UAE Employment Visa
Step by step
How to get a UAE employment visa
The steps from job offer to residence for an employee recruited from abroad.
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Sign the job offer
Your employer sends an offer; the job title sets your MOHRE skill level.
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Work permit
The employer applies to MOHRE, or to the free zone authority, for a work permit.
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Entry permit
You enter the UAE on the employment entry permit.
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Medical test and Emirates ID
You take the medical fitness test and give biometrics for the Emirates ID.
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Residence and health insurance
The employer arranges health insurance and the residence permit is issued.
Skill levels
MOHRE classifies every job into skill levels 1 to 5. Levels 1 and 2 need a university degree. The level matters later too: the Green Visa needs levels 1 to 3 and the specialist Golden Visa levels 1 or 2.3,2
Health insurance
Since 1 January 2025, health insurance is mandatory for private-sector employees and domestic workers in every emirate. The employer pays for it, and the basic package costs AED 320 a year.4
Free zone companies recruit through their free zone authority, which issues the work permit and the residence visa.5
Frequently Asked Questions
Who applies for a UAE work visa?
The employer. Mainland companies apply to MOHRE for the work permit, and free zone companies apply to their free zone authority.
How long is a UAE employment visa valid?
Two years, renewable.
Who pays health insurance for employees?
The employer. Health insurance has been mandatory for private-sector employees in every emirate since 1 January 2025.
Sources
- UAE Government Portal: Work visa
- MOHRE: Recruiting a worker from overseas
- UAE Government Portal: Skill levels of jobs in the UAE
- MOHRE: The basic health insurance scheme
- UAE Government Portal: Recruiting in free zones
Figures checked 21 October 2026. Prepared by Invest-Emirates.ae for general information. It is not investment, tax or legal advice; please confirm details with a qualified adviser before acting.