A 2 year employment visa in Dubai is applied for and paid for by the company. By law the employer may not charge the worker recruitment or employment costs (Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, Article 6(4)). The visa lasts two years and is renewable. There is no single price, only a stack of authority fees. For a mainland company, MOHRE’s work permit fee alone is AED 250 to AED 3,450 by classification (u.ae, checked 25 September 2026); a free zone company pays its zone’s fee instead. First, your licence needs a valid establishment card and a free visa slot. Send your licence type and staff visa count on WhatsApp and you get an itemised written quote.
WhatsApp Amir for an itemised staff visa quote
By First Idea Consultant. Reviewed by Amir Aslam, Founder. Updated September 2026.
The staff visa at a glance
| Question | The answer |
|---|---|
| How long it lasts | Two years, renewable (u.ae work visa page, updated 7 August 2026; GDRFA) |
| Who applies | The employer (u.ae) |
| Who pays | The employer. The worker may not be charged recruitment or employment costs (Article 6(4)) |
| Work permit issued by | MOHRE for a mainland company; the zone authority, such as IFZA or Meydan, for a free zone company |
| Residence permit issued by | GDRFA for a Dubai-sponsored visa; ICP for the other emirates |
| Health insurance | The employer bears the cost and may not charge it to the employee (Dubai Law No. 11 of 2013, Article 10) |
| What the company needs first | A valid licence free of violations, an establishment card and a free visa slot |
| Grace period after cancellation | 30, 60, 90 or 180 days, set by the person’s category (ICP) |
A standard UAE work visa is this same residence visa, sponsored by an employer.
Employment visa Dubai cost: the fees for one staff visa, by authority
Each authority prints its own fee, so the employment visa cost in the UAE is a list, not one number.
| Step | Published by | Published fee | Where it is published |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work permit, issue or renewal (mainland company) | MOHRE | AED 250 to AED 3,450 by company classification: A, B or C | u.ae, updated 24 September 2026 |
| Employment visa (Meydan Free Zone company) | Meydan Free Zone | Employment visa AED 3,500; visa allocation AED 1,850 per visa | meydanfz.ae article, updated 30 June 2026 |
| Employment visa (IFZA company) | IFZA | Not published on ifza.com: itemised in your quote | ifza.com |
| Work entry permit linked to a job contract | GDRFA Dubai | Work visa fee AED 200 plus 5% VAT. If the employee is inside the UAE: inside-country fee AED 500, Knowledge Dirham AED 10, Innovation Dirham AED 10 | GDRFA job contract visa card |
| Residence permit, private sector | GDRFA Dubai | Residence permit fee AED 200, Knowledge Dirham AED 10, Innovation Dirham AED 10, delivery AED 20; fee inside the country AED 500 | GDRFA private sector residence card |
| Emirates ID, new card | ICP | AED 100 per year of residence, plus smart service fee AED 100 | ICP new identity card, updated 11 December 2024 |
| Medical fitness test | DHA-approved centre | Set by the centre; no official figure | dha.gov.ae |
| Health insurance | The employer’s insurer | Set by the insurer and plan; the employer bears it | Dubai Law No. 11 of 2013, Article 10 |
These are authority fees only, paid by the employer; GDRFA says totals may vary by case. Typing, the medical centre, insurance and our professional fee are extra. Inside-country fees apply only to an employee already in the UAE, and we never add rows together. Meydan’s figures are its own, not a First Idea price, and Meydan decides what they include, so do not add the GDRFA and ICP rows to them.
Send your licence type and staff visa count on WhatsApp and you get an itemised written quote.
WhatsApp Amir with your licence type and staff visa count
Before you hire: the establishment card and your visa quota
An employee visa in Dubai needs a licence with a valid establishment card, the company’s immigration file, and a free visa slot. In a free zone, slots follow the licence package and office type (see free zone visa); on the mainland, they follow MOHRE’s rules and the office space.
The owner’s visa is the founder’s own residence; this page covers salaried staff. With no company yet, see our Dubai company setup packages and the cost of setting up a business in Dubai; staff visas are quoted separately.
Free zone or mainland: how a staff visa differs
This page is for Dubai-licensed companies, such as an IFZA free zone or Meydan free zone company, whose staff residence permits go through GDRFA. Mainland is shown for comparison.
| Point | Free zone company (IFZA, Meydan) | Dubai mainland company |
|---|---|---|
| Work permit or employment approval issued by | The zone authority, through its portal | MOHRE |
| Fees set by | The zone, plus GDRFA and ICP | MOHRE by classification A, B or C, plus GDRFA and ICP |
| Salary payment rules | The zone’s own rules, which we check for your file | WPS through MOHRE. u.ae names WPS compliance as part of the classification |
| Where the employee may work | For the sponsoring free zone company | For the sponsoring mainland employer |
| How First Idea quotes it | Itemised written quote on WhatsApp | Itemised written quote on WhatsApp |
For the wider choice, read mainland vs free zone and Dubai mainland license.
