TRW & Co · Employment & Immigration
Employment Permits and Work Authorisations in the UAE
Work permits in the UAE authorise a person to work for a specific establishment and are separate from residence. MOHRE issues twelve permit types, from recruitment and transfer to part-time, one-mission and freelance. Since 2024, fines for unauthorised employment start at AED 100,000. This guide explains the types, the process and how employers stay compliant.
Key pointSince 30 August 2024, Article 60 of the Labour Law sets fines of AED 100,000 to AED 1,000,000 for employing a worker without a permit, so a new hire who starts work a week early can expose the business to a six-figure penalty.
At a glance
Twelve permit types
MOHRE issues twelve work permit types, including recruitment, transfer, temporary, one-mission, part-time, golden visa holder, national trainee and freelance permits.
Fines raised in 2024
Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2024, effective 30 August 2024, set fines of AED 100,000 to AED 1,000,000 for unauthorised employment.
Permit and residence differ
A valid residence visa does not authorise work; family-sponsored residents, visitors and golden holders all need the right work permit for their employer.
Classification drives cost
The federal portal lists permit fees from AED 250 to AED 3,450 depending on the establishment's MOHRE category, with violators in the lowest category.
Two-year claim window
The 2024 amendments extended the limitation period for employment claims from one year to two years from the end of employment.
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What work permits in the UAE cover
Work permits in the UAE are the authorisations that allow a person to perform work for an establishment in the country. For onshore private-sector employers they are issued by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE); free zones, the DIFC and ADGM run their own employment registration alongside the federal immigration system. A work permit is separate from a residence visa: a person can hold valid residence and still be working unlawfully.
The question arises whenever a business hires, transfers, seconds, shares or trains people. It also arises less obviously: a spouse on family residence taking a part-time job, a consultant flown in for a two-month project, a student intern, a golden visa holder joining a new company, or a freelancer serving several clients. Each needs the right permit type.
The stakes for employers have risen. Since 2024 the fines for unauthorised employment start at AED 100,000, and MOHRE can refuse new permits to establishments with compliance failures. Getting the permit model right is now a board-level risk, not a back-office task.
The legal framework and the regulators
Onshore employment is governed by Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations and its implementing regulation, Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022. The federal government portal summarises the core rule under Article 6: it is illegal for a person to work in the UAE without a valid work permit. The law applies to private-sector employers on the mainland and, in most respects, in the free zones.
Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2024 amended the Labour Law with effect from 30 August 2024. It raised the fines in Article 60 for employing a worker without a permit and related breaches to a range of AED 100,000 to AED 1,000,000, introduced fines in the same range for fictitious employment of UAE nationals multiplied by the number of workers involved, and extended the limitation period for employment claims to two years.
Who regulates what
The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation issues and cancels work permits, registers contracts, runs the Wage Protection System and enforces Emiratisation. The ICP and GDRFA Dubai handle the entry and residence steps. In the DIFC, employment is governed by DIFC Employment Law No. 2 of 2019; in ADGM, by the ADGM Employment Regulations. Each financial centre registers employees through its own authority while residence is issued federally or by Dubai.
The twelve MOHRE permit types
For onshore employers, MOHRE issues twelve types of work permits in the UAE, each tied to the nature of the job and the worker's status. Choosing the right one is the first and most important decision.
| Permit type | Typical use |
|---|---|
| Recruitment from abroad | Hiring a worker who is outside the UAE |
| Transfer | Moving a foreign worker from one establishment to another |
| Family sponsorship | Employing a resident who holds family residence |
| Temporary | Completing a job within a set period |
| One-mission | Bringing a worker from abroad for a temporary job or specific project |
| Part-time | Hours or days fewer than a full-time contract, potentially for more than one employer |
| Juvenile | Employing a person aged 15 to 18 |
| Student training and employment | Training or employing a student aged 15 or over who is resident in the UAE |
| UAE and GCC national | Employing a UAE or GCC national |
| Golden visa holder | Employing a person who holds golden residence |
| National trainee | Training a UAE national |
| Freelance | Self-sponsored individuals serving clients without an employment contract |
The list is published on the federal government portal, which also explains that MOHRE may refuse, decline to renew or cancel permits where an establishment submits incorrect documents, is not genuinely operating, or does not comply with the Wage Protection System.
