Labour & Immigration in Dubai
For a mainland company in Dubai, employing people involves two sets of records. MoHRE services cover the company's establishment file, work permits and employment contracts. On the immigration side, GDRFA Dubai issues an establishment card for the company and handles its employees' residence. Under the UAE Labour Law, no one may work in the UAE without a valid MoHRE work permit, and an employer may not recruit or employ anyone without one. Free zone companies follow their free zone authority's process for work permits and residence visas instead.
Hiring for a mainland company follows a sequence: a signed job offer, initial work permit approval, the employment contract registered with MoHRE, and then the residence visa. Conditions apply along the way. The occupation must match the licensed activity, the trade licence must be valid, and the application must come from someone authorised to represent the company. MoHRE may also hold back new permits where a company is not compliant with the Wages Protection System. MoHRE now offers several permit types, including transfer, part-time and temporary permits and a permit for golden visa holders. The UAE's Work Bundle platform also brings many work permit and residence steps together for private-sector employers.
Majlis Hub supports companies with the preparation and coordination behind these steps. We keep a clear record of each employee's permit, contract and residence dates, prepare submissions with the information your authorised signatory needs, and follow up with you on any request. We do not replace your authorised signatory, and we cannot guarantee any MoHRE or immigration decision. The aim is a company file that stays current, so a new hire or a cancellation never has to start from scratch.
Who this is for
- New mainland companies opening their MoHRE and immigration files
- Employers hiring from inside or outside the UAE
- Companies transferring employees in, or using part-time and temporary permits
- HR and admin teams handling renewals, amendments and cancellations
- Owners updating company records after a licence or signatory change
- Free zone companies coordinating permits with their free zone authority
What we handle
Establishment files
Opening and updating the company's MoHRE establishment file and its immigration establishment card with GDRFA Dubai, including after licence or signatory changes.
Work permits
Preparing work permit requests for new hires, transfers, part-time and temporary roles, and residents sponsored by family or holding a golden visa.
Job offers and employment contracts
Coordinating job offers and employment contracts in the MoHRE formats, so they reflect the agreed terms and match the permit.
Employee residence
Linking each work permit to the employee's residence, medical fitness and Emirates ID steps through our visa and residency service.
Renewals and cancellations
Tracking permit and contract dates, and preparing renewal or cancellation files, including the company's confirmation that the employee's entitlements are settled.
Compliance checkpoints
Flagging issues that can hold back new permits, such as an expiring licence, an occupation outside the licensed activity or a gap in Wages Protection System payments.
Follow-up and records
Following up on requests and keeping an organised record of each employee's documents and key dates.
What to have ready
- Valid trade licence and the partners' or shareholders' appendix
- Passport copies and details of the company's authorised signatories
- Notarised authorisation where a manager signs on the company's behalf
- Signed job offer, proposed occupation and salary details for each new hire
- Employee passport copy, photograph and current visa or residence status
- Educational or professional certificates, attested where the role requires them
- Existing MoHRE and immigration file numbers, if the company is already registered
- Wages Protection System payment details, where relevant