In order to work in the UAE as an expat, you'll need a visa. The following article explains how to get a work permit and work visa in UAE.
It starts with finding a job, which can be done through classified sites.
Now there are three possible conditions:
1. The company might hire you from overseas.
2. When you visit/tour the UAE and find a job.
3. Work for one company but are switching to another.
There's nothing complicated about it. It's actually quite simple.
Here are a few things you should know about the process:
1. First, a 'work permit' is required from the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization (MoHRE).
2. This permit/employment entry must be issued first by the company/organization who hired you, then it can be converted into a residency visa.
3. Work permits allow holders to enter the UAE for employment purposes, and they are valid for two months from the date they are issued.
4. Within 60 days of the employee entering the UAE based on the work permit, the sponsoring company arranges for medical testing, obtaining the UAE ID card, the labour card, and stamping the UAE visa in the employee's passport.
5. The employee is sponsored by his employer, based on the UAE residency visa on his passport.
6. The employer pays for the UAE Residency Visa, Emirates ID, and medical testing required for the Work Permit.
7. As soon as the employee receives a visa, family members can be sponsored and brought to the country.
If you're signing a job offer from overseas, here are some important details
1. Those on a visitor visa may obtain a work permit by departing the UAE for a neighbouring country or their home country. Air Arabia and Fly Dubai both offer this 'visa run' service on the Dubai-Oman-Dubai leg.
2. It is also possible for the company to change its status within the country by submitting an application for a 'Changed Status' to the General Directorate of Residency and Foreign Affairs (GDFRA) of the emirate where the company is located, which works with the federal authority MoHRE.
3. MoHRE and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation have established centers outside the UAE for those hired from abroad. These centers would inform employees about their rights, duties, terms and conditions of employment, and any privileges they are entitled to, in a language they understand. In addition to ensuring transparent contractual relations between employers and employees, this mechanism prevents fraudulent attempts to replace job offers upon the employee's arrival in the UAE.
Note: UAE Visa Process stipulates that a company can change the status of a job applicant rather than the individual having to leave the UAE, in order to apply for a work permit through what is known as the 'Changed Status' process by the General Directorate of Residency and Foreign Affairs (GDFRA) of the emirate where the company is based. This is done in collaboration with the federal government - the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE).
What documents does a company need to apply for your work permit:
1. Colour photograph on a white background.
2. Passport copy with a validity of at least six months.
3. In cases where academic proof of qualification is required (post-secondary diploma, university degree or equivalent), it is necessary to have a copy authenticated by the ministry of foreign affairs in the country of origin.
4. In the case of a physician, pharmacist, nurse, and teacher, you will need to get approval from the relevant authority (your employer can guide you on this).
5. You must be at least 18 years old.
6. There must be a match between your qualifications and the company's activity.
Once everything is in order, you should be able to get a work permit within a week or so - if your employer follows the proper procedures.
A specific age limit for employment isn't set - it depends on the job and its skill requirements.
If you are under 18, you cannot get a work permit, but is there a maximum age for expats to get a work permit?
According to the UAE's Labour Law No. 8 of 1980, as amended, there is no specific age at which an employment contract can be terminated.
Note: For those 65 years of age and above, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) charges AED 5,000 for the initial approval of their work permit every two years
Also Read:
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