What a free zone visa gives your employee
- UAE residence for two years, renewable (GDRFA, checked 25 September 2026).
- An Emirates ID issued by ICP.
- The right to sponsor family when the published salary and housing rules are met: see family visa UAE.
- A grace period after cancellation, set by the person’s category.
The visa is tied to the sponsoring company, so a job with another employer needs that employer’s permit and visa.
UAE employment visa process step by step
| Step | Who acts | Authority | What is needed | Time the authority states |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Offer and employment contract | Employer and employee | MOHRE (mainland) or the zone portal | Signed offer, passport copy, photo | None stated |
| 2. Work permit | Employer | MOHRE (fee by classification) or the zone | The conditions above | None stated on u.ae |
| 3. Work entry permit, or the same permit applied for inside the UAE | Employer | GDRFA Dubai | Passport valid six months or more, photo, approved work permit | 48 hours (GDRFA). The permit allows 60 days from entry to complete residency |
| 4. Medical fitness test | Employee attends | A DHA-approved centre in Dubai | Required over age 18 (GDRFA) | Set by the centre |
| 5. Emirates ID | Employee gives biometrics | ICP | The ID application and biometrics | 5 days for a new card (ICP) |
| 6. Health insurance | Employer | The employer’s insurer | Cover valid throughout the employment (Dubai Law No. 11 of 2013, Article 10) | Set by the insurer |
| 7. Residence permit | Employer | GDRFA Dubai | Passport copy, photo, medical result for applicants over 18 | 48 hours (GDRFA). Valid for two years |
| 8. Mainland only: salary through WPS | Employer | MOHRE | Payroll under the UAE salary and WPS rules | Not applicable |
Staff already in the UAE
Once the work permit is approved, the employer can apply for the entry permit while the new hire is still inside the UAE, for example on a visit visa. GDRFA adds an inside-country fee of AED 500 plus the Knowledge and Innovation Dirhams, AED 10 each (GDRFA, checked 25 September 2026).
The Work Bundle
u.ae says its Work Bundle, a platform where private sector employers onboard staff and handle permits and visas, cut steps from 15 to 5, visits from 7 to 2 and processing from 30 working days to 5 (u.ae, checked 25 September 2026). These are platform figures, not a timeline for your file.
How long it takes
GDRFA states 48 hours each for the entry permit and the residence permit, and ICP 5 days for a new Emirates ID (checked 25 September 2026). Appointments and attestation add days, so we print no end-to-end figure.
Renewing a staff visa: what it costs
An employment visa renewal in Dubai repeats the stack, without the entry permit:
- the work permit renewal: AED 250 to AED 3,450 by classification (u.ae, checked 25 September 2026), or the zone’s fee;
- a new medical test for applicants over 18 (GDRFA);
- the Emirates ID renewal: AED 100 per year of residence plus the AED 100 smart application fee (ICP Identity Card Renewal, checked 25 September 2026);
- the GDRFA residence permit renewal: AED 200, Knowledge Dirham AED 10, Innovation Dirham AED 10, delivery AED 20 (GDRFA, checked 25 September 2026); GDRFA’s card also lists a fee inside the country of AED 500.
Each figure is listed as published, never added up. The licence and establishment card must be valid first; see trade license renewal Dubai. Send your licence type and staff visa count on WhatsApp and you get an itemised written quote.
When an employee leaves: cancellation and the grace period
To cancel an employment visa in the UAE, the employer works in this order:
- Settle the worker’s dues. u.ae states the company must confirm the worker received all entitlements.
- Cancel the work permit with MOHRE or the zone, after settling any fines for late issuance or non-renewal (u.ae).
- Cancel the residence permit with GDRFA, which asks for MOHRE’s work permit cancellation extract.
Published cancellation fees (checked 25 September 2026):
- For a Dubai-sponsored visa, GDRFA “Cancellation of all types of residence permits”: AED 100, Knowledge Dirham AED 10, Innovation Dirham AED 10; GDRFA states 48 hours.
