If you’re moving to the UAE for a job, your employer — not you — sponsors the visa. That means most of the paperwork happens before you land, and it’s worth knowing what they’re required to do, because gaps here become your problem later.
The sequence, in order
- Labour card (work permit): your employer applies through the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) before you arrive, or before you switch status if you’re already in the country.
- Entry permit: issued once the labour card is approved — this is what lets you fly in, or convert from a visit visa without leaving.
- Medical fitness test: done after arrival, covering communicable diseases. Failing it (rare, but it happens) voids the process.
- Emirates ID application and residence visa stamping: the final steps, usually completed within 30 days of entry.
The whole sequence commonly takes 2–4 weeks once the labour card is approved, though it varies by emirate and how quickly medical and biometric appointments are available.
What your employer is on the hook for
Under federal labour law, the employer covers the cost of recruitment, the labour card, the visa itself, and repatriation if the employment ends. They’re also required to provide, or pay for, your health insurance from day one — this isn’t optional and isn’t something you should be asked to cover yourself for a standard employment visa.
If a company asks you to pay standard visa or labour card fees out of pocket, that’s worth questioning — it’s not how the sponsored employment route is meant to work. Free zone and DIFC/ADGM employers follow a similar shape but through their own free zone authority rather than MOHRE directly.
What happens if you leave the job
Your employer cancels the visa, which starts a grace period to find new sponsorship or leave the country. See Visas & Residency for what happens next, including the route to a self-sponsored Golden or Green Visa if you’d rather not depend on an employer at all.
Last verified 31 August 2026. Processing times and exact fees vary by emirate and free zone — confirm specifics with your employer’s HR or PRO before relying on a timeline.
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