Who, why, and how to work in Dubai or the UAE in general

If you are in Australia and not a Permanent Resident or citizen and you are possibly toying with the intention to work in Dubai, we have some very useful information to share. We will explore the why and how of moving to the UAE to get employed.

The employment scene in the UAE

Here are some important points regarding employment in UAE that you need to know.

• The majority of jobs in the UAE are found in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
• The most progressive sectors in the UAE include oil, tourism, and construction.
• The most popular occupations in the UAE are in the fields of IT or finance.
• The country has the presence of multinational companies like DHL, AstraZeneca, Microsoft, Marriot, FedEx, and Hilton.
• UAE features tax-free income. Many companies offer housing allowance, medical insurance, kids’ school fees contribution, and even free air tickets to travel to your home country.

Basics of work in Dubai

A work permit is necessary for you to work in the UAE. This is besides needing a residence visa to stay in the UAE for a long period. To come to the UAE to work, you will firstly need an employer in the UAE to be ready to hire you. Such an employer must also initiate the necessary procedure to obtain your work permit and employment visa in the UAE.

Rules for the UAE Employment Visa

You and the employer who will hire you in the UAE must meet the following criteria:

• Your age must be at least 18 years
• Your work in the UAE must correspond to the nature of the company giving you employment
• The company employing you mustn’t have indulged in any violation of rules
• The hiring company’s license must be a valid one

Foreign workers holding a UAE work visa

Foreign workers who meet the criteria set by MoHRE (Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization) are eligible to get a UAE work visa. They are classified into the following categories:

Category 1: Foreigners with a minimum qualification of a bachelor’s degree

Category 2: Foreigners holding a post-secondary diploma

Category 3: Foreigners holding a high school diploma

Documents to be submitted for a UAE employment visa

Apply for a UAE employment visa with these documents attached:

• Your passport in original along with a copy
• A passport-size photograph, according to the UAE requirements
• Copies of your academic qualifications that are authorized by the UAE embassy/consulate and by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in your country.
• Medical certificate issued by a health center in the UAE that’s approved by the government.
• Documents from the hiring company in the UAE (viz. the company card or the commercial license of the company)

There may currently be no need for a certificate of good conduct to be submitted.

Getting a UAE work – The application procedure

1. The employer in the UAE prepares the application in print for the work permit. This is done at the Tas’Heel website, which is the online system of the Ministry of Labor
2. They submit the necessary documents
3. The application is reviewed by the Ministry. The Ministry then asks to resubmit any document or rectify any irregularities that may be necessary
4. If all goes well, the Ministry issues the approval. The employer can download it from the Ministry website.

Fees for the UAE work permit

To make a request to get initial approval of a fresh electronic work permit	AED 200 for all categories/levels
To get the fresh electronic work permit approved (the worker’s recruitment, hiring, and their Laboor Card)	·       Category 1: AED 300 ·       Category 2: o   Level A: AED 600 o   Level B: AED 1,500 o   Level C: AED 2,000 ·       Category 3: AED 5,000
Fees to be paid for permit for foreign workers above 65 years of age	AED 5,000 on all categories

The levels that Category 2 is divided into are based on the ratio of skilled and unskilled workers that the company has.

The issue of the work permit after submission of required documents takes about 5 days. The UAE work permit is valid for 30 days and can be extended for another 30 days.

So, in all, you can stay in the UAE with A UAE work permit for 60 days. During this time, your employer will have to make arrangements to get the following:

• A Residence Visa
• Your Labor Card
• An Emirates ID

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