UAE Employee Visa Cost Breakdown

If you are hiring an employee in the UAE, the visa cost is rarely fixed. Several government approvals and services are involved, each with its own fee.

The UAE employee visa cost depends mainly on the employer's classification, the company's registration location, whether the employee is already in the UAE, and the type of processing selected. A mainland employer using MOHRE will also have a different fee structure from some free zone companies.

This is why you may see very different figures quoted online for what appears to be the same employment visa. Instead of relying on one package price, it makes more sense to look at each cost separately.

How Much Does an Employee Visa Cost in the UAE?

There is no single official price for a UAE employment visa.

For a standard private-sector employee, the total normally includes the work permit, entry or status procedure where required, medical fitness screening, Emirates ID, residence permit and health insurance.

One of the biggest variables is the MOHRE work permit fee.

For an employee recruited from overseas, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation currently lists:

• AED 50 for the work permit application

• AED 250 for a two-year permit under Category 1

• AED 1,200 under Category 2

• AED 3,450 under Category 3

So, the work permit stage alone can range from AED 300 to AED 3,500 when the AED 50 application fee is included.

Other costs are then added.

For businesses trying to understand how the labour side fits into the wider employment process, Nexture's MOHRE services UAE guide covers work permits, employment contracts and related employer procedures.

The key point is simple: a quote such as "AED 3,000 for an employee visa" should never be treated as a universal government rate.

What Costs Are Included in a UAE Employee Visa?

An employment visa normally involves several separate steps.

1. Work Permit

   For most mainland private-sector businesses, MOHRE handles the work permit.

   The employer usually starts by submitting the job offer and work permit application. The final permit fee depends heavily on the employer's MOHRE classification.

   This is often the biggest difference between two otherwise similar employee visa applications.

2. Entry Visa or Status Procedure

   An employee coming from outside the UAE may require an entry visa before completing residence procedures.

   Dubai's GDRFA currently lists an AED 200 work visa fee plus 5% VAT for foreigners linked to a job contract. If the person is already inside the UAE, an additional AED 500 fee may apply, along with AED 10 Knowledge Dirham and AED 10 Innovation Dirham charges.

   The exact amount can differ when another immigration authority or a free zone handles the application.

3. Medical Fitness Test

   Employees aged 18 and above generally need to pass the required medical fitness screening before their residence procedure is completed.

   In Dubai, Dubai Health's medical fitness service currently lists the standard 24-working-hour medical fitness package at AED 270. Faster options cost more, including AED 700 for certain premium services and AED 1,020 for the VIP service.

4. Emirates ID

   Every UAE resident needs an Emirates ID.

   According to the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security, the resident Emirates ID issuance fee is:

   • AED 100 for each year of residence

   • AED 100 smart service fee

   For a two-year residence period, this gives a basic ICP fee of AED 300 before any optional urgent or additional service charges.

   A first-time applicant aged 15 or above must also complete fingerprint and signature procedures.

5. Residence Permit

   The residence permit is another separate part of the cost.

   ICP lists:

   • AED 100 application fee

   • AED 100 residence issuance fee per year

   • AED 100 smart service fee

   That means a two-year permit would have a basic listed fee of AED 400 under this ICP fee structure, subject to the applicant category and any additional charges.

   Dubai follows GDRFA's fee structure. For private-sector residence permit issuance, GDRFA currently lists AED 200, plus AED 10 Knowledge Dirham, AED 10 Innovation Dirham and AED 20 delivery. An additional AED 500 charge can apply for an in-country application.

   If you want a broader explanation of the country's different residence routes, Nexture's UAE immigration guide explains how employment residency fits into the wider visa system.

6. Health Insurance

   Health insurance also needs to be included when budgeting for an employee.

   MOHRE states that employers must purchase health insurance for employees and that coverage is required for the issuance or renewal of residence permits. The Ministry's basic health insurance package is currently priced at AED 320 per year, although actual insurance costs can be higher depending on the emirate, insurer, employee profile and level of coverage.

UAE Employee Visa Cost Breakdown

Here is a simpler way to see where the money goes.

