The Employer's Guide: How to Navigate Dubai Visa Sponsorship (A Step-by-Step Process).

​Dubai's economy thrives on global talent, with expatriates making up over 90% of the population. For employers, this makes effective visa sponsorship a critical, non-negotiable business function. However, the process can be complex, with overlapping jurisdictions and strict documentation requirements.

At Aspire, our global mobility teams have always successfully processed visa applications in the UAE. We’ve seen firsthand how a simple documentation error can delay a key hire by weeks, costing businesses momentum and money. This guide provides a clear, step-by-step process from an employer's perspective.

The 5-Step Visa Sponsorship Process for Dubai Employers

Navigating the sponsorship process is a linear journey. Each step must be completed before the next can begin.

Step 1: Secure Company Pre-requisites & Visa Quota

Before you can hire anyone, your company must be legally set up to do so.

1. Valid Trade License: Your company's mainland or free zone license must be active.

2. Establishment Card: You must have a valid Establishment Card issued by the GDRFA. This card officially registers your company as a sponsoring entity.

3. MoHRE Registration: Your company must be registered with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) and have a "Tawtheeq" (company signature) card.

4. Secure Visa Quota: You must apply to MoHRE for a visa quota. This is the number of employment visas your company is permitted to sponsor. This is often based on your business activity, office size (Ejari), and number of existing employees.

Note: For free zone companies, visa quota and employment processes are managed directly through the respective free zone authority rather than MoHRE.

Aspire Insight: In our experience, many new businesses are delayed at Step 4. They secure a new trade license but forget to apply for their visa quota, only realising the omission when they try to issue an offer letter. Aspire helps clients forecast hiring and secure adequate quotas in advance.

Step 2: Issue Offer Letter & Obtain Entry Permit

Once your company is ready and you've selected a candidate, the formal application process begins.

1. Draft & Issue Offer Letter: You must generate a formal, MoHRE-compliant offer letter that matches the candidate's profession and outlines salary and terms. This is now a digital process.

2. Candidate Signature: The candidate must electronically sign the offer letter.

3. Submit for Work Permit: The signed offer is submitted to MoHRE to secure the initial Work Permit (also known as the "labour approval").

4. Document Submission: This step requires the employee's core documents (see table below). Crucially, their educational certificates must be attested by the UAE Embassy in their home country and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) in the UAE.

5. Receive Entry Permit (Employment Visa): Once MoHRE approves the work permit, the GDRFA will issue the Entry Permit. This is the document (often called a "pink visa") that allows the employee to legally enter the UAE for the purpose of employment. It is typically valid for 60 days.

Note: Free zone employers will issue a zone-specific employment contract through their authority’s portal (e.g., DMCC, DIFC, Dubai Internet City)

Step 3: Employee Entry & Medical Fitness Test

The clock starts once the Entry Permit is issued.

1. Employee Enters UAE: The employee uses the Entry Permit to enter the country. If they are already in the UAE on a tourist visa, an "in-country status change" is performed.

2. Schedule Medical Test: You (or your representative, like Aspire) must schedule the employee for their mandatory medical fitness test at a government-approved medical centre.

3. Complete Medical Test: The test screens for communicable diseases such as Tuberculosis and HIV. A "pass" certificate is required to proceed.

Step 4: Emirates ID Biometrics & Application

This step is typically done in parallel with the medical test.

1. Apply for Emirates ID: A formal application is submitted to the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security (ICP).

2. Attend Biometrics Appointment: The employee must visit an ICP service centre to provide their biometrics (fingerprints and photo).

Step 5: Visa Stamping & Labour Card Issuance

This is the final step that confers formal residency.

1. Receive Residence Visa: The GDRFA now issues a digital Residence Visa linked to the Emirates ID. Passport stamping is being phased out, but may still occur in certain cases. This visa is typically valid for 2 years.

2. Receive Emirates ID: The physical Emirates ID card is printed and delivered.

3. Final Work Permit: The MoHRE issues the employee’s digital Work Permit (formerly Labour Card), completing the process

Required Documents: A Summary

Proper documentation is the most critical part of the process. ​

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FAQ: Common Pitfalls and How Aspire Solves Them

As a leader in UAE mobility solutions, we've helped countless employers navigate these common issues.

Q1: Why was my visa application rejected?

Common Pitfall: Rejections often happen for two main reasons:

1. Profession Mismatch: The job title on the offer letter does not match the candidate's attested educational degree as per the official MoHRE list.

2. Failed Medical Test: The candidate fails the mandatory medical screening.

Aspire Solution: Our experts pre-vet all candidate documents before submission. We cross-reference the candidate's attested degree with the precise MoHRE-approved profession list to ensure 100% alignment, eliminating rejection risk from a mismatch.

Q2: What is the single biggest delay employers face?

Common Pitfall: Underestimating document attestation. A degree from a university in the UK, for example, must be:

1. Certified by a solicitor in the UK.

2. Legalised by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).

3. Attested by the UAE Embassy in London.

4. Attested again by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) in the UAE.

This multi-country, multi-step process can take 4-6 weeks alone if not managed perfectly. In some jurisdictions (such as India or the Philippines), embassy processing times can vary depending on appointment availability

Aspire Solution: We manage this entire attestation chain as a core service. Our global network coordinates directly with all entities, running the process in parallel with other steps to prevent it from becoming a bottleneck to your new hire's start date.

Q3: My candidate is already in the UAE. Is it easier?

Common Pitfall: It can be, but it carries a different risk. If the candidate is on a tourist visa, you must complete an "in-country status change." If the timing is mismanaged and their tourist visa expires before the new employment visa is processed, they will incur significant "overstay" fines.

Aspire Solution: Our consultants are experienced in these changes and are able to contact the relevant institutions to provide regular status updates and timeline management. We ensure the status change is applied for before the old visa expires, protecting both the employer and the employee from penalties.

Streamline Your Hiring with Aspire

Navigating the Dubai visa process is a high-stakes, administrative burden. With the UAE's private sector workforce now exceeding 7.8 million, competition for top global talent is fierce. You cannot afford to lose a key hire due to avoidable delays or documentation errors.

Partnering with Aspire removes this burden, turning a complex legal process into a seamless and predictable onboarding experience. Our expertise becomes your asset. Contact our global mobility team to learn how we can accelerate your company's growth in Dubai.