Flexible permits: part-time, temporary and one-mission
The flexible categories are the most useful and the most misunderstood work permits in the UAE. Part-time permits suit specialists who split their time, and can support work for more than one employer. Temporary permits cover a job with a defined end. One-mission permits are designed for bringing someone from abroad for a specific project or task. Each requires the employer to define the work and its duration honestly, and each ends when that work ends.
Freelance and self-sponsored workers
The freelance permit allows a self-sponsored individual to provide services to individuals or companies without being sponsored by a specific employer and without an employment contract. It is often combined with green residence. For clients, the key point is that the freelancer's permit covers their own activity; it does not authorise the client to treat them as an employee. Our article on the UAE freelance permit sets out the details.
Juveniles, students and national trainees
Juvenile permits cover workers aged 15 to 18, and the Labour Law imposes additional protections on working hours and conditions for them. Student training permits allow residents aged 15 or over to gain work experience. National trainee permits support the training of UAE nationals and can sit alongside an employer's Emiratisation programme. Internship programmes should be checked against these categories before they launch.
Most work permit problems are not refusals. They are the wrong permit type, a permit that no longer matches the job, or a worker who started before the permit was issued.
Key decisions for employers
Employ, second or engage
The first decision is whether the UAE entity will employ the person at all. Alternatives include a one-mission permit for a project specialist, a secondment from an overseas group company supported by a UAE permit, an employer-of-record arrangement, or engaging a freelancer who holds their own permit. Each has different tax, liability and permanent establishment consequences. Our page on cross-border workforce planning compares these models.
Mainland, free zone or financial centre
A free zone company generally employs only through its free zone authority and, in principle, for activity within its licence. Mainland companies apply to MOHRE. DIFC and ADGM employers follow their own employment laws and registration. Work permits in the UAE are therefore not portable between regimes: moving an employee from a free zone entity to a mainland affiliate is a transfer that needs a new permit.
Establishment classification
MOHRE classifies establishments into categories, and the federal portal notes that permit issue and renewal fees range from AED 250 to AED 3,450 depending on the category, with establishments that commit violations placed in the lowest category. Good compliance therefore lowers cost as well as risk. Emiratisation performance also feeds into classification, which links the permit budget to the Emiratisation plan.
The process for a new hire from abroad
The sequence below is typical for an onshore employer obtaining work permits in the UAE for staff recruited overseas. Free zones follow a comparable path through their own portals.
- Check the establishment. Confirm the trade licence, MOHRE registration, establishment card and WPS compliance are current, and that no fines or suspensions are outstanding.
- Define the role. Match the job title and occupation to MOHRE's classification and confirm whether attested qualifications are needed.
- Issue the offer. Provide an offer letter in the MOHRE format that matches the contract to follow, including salary and key terms.
- Apply for the work permit. Submit the application through MOHRE's channels or, in Dubai, through the Work Bundle on the Invest in Dubai platform.
- Entry permit and residence. Obtain the entry permit, then complete medical fitness, Emirates ID biometrics and residence issue.
- Sign and register the contract. Sign the employment contract and register it with MOHRE. Do not allow work to start before the permit is in place.
- Payroll and insurance. Enrol the employee in WPS payroll, health insurance and, for eligible employees, the involuntary loss of employment scheme.
The Work Bundle, launched in March 2024, was designed to reduce the documents, visits and working days needed for work permit and residence procedures in Dubai, and is being extended to other emirates. For the residence side of the process, see residence and entry permits.
Documents and evidence to assemble
- Passport copy and photograph meeting current specifications.
- Attested educational certificates where required by the role or occupational level.
- Signed offer letter in MOHRE format and, later, the registered contract.
- For transfers: confirmation that the previous permit has been cancelled or that transfer conditions are met.
- For part-time and family-sponsored workers: evidence of the worker's existing residence status.
- For one-mission and temporary permits: the project description, duration and any client contract.
- Company documents: trade licence, establishment card, and authorised signatory details.
Keep the job title, salary and duties consistent across the offer letter, the permit, the contract and payroll. Mismatches are a frequent finding on inspection and can be treated as misuse of a work permit, which falls within the fines raised by the 2024 amendments.
Keeping work permits in the UAE compliant
A permit is not a one-off filing. It must continue to match the person, the job and the employer throughout employment. Four areas need regular attention.
Wage Protection System
Salaries for onshore employees must generally be paid through WPS. Non-compliance can lead MOHRE to stop issuing new permits to the establishment, which can halt hiring. Our page on wages and payroll explains the mechanics.
