Right-to-work and work-eligibility checks in the United Arab Emirates
Reviewed by Mellow Editorial Team, HR & payroll content team
Hiring someone in the UAE without confirming they have the legal right to work exposes your business to fines, visa cancellations and potential blacklisting. The process is straightforward once you know the correct sequence: verify the candidate's identity and visa status, obtain a work permit through the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE), and only then allow the person to start work.
Who has the right to work in the UAE
Two broad categories of worker are legally permitted to be employed in the UAE.
UAE and GCC nationals hold the automatic right to work. They do not need a work permit but must be enrolled in the relevant pension scheme — UAE nationals in the General Pension and Social Security Authority (GPSSA), and GCC nationals in their home-country equivalent. As an employer, you have a contribution obligation that begins at the point of hire.
Expatriates must hold a valid work permit and residency visa sponsored by an employer (or, in certain cases, a free-zone authority or the individual themselves via specific visa categories). An expatriate who works without a valid permit — even briefly — is working illegally, and so are you for employing them.
Some visa categories explicitly prohibit employment: tourist visas, visit visas and certain dependant visas do not grant the right to work. Checking the visa type is not optional.
The step-by-step verification process
1. Collect identity documents before the start date.
Ask for the original Emirates ID (for residents already in the country) and the passport. If the candidate is being recruited from abroad, you will be working from the passport alone until residency documents are issued.
2. Check the visa type and expiry date.
Log in to the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) portal — icp.gov.ae — or use the MOHRE e-services portal to verify the current visa status. Confirm:
- The visa category permits employment
- The visa has not expired
- The current sponsor, if any, and whether a no-objection or visa cancellation is required before you can transfer sponsorship
3. Confirm no existing employment ban.
MOHRE maintains a record of labour bans. You can check an individual's status through the MOHRE website or app. A labour ban prevents the person from being legally employed until it expires or is lifted.
4. Issue a job offer and have it attested if required.
Under Federal Decree-Law No. 33/2021 (the UAE Labour Law), the offer letter or employment contract must state the role, wage, working hours and other core terms. For most private-sector hires, the standard MOHRE-approved contract form applies.
5. Apply for the work permit through MOHRE.
Before the employee starts work, you must apply for a work permit (also called a work entry permit for new hires from abroad). This is done through the MOHRE Tasheel service centres or online portal. The system will flag if the applicant is ineligible.
6. Arrange the residency visa and Emirates ID.
Once the work permit is issued, the employee undergoes a medical fitness test and applies for a residency visa through the relevant emirate's immigration authority (GDRFA in Dubai, ICA elsewhere). The Emirates ID application follows. These documents complete the formal establishment of the right to work.
7. Register the employment contract on WPS.
All private-sector employers must pay salaries through the Wage Protection System. Registering the employee and their bank or pay-card details on WPS is part of completing the hire, and salary compliance under WPS begins from the first pay cycle.
Specific situations that require extra care
Employees transferring from another UAE employer. The previous employment relationship must be formally ended: the old visa cancelled and, where applicable, end-of-service gratuity settled before the new work permit is issued. Skipping this step creates dual sponsorship, which is illegal.
Free-zone employees moving to the mainland. A free-zone visa does not permit work on the UAE mainland. If you are hiring someone currently on a free-zone visa for a mainland role, they must cancel that visa and obtain a new mainland work permit.
Part-time and multi-employer arrangements. The 2021 Labour Law introduced formal part-time and flexible work permits. If you want to hire someone who already has a primary employer, both parties need the correct permit type. Do not assume a standard full-time permit covers this.
Document retention
Keep copies of every employee's Emirates ID, passport, visa page, work permit and medical fitness certificate. ICP regulations require employers to be able to produce these on request. Set calendar reminders at least 60 days before each document expiry: visa renewals take time, and a lapse — even a brief one — means the employee is technically working without authorisation during that window.
Penalties for non-compliance
MOHRE can issue fines per illegal worker, suspend your company's ability to issue new work permits, and refer serious cases to the Public Prosecution. The reputational consequence — being blacklisted from the WPS system or losing your Emiratisation classification — can be more disruptive than the fine itself. Maintaining a clean record on MOHRE's compliance dashboard protects your ability to hire, grow and operate.
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