UAE Employment visa; Beware of scams

Are you planning to enter the UAE for the purpose of work, visit, investment, residence or any other legal purpose?

Always verify the documentation provided by a future employer via the various options listed below.

1) If somebody offers you a job in the UAE, he/she has to give you an offer letter issued by the UAE’s Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE).

2) The prospective employees/candidates can verify the job offer’s validity at the UAE embassy in their country. All legal job offer numbers start with (ST) then digits. You can use the job offer number to verify employer’s validity at the MOHRE’s website. You can also get your queries answered by MoHRE at telephone number 0097168027666, email ask@mohre.gov.ae or use the chat service. 

3) After you sign the offer letter, the employer will send you an employment visa to enter the UAE.

If you have entry permit/visa issued from Dubai, you can verify its validity at the GDRFA’s website. 

Verify validity of an entry permit/visa issued from Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah or Fujairah at the eChannels platform. 

4) Do not accept a visit or tourist entry permit/visa as a starting point for employment. It does not give you the right to work in the UAE. Working under visit or tourist visa will bring you penalties and deportation.

5) You should know that the sponsor (the employer) is responsible for payment of recruitment expenses as per the UAE’s Labour Law.

6) Make sure that the company legally exists. You can search the company’s English and Arabic name on the National Economic register website and get the company details.

Through the UAE’s National Economic register (NER), you can view online their business licence details, which the government has on record and get instant information about existing companies and business activities in the UAE.

7) Tourist visa is issued by UAE-based airlines like Emirates, Etihad, Fly Dubai and Air Arabia. It is also issued by the UAE-based hotels and travel agencies. Learn more about the fees of visas and entry permits issued from Dubai. You can also get help on visas and entry permits issued from Dubai through Amer’s chat service. 

8) There is nothing called an independent employment visa. You are supposed to work for your sponsor/employer. Your sponsor may give you a permit to work for another employer under approval of the MOHRE. Check out our report on working part-time in the UAE.