Changes in role or employer
Promotions, relocations to another group entity and changes from full-time to part-time can all require permit updates. A new legal employer always needs a new permit or a transfer.
Emiratisation
Companies above set size thresholds, and smaller companies in specified sectors, must meet Emiratisation targets that have risen in stages since 2022. Shortfalls lead to financial contributions, and fictitious hiring of nationals now attracts fines of AED 100,000 to AED 1,000,000 per arrangement multiplied by the number of workers.
Cancellation
On termination, the employer cancels the permit after confirming the employee's entitlements are paid, and the employee signs the cancellation. Delayed cancellations leave the employer exposed and can block the employee's next permit. See our page on termination and end-of-service benefits.
Risks and common mistakes
Letting people start before the permit is issued
Business pressure often means a new hire, contractor or visiting specialist starts work while paperwork is in progress. That is unauthorised employment. Since 30 August 2024, Article 60 fines for employing a worker without a permit range from AED 100,000 to AED 1,000,000. Treat the permit as a condition precedent in offer letters and project plans, and make the start date depend on it. Brief hiring managers, not only HR, because they are usually the ones who invite a new joiner in early to meet the team or help with a deadline. For short assignments, consider a one-mission or temporary permit early in planning.
Using visit visas for short projects
Visit visas allow visits, meetings and business exploration, not work for a UAE establishment. Engineers commissioning equipment, trainers delivering courses or consultants working on site may cross the line from visiting to working. Analyse what the person will actually do. If it is work, use the appropriate permit type, and remember that the host company can be liable even if the person is employed abroad.
Sharing staff across group entities
Groups often let an employee of one entity work for another, especially between a free zone company and a mainland affiliate. Each establishment needs authority for the people working for it. Part-time permits can allow work for more than one employer, but they must be obtained, and secondment arrangements need documentation. Map who works for whom and align permits with the real arrangement.
Treating freelancers as employees in all but name
A freelancer with their own permit can serve clients without an employment contract. If the client controls hours, provides equipment, integrates the person into its team and pays a fixed monthly fee, the relationship may look like employment without a permit. Draft service agreements carefully, avoid exclusivity and fixed working hours where possible, and review long-running engagements.
Ignoring WPS and fines on the establishment record
Unpaid fines, WPS gaps or a lapsed licence can prevent new permits, renewals and transfers across the whole company. Leaders often learn of this only when an urgent hire is blocked. Run a periodic establishment health check and resolve outstanding items before a recruitment drive or a restructuring.
Inspections and challenges
MOHRE inspects establishments and can issue penalties and administrative decisions. Since the 2024 amendments, a challenge to a MOHRE decision goes to the Court of First Instance within 15 working days of notification, and MOHRE decisions in employment disputes carry the force of an enforcement order. Keep permit, contract and payroll records organised so that an inspection can be answered quickly and consistently.
Cross-border angle
Work permits in the UAE are often only half of the compliance picture. The other half sits in the worker's home country.
Bangladesh. Bangladeshi workers generally require emigration clearance from the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training before departing for overseas employment, and recruitment may involve licensed recruiting agencies. Our Dhaka team advises employers and agencies on the Bangladesh side.
India. Indian nationals whose passports require emigration check need clearance through the eMigrate system. Secondments from India also raise social security and tax residence questions.
United Kingdom and Singapore. Executives seconded from London or Singapore usually stay on home payroll at first. The UAE permit, the secondment agreement and home-country tax and social security must be aligned, and a long assignment may create a permanent establishment risk for the home company.
China and Saudi Arabia. Chinese project teams often arrive on one-mission or temporary permits for construction and logistics work. GCC nationals, including Saudis, need the UAE/GCC national permit type rather than a foreign worker permit, and may have social security obligations under GCC arrangements.
How TRW & Co helps
We advise employers on permit strategy, documentation and compliance, and coordinate with PRO teams, free zone authorities and home-country advisers. Where representation before UAE onshore courts or the DIFC/ADGM Courts is required, we work alongside locally licensed advocates and registered practitioners. Permit decisions rest with the authorities, and we do not promise outcomes.
Permit model design
We map each workforce population to the right permit type, including part-time, one-mission, temporary and freelance options, and document the reasoning for audit.
Hiring and onboarding
We prepare offer letter and contract templates that align with MOHRE requirements and keep titles, pay and duties consistent across every filing.
Group and secondment structures
We document intra-group secondments and shared-staff arrangements so that permits, contracts and cost recharges reflect what actually happens.