These figures should be used as a cost breakdown rather than added together as a universal total. Dubai and ICP charges can relate to different immigration channels, so an employer would not simply pay every fee shown in the table.

Free zone employees may also follow the relevant free zone authority's visa pricing instead of the standard MOHRE structure. 

Who Pays for an Employee Visa in the UAE?

For a normal employer-sponsored job, the employee should not be asked to pay the employer's recruitment and employment costs.

The UAE Government states that recruitment and travel costs, along with expenses for obtaining the employee's UAE residence permit, must be borne by the employer.

Article 6 of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 also prohibits employers from collecting recruitment and employment costs from workers, either directly or indirectly. That distinction is important.

Employer-related expenses can include the required work permit, recruitment procedures and residence processing connected to the job.

Personal expenses are different. For example, an employee may personally pay for a family member's visa, replacement documents after losing them or optional services unrelated to the employer's recruitment obligation.

If an employer asks you to reimburse mandatory recruitment or employment visa expenses, check the request carefully rather than assuming it is standard practice.

How to Apply for an Employee Visa in the UAE

The employer normally manages the process. You will still need to provide documents and attend certain appointments.

1. Employment Offer and Work Permit

   The employer prepares the employment offer and submits the relevant work permit application.

   For mainland private-sector companies, this usually goes through MOHRE. Free zone businesses generally work through their respective free zone authority.

2. Entry or In-Country Procedure

   If you are outside the UAE, the employer completes the required entry procedure so you can enter for employment and finish the residence formalities.

   If you are already legally inside the country, an in-country procedure may apply instead.

3. Complete the Medical Fitness Test

   Once required, you attend an approved medical fitness centre.

   The standard process generally includes a blood test and chest X-ray, with additional requirements for certain occupations.

4. Apply for Emirates ID

   Your Emirates ID application is linked with the residence process.

   First-time applicants who need biometrics must attend the relevant ICP service centre for fingerprints and a signature.

5. Obtain the Residence Permit

   After the required approvals and a medically fit result, the immigration authority completes the residence procedure.

   You can also review Nexture's guide to employment contract types in the UAE if you want to understand how the employment contract connects with the wider hiring process.

   The UAE has also introduced the Work Bundle to bring several employment and residency procedures together. When it was expanded across the Emirates, MOHRE said the initiative reduced the overall processing journey from 30 working days to five. Actual completion can still take longer if documents, approvals, biometrics or medical procedures are pending.

Employee Visa Renewal Cost and Process

A standard UAE employment residence visa is generally valid for two years and can be renewed, provided the relevant conditions remain satisfied.

Renewal usually involves many of the same components as the initial application:

1. Work permit and employment contract renewal

2. Medical fitness examination

3. Health insurance renewal

4. Emirates ID renewal

5. Residence permit renewal

ICP currently charges residents AED 100 per year for Emirates ID renewal plus AED 100 in smart application fees.

For residence permits, ICP lists an AED 100 application fee, an AED 100 renewal fee for each year and an AED 100 smart service fee.

In Dubai, GDRFA lists the private-sector residence renewal fee at AED 200, plus applicable Knowledge Dirham, Innovation Dirham, delivery and other charges depending on the application.

The medical test must also be completed again for residence renewal. In Dubai, the normal medical fitness package remains AED 270 at the time of writing.

Employers should start the renewal process before expiry rather than waiting for the last moment. Although different residence categories can have different grace periods, ICP states that an AED 50 daily overstay fine can apply after the applicable grace period ends.

Conclusion

The UAE employee visa cost makes much more sense when you separate it into individual government and employment expenses.

The work permit is often the biggest variable, particularly for mainland employers, where MOHRE's company classification can move the two-year permit fee from AED 250 to AED 3,450. Medical fitness, Emirates ID, residence processing and health insurance are added to the employer's overall hiring cost.

Before budgeting, check whether the company is mainland or free zone, whether the employee is inside or outside the UAE and which immigration authority will process the residence application. Those three details can quickly change the final figure.

If you are hiring employees and want support with work permits, employee visas, MOHRE procedures and residence processing, Nexture Corporate Services can help you organise the process and identify the applicable costs before the application begins.

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