visa is normally processed before arrival in the country and is collected at the airport, just before passing the police control. Also, it should be remembered that visa expenses under the sponsorship system are borne by the employer of record in Dubai. In this sense, the candidate should not pay anything for this procedure.
But the most advisable thing is that you consult with a company with years of experience and prestige in the market such as EOR Middle East which offers a top employer of record service. Whether you are someone who wants to live in the UAE, wants to expand your business to this country, or wants to work there, we carry out all the necessary procedures to obtain work permits for our clients.
6. Can I travel with my family if I get a work visa?
The best thing is that if you get a job in Dubai and want to travel with your family if your employer agrees you can apply for a secondary sponsorship, where they can get a visa as a wife/husband and accompanying children and you would have to prove that with your salary you could support all your and your family’s expenses.
It is important that you keep in mind that for your partner to access this visa they must be married and that your children are under 21 years of age, in addition, that your daughters are not married.
Since same-sex marriage is not allowed in the country, this prerogative does not apply to this type of marriage. If you apply for a green visa you have the right to sponsor your parents or your children up to 25 years of age.
6.1 Sponsorship system in the UAE
UAE law requires foreign residents under the sponsorship system visa to be sponsored primarily by a UAE citizen. UAE citizens can be direct private sponsors, as in the case of a citizen hiring a domestic employee. Or they can be indirect sponsors, as in the case of business employees.
It is important to take into account that many employers of record in Dubai while processing the work visa, will not pay for that time worked. Therefore, it is very important to ask about this situation before signing the employment contract.
In this sense, similarly, if a person is in the country on a tourist visa, they must request a change in the status of their visa if they wish to work. Since it is illegal to work as a tourist or visit the UAE without a visa.
7. How can we help you obtain your UAE work visa?
The UAE attracts millions of annual visitors, as well as ex-pats. With its soaring skyscrapers and ultra-modern architecture, it is easy to see why many choose to settle and work in this great country. You can count on the best employer of record service if you want to be an employer of record in Dubai. That is why, whether you want to obtain business visas since you are an investor with the objective of expanding your capital into new horizons, or a work permit since you want to work in a great company within this wonderful country.
Therefore, our professional employment organization soulutions can handle this process for you. We offer a top employer of record service in Dubai and a top employer of record service in UAE. We are the top employer of record service and we offer the best employer of record services.
Likewise, if you own a company in the UAE, we can process work permits for your new hires. We have been providing this service to large companies in the area for many years. We are a great Dubai employer of record and UAE employer of record. Therefore, we offer the best employer of record service in Dubai and the best employer of record service in the UAE.
Lastly, do not waste time and get in touch with EOR Middle East at: [email protected]. Or call us at +971 43 316 688. We assure you that our staff will advise you on all the doubts you may have regarding this process.
Likewise, since you want to work in a large company in this country, submit your resume to thetalentpoint.com. Or via email to: [email protected]. Our recruiters will evaluate your profile to place you in a job that the company requires.