Compliance health checks
We review permits, WPS records, Emiratisation and establishment status, and help remediate gaps before an inspection or a hiring drive.
Inspections and penalties
We advise on responding to MOHRE inspections and penalty notices, and on the appeal route to the Court of First Instance introduced in 2024.
Home-country coordination
With our offices in Dhaka, London, Singapore and elsewhere, we coordinate emigration clearance, tax and social security on the sending side.
Further reading: our article on UAE work permit types and process, our page on UAE employment contracts, and the full list of our practices.
Checklist for decision-makers
- Does every person working for the business hold one of the work permits in the UAE that matches their actual role and employer?
- Is the right permit type in use for part-time, project, family-sponsored, golden visa and freelance workers?
- Do start dates depend on permit issue in offer letters and project plans?
- Are job titles, salaries and duties consistent across offer, permit, contract and payroll?
- Is the establishment WPS-compliant and free of outstanding fines?
- Are Emiratisation targets met through genuine roles?
- Are cancellations processed promptly when employment ends?
- Have home-country emigration, tax and social security steps been addressed for seconded staff?
For help with a permit strategy or compliance review, contact TRW & Co or email info@trw.co.
Frequently asked questions
01Can an employee start work while the work permit is being processed?
No. The Labour Law makes it unlawful to work without a valid work permit, and since 30 August 2024 fines for employing a worker without a permit range from AED 100,000 to AED 1,000,000. The employee can attend non-work activities such as orientation paperwork only if they do not amount to work, which is a fine line. The safer course is to make the start date conditional on permit issue and to plan recruitment timelines with that in mind.
02Does my spouse need a work permit if they hold family residence?
Yes. Family residence allows a person to live in the UAE, but not to work. An onshore employer must obtain a MOHRE work permit for a family-sponsored resident, and MOHRE has a specific permit type for this. Free zone, DIFC and ADGM employers must register the person under their own rules. The spouse keeps their family residence while working, which means that if the sponsoring spouse's residence ends, the family arrangements must be revisited.
03Can someone work for two employers in the UAE?
Potentially, through a part-time work permit. MOHRE issues part-time permits for workers whose hours or days are fewer than under a full-time contract, and this structure can allow work for more than one employer with the necessary approvals. Each employer needs the appropriate permit for the work done for it. Informal arrangements in which one company's employee simply works for another, even within a group, are a common compliance gap.
04What permit does a short-term project specialist need?
It depends on the nature and length of the work. MOHRE's one-mission permit is designed for recruiting a worker from abroad for a temporary job or a particular project for a set period, and the temporary permit covers completing a job within a defined period. A visit visa is not suitable if the person will actually perform work for a UAE establishment. Map the scope, duration and who controls the work before choosing.
05Do free zone companies need MOHRE work permits?
Free zone companies generally employ staff through their free zone authority, which issues its own employment documentation and processes residence, rather than through MOHRE's onshore permit system. The federal Labour Law still largely applies to free zone employment. The DIFC and ADGM are different again, with their own employment laws. If a free zone employee is to work for a mainland affiliate, a separate authorisation is required.
06What happens if MOHRE suspends new permits for our company?
MOHRE can refuse new permits or renewals where an establishment has compliance problems, such as non-compliance with WPS, incorrect documents or not genuinely operating. The practical effect is that hiring stops and renewals may stall. The fix is to identify and resolve the underlying issue, settle any fines and update records. Since 2024, MOHRE decisions can be challenged before the Court of First Instance within 15 working days of notification.
07Do golden visa holders need a work permit?
Yes, if they work for a UAE employer. Golden residence removes the need for an employer to sponsor residence, but it does not replace the work permit. MOHRE issues a specific golden visa holder permit for onshore employers, and free zone and financial centre employers register the person under their own rules. The advantage for the employee is that leaving the job does not end their residence.
Sources and official materials
- Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation — Work permits, contracts, WPS and Emiratisation
- UAE Government portal: Work permits — The twelve MOHRE permit types and refusal grounds
- Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security — Entry permits and residence for employees
- General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs Dubai — Residence for employees of Dubai establishments
- UAE Legislation portal — Labour Law, its implementing regulation and amendments
General information only, current as at 27 October 2026. It is not legal advice and does not create a lawyer–client relationship. UAE law differs between the onshore jurisdiction, the DIFC, ADGM and the free zones, and changes frequently; check current official sources and take advice on the facts of your matter.