- For a visa issued in another emirate, ICP “Cancellation of residency permits”: application fee AED 50, smart services fee AED 100 (last updated 11 December 2024).
| Grace period | Who it applies to (ICP) |
|---|---|
| 180 days | Golden, Green and Blue Residence holders and their family members; widows or divorced women of residents; students after completing their studies; foreign-passport holders who are relatives of UAE citizens |
| 90 days | Skilled workers at levels 1 to 3, and property owners |
| 60 days | Residence permits issued with a guarantor or host |
| 30 days | All other categories |
After it ends, ICP fines AED 50 for each extra day (ICP, checked 25 September 2026). GDRFA’s Dubai pages state 60 days, so the employee should confirm their category with ICP or GDRFA.
If you are the employee: your employer is your sponsor and cancels the visa after you resign under your contract. Your employer may not charge you recruitment or employment costs (Article 6(4)). Your grace period depends on your category above.
Paying your staff: WPS and a business bank account
A mainland employer pays salaries through the Wages Protection System. u.ae states that WPS compliance affects the fee classification and that MOHRE may refuse, not renew or cancel permits for non-compliance (checked 25 September 2026); see UAE salary and WPS rules. Payroll runs from a business bank account.
Bank account opening is subject to each bank’s KYC, compliance review and final approval. We prepare the file, pre-check it against the bank’s requirements, and if one bank declines we apply to the next. See our bank account opening assistance.
How First Idea Consultant LLC handles staff visas
For an IFZA or Meydan company, we:
- check the licence, establishment card and free visa slots before anything is paid;
- prepare the file and submit it through the zone portal and GDRFA;
- book the medical test and the biometrics;
- follow the file to the residence permit;
- handle renewals, and cancellations when staff leave.
Amir Aslam, Founder, reviews each file; First Idea Consultant LLC was founded in 2015. The authorities decide every application, so we promise no approval or timing. See also PRO services Dubai and, for the founder’s own visa, UAE residence visa.
Send your licence type and staff visa count on WhatsApp and you get an itemised written quote.
WhatsApp Amir for a written staff visa quote
Frequently asked questions
How much is an employment visa in the UAE?
There is no single price. The employer pays MOHRE’s work permit fee (AED 250 to AED 3,450 by classification, u.ae, checked 25 September 2026) or the zone’s fee, plus GDRFA, ICP, medical and insurance costs. Send your licence type and staff visa count on WhatsApp and you get an itemised written quote.
What is the UAE employment visa process step by step?
Offer and contract, work permit, entry permit, medical test, Emirates ID biometrics, health insurance and residence permit, then WPS payroll on the mainland. The employee attends only the medical test and the biometrics.
How many days does employment visa processing take in Dubai?
GDRFA states 48 hours each for the entry permit and the residence permit, and ICP 5 days for a new Emirates ID (checked 25 September 2026). Appointments and attestation add days.
Can a tourist visa be converted to an employment visa in the UAE?
Yes. Once the work permit is approved, the employer can apply for the entry permit while the new hire is still inside the UAE, and GDRFA adds an inside-country fee of AED 500 plus AED 10 each for the Knowledge and Innovation Dirhams (GDRFA, checked 25 September 2026).
How do I cancel an employment visa in the UAE?
The employer settles the worker’s dues, cancels the work permit with MOHRE or the zone, then cancels the residence permit with GDRFA (AED 100 plus AED 10 each for the Knowledge and Innovation Dirhams, GDRFA, checked 25 September 2026). The grace period then depends on the person’s category.
Can I cancel my employment visa?
Not on your own: your employer, as sponsor, cancels it after you resign. ICP gives 30 days to most categories and 90 days to skilled workers at levels 1 to 3, then fines AED 50 a day (ICP, checked 25 September 2026); GDRFA’s pages state 60 days.
What does an employment visa renewal cost in Dubai?
The same stack as a new visa, without the entry permit: the work permit renewal (AED 250 to AED 3,450 by classification, u.ae, checked 25 September 2026, or the zone’s fee), a medical test, the Emirates ID and the GDRFA renewal (AED 200, Knowledge Dirham AED 10, Innovation Dirham AED 10, delivery AED 20, GDRFA, checked 25 September 2026; the card also lists AED 500 inside the country). Send your licence type and staff visa count on WhatsApp and you get an itemised written quote.
What are the benefits of a Dubai free zone visa for an employee?
Two years of renewable UAE residence, an Emirates ID, and the right to sponsor family when the salary and housing rules are met (see family visa UAE). The visa is tied to the sponsoring company, so another job needs a new permit and visa.
WhatsApp Amir for an itemised staff visa quote
First Idea Consultant LLC, Park Regis, ParkLane Tower, Office 812, Business Bay, Dubai. Call or WhatsApp +971 56 500 6694, or email info@firstideasetup.com. Amir Aslam, Founder.
