Many employers require applicants to be in the country for a certain number of days before they are able to obtain a work permit. This article provides the minimum amount of days required for obtaining a UAE work visa.Dubai has one of the most popular residency visas in the world. People from all around the globe come to the UAE to work, study, and invest in this country. Many people don’t know that there is a different permit for each purpose. There is a Comprehensive Visa System for workers, investors, and students called ‘Golden Visa’. Each type has its own purpose, requirements, and validity period.Dubai has one of the most popular residency visas in the world. People from all around the globe come to the UAE to work, study, and invest in this country. Many people don’t know that there is a different permit for each purpose. There is a Comprehensive Visa System for workers, investors, and students called ‘Golden Visa’. Each type has its own purpose, requirements, and validity period.
How Many Days For Work Permit In Uae
UAE is a country with hundreds of opportunities for expatriates, who are looking for jobs outsides to live and work. It is an Arab country considered as the fastest growing economy in Middle East. UAE is one of the most developed countries in the region with 5-star hotels, top-class international universities and many other facilities. The thriving economy of UAE has attracted huge number of foreign nationals who are looking for jobs here. This is one of the factors why UAE visa has become one of the most sought after visa across the world.In Abu Dhabi 92 percent of the total population lives in state-owned or controlled accommodation, which includes homes and apartments. The cheapest accommodation in Abu Dhabi is the villas for workers with just 0.4 rooms per house. Apparently, most of the expats who come to live in Abu Dhabi tend not to rent villas as they prefer to hire employees to clean after themselves.
How Long Does it Take to Get a UAE Work Permit?
Upon the complete submission of documents, it usually takes about 5 working days for the Ministry to issue the work permit.
How long is a UAE Work Permit Valid?
A work permit, when you first receive it is valid for 30 days, and can be extended for another 30. This gives you 60 days to remain in the country, during which time you and your employer have to arrange to get a Residence Visa, an Emirates ID, and your Labour Card.
It is the Residence Visa in addition to the Labour Card which allow you to live and work in the UAE legally. UAE Residence Visas are issued for 1, 2, or 3 years, depending on your purpose of travel and the discretion of the UAE authorities.
How Can I Get a UAE Work Visa?
After your work permit for the UAE is approved, it serves as an entry permit, allowing you to enter the UAE on the grounds of employment. This permit is valid for 30 days, and can be extended once, allowing you a maximum stay of 60 days during which time your employer has to arrange your Residence Visa. The UAE Employment Visa procedure starts only after you enter the country.
What is the UAE Employment Visa Procedure?
After you enter the UAE with the approval you received from the MoHRE, your employer has to apply for a Residence Visa for you from the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) of the emirate where you are employed.
Once your application is approved, the GDRFA will affix an Employment Visa (Residence Visa for employment purposes) on your passport, and you will receive an Emirates ID, valid for the same duration as the visa. You will also receive a Labour Card, which informs the authorities you have authorization to work in the UAE.
Below are the websites of the GDRFA in each emirate:
- Abu Dhabi
- Dubai (see also Amer, a website which Dubai citizens and residents can use to apply for family reunion and visitors can use to extend their Visa On Arrival)
- Sharjah
- Ajman
- Ras Al Khaimah
- Fujairah
Can You Renew a UAE Work Visa?
Yes, you can. All types of Residence Visas for the UAE are issued for 1-3 years and can be renewed. Your sponsor has to renew your UAE Work Visa within the 30 days before it is set to expire.
The UAE Work Visa renewal procedure is similar to when you first obtained your visa: your sponsor has to apply at the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in the relevant emirate.
However, your sponsor may also renew your visa after it expires if it is within the UAE residence visa expiry grace period.
Getting a Work Visa for Dubai
Since Dubai is one of the seven emirates making up the UAE, the process for getting a Dubai Employment Visa is the same as in any other emirate. This includes:
- You find a job in Dubai (either while you are on a UAE Tourist Visa or through one of UAE’s online job portals and job fairs)
- While you are still in your home country, your employer applies for a Work Permit for you
- If approved, you use the work permit to enter Dubai
- Your employer arranges for you to undergo a medical exam and applies for a Residence Card for employment on your behalf at the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) in Dubai. They must do this within 60 days, which is how long the permit is valid.
- Your employer arranges for you to receive a Labour Card and Emirates ID Card
How much does an employment visa in Dubai cost?
The cost for a Dubai visa fee is the same as for other emirates in the UAE (detailed above). However, in most cases, it is usually the company that has hired you which pays all the visa fee, and work permit costs.
Employment visa renewal in Dubai
Your employer, who serves as your sponsor, can apply to renew your employment visa for you at the GDRFA in Dubai or an Amre center.