Key takeaways
- The employee's passport must be valid for at least six months for the MOHRE work permit and for residence renewal.
- Qualifications are authenticated by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and regulated jobs also need the regulator's approval.
- The company needs a valid trade license, a MOHRE establishment card and an electronic signature card before it can apply.
- After arrival, the employee completes a medical fitness test (18 and over) and Emirates ID biometrics.
- In Dubai, health insurance must be in place for the employee before residence.
Documents at each stage of the visa
An employment visa runs through three stages: the MOHRE work permit, the entry permit or change of status, and residence. Each stage asks for its own papers. This table brings them together.
| Stage | Documents | Who provides them |
|---|---|---|
| Company set-up | Valid trade license, MOHRE establishment card, electronic signature card, immigration establishment card | Company |
| Work permit (MOHRE) | Trade license copy, signature card, worker's colour photo on a white background, passport copy valid for at least six months, qualifications authenticated by MOFA, regulator approval for regulated jobs, signed job offer | Company and employee |
| Entry permit or change of status | Approved work permit, passport copy and photo; current visa or cancellation papers if the employee is already in the UAE | Company and employee |
| Medical and Emirates ID | Passport, entry permit; medical fitness test for anyone 18 or over; biometrics for the Emirates ID | Employee |
| Residence | Medical result, Emirates ID application, employment contract, MOHRE work permit, health insurance | Company and employee |
Documents from the employee
- Passport. A copy valid for at least six months. ICP also asks for six months' validity when the residence is renewed.
- Photo. A recent colour photo on a white background, which MOHRE's process lists for the work permit.
- Signed job offer. The worker signs the offer before the work permit is issued; its terms should match the labour contract later.
- Attested qualifications. The UAE government portal lists qualifications authenticated by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs among the work permit documents. Foreign certificates normally need attestation in the issuing country first.
- Current visa or cancellation. If the employee is already in the UAE on another visa, include the current visa, or the cancellation papers from the previous employer.
Degrees are where most files slow down. Start degree certificate attestation as soon as the offer is accepted, and check whether the role also needs equivalency or recognition.
Documents from the company
- A valid trade license, with the job title fitting the licensed activities.
- A MOHRE establishment card and an electronic signature card for the authorised signatory, who signs in with UAE PASS.
- An immigration establishment card, so the company can apply for entry permits and residence. See our establishment card guide.
- Space in the employee quota MOHRE has approved for the company.
- A bank guarantee for each employee: the UAE government portal lists AED 3,000, paid by the employer and refundable after the employee's service ends and the permit is cancelled.
Extra documents for regulated jobs
Some professions need approval from their regulator before MOHRE will issue the permit. The UAE government portal names doctors, pharmacists, nurses and teachers as examples, each needing an approval letter from the relevant authority.
If you're hiring for a regulated role, ask the regulator what it needs before you make the offer. Its own licensing can take longer than the visa itself.
Medical test, Emirates ID and insurance
Once the employee is in the UAE, the UAE government portal says a residence visa needs a medical fitness test for applicants aged 18 and over, and the employee applies for an Emirates ID through ICP. The labour card and contract are completed with MOHRE in the same window, which the portal gives as two months from the entry permit.
In Dubai, employers must provide health insurance for staff and renew it every year. The Dubai Health Authority's fine for missing cover is AED 500 per person per month, collected automatically when the visa is renewed. Arrange cover before the residence application, not after. See our insurance services.
Common document mistakes
- A passport with less than six months left.
- A job title that doesn't fit the licensed activities.
- Certificates attested at home but not yet by MOFA in the UAE.
- Names spelt differently on the passport, degree and offer letter.
- An offer letter whose salary or job title doesn't match the labour contract.
- Health insurance arranged after residence has been applied for.
Our employment visa rejection guide covers the other causes of refusals and delays.
How we prepare the file
Before anything is submitted, we check the company's license, establishment cards and quota, match the employee's documents against each other and list every government fee. Then we file the work permit and follow the visa through to residence. Read more on our employment visa service. MOHRE, ICP and GDRFA Dubai make the decisions.
Sources
- UAE government portal: recruiting on the mainland
- UAE government portal: work visa
- UAE government portal: general provisions for the residence visa
- ICP: renewal of residency permits
- MOHRE: recruiting a worker from overseas
- UAE government portal: getting health insurance
Official sources checked on 7 November 2026. This guide explains published rules in plain English and is not legal or tax advice. Rules change; we check the current position for your case before you act.