Labor Card UAE (Guide)

Long-term employee assignment in the UAE requires a work permit (also known as a labor card) and must follow several detailed rules. Some of these steps will be performed before the employee enters the UAE, while others may be performed after the employee arrives in the UAE. Once determined, the work permit is usually valid for two years. For employment outside the duty-free zone, you do not need to obtain a work permit before you travel, but you must obtain an entry visa upon arrival. When workers land in the UAE, they will receive an employment entry visa from the workbench before the entry checkpoint, which is valid for 60 days and is processing work permits. The following is a breakdown of each stage of obtaining an entry visa and obtaining, residence visa and a work permit in the UAE. Lists the estimated processing time, which takes a total of 40 days from start to finish.

Step one: Employment entry visa in UAE

1- Visa quota approval

The first step in obtaining an entry visa (and work permit) is to obtain visa quota approval from the Ministry of Labor (MOL), and employers will apply for a visa on behalf of their employees. If the visa is applied in any free zone, quota approval must be obtained before the employee enters the UAE. Free zone companies have quota restrictions on work visas, usually one foreign worker per 12.5 square meters of office space. Also, for all companies with more than 100 employees, certain positions must have quotas. If the quota has been reached, you can apply for a quota upgrade, but there is no guarantee that it will be upgraded. Processing time: It usually takes three working days to get approval.

2- Job offer contract and signature

The next step is to send a job offer contract for employees to sign, and then have them return it to their employer. It must use both English and Arabic, as well as the native language of the employee (if different). This confirms that the employee is arriving at a valid working position and that MOL will review the employment letter. Processing time: Processing can be accelerated electronically and completed within two working days.

1. Work permit application for approval: An application for a work permit must be approved before an entry visa is issued. During this approval process, the Department of Labor usually does the job based on whether there is an unemployed UAE citizen, and the guarantor is a UAE registered company entity. Otherwise, it should be approved. Processing time is 3-5 days
2. Employment entry visa: After obtaining a work permit approval, the ministry issues an employment entry visa (also known as a pink visa), allowing applicants to legally enter the UAE. The permit is valid for two months from the date of issue, allows the holder to stay in the UAE for 30 days, and can be extended twice when a formal work permit is approved. The processing time for this process is three days.

Step two: Obtaining work permit and residence visa in UAE

1. Entry into the UAE with a new entry permit/visa change of status: There are two options for entering the country and starting the work permit process. If the entry visa is ready before arrival, the employee will collect it upon arrival at the airport. If the employee is already in the UAE with another visa, they must apply for a visa “change of status” after issuing the entry visa (otherwise they can use the entry visa to leave and re-enter the country). After employees enter the country, they have 60 days to complete all the procedures required to obtain a work permit and a residence visa. It is recommended to complete these processes as soon as possible, rather than waiting until the last minute.
2. Medical examination: The UAE requires all foreigners to undergo a medical examination before obtaining a work permit. Application time is one day 
3. UAE Identity Card Application / Biometrics: Then, after the employee types the relevant form in any typing center, they need to go to the UAE Identity Card Service Centre. An original valid passport and employment permits are required to apply for an ID card and biometric identification. The application time is one day.
4. Medical examination results: The results of the medical examination must be obtained and included in the application. The processing time is one day.
5. Labor Contract Signing: The signed labor contract must also be submitted as part of the work permit application. The contract has a new deadline and must be sent to MOL within 14 days of the medical result being issued. Labor contracts can be uploaded to the MOL website.
6. Start Date of Collecting Labor Card / Work Permit and Contract: After receiving the work permit, wages can be formally started through the official UAE system. Processing time is five days
7.  Medical insurance card application: Since health insurance is now required in the UAE, all employers must provide insurance for foreign workers (or they must purchase it themselves). No work permit can be issued or renewed without a valid insurance card. The processing time is five days.
8. Resident visa stamp on passport: All foreign workers and their family members need a residence visa to legally reside in the UAE. A visa is required to open a bank account, register a car, and open a post office box. Processing time is three days
9. UAE ID card Collection: In addition to work permits, employees will also receive a UAE ID, which can be used for daily identification (instead of carrying a passport). Processing time is ten days after the residence visa is stamped on the passport.