Employee Visas
The UAE Employee Visa Process, From Offer to First Payroll
Hiring someone from abroad runs through three authorities and a payroll system. Each step needs the one before it. The visa is not finished until the employee is on WPS and paid.
- One sequence from offer letter to first salary
- Entry permit, medical and Emirates ID coordinated
- Labour contract matched to the permit
- WPS and ILOE set up before the first payroll
Dubai PRO, payroll and tax support for UAE companies, handled by one team.
Last reviewed against current MOHRE, ICP and GDRFA guidance.
Quick Answer
For a mainland hire from abroad, the employer first obtains a MOHRE work permit. ICP, or GDRFA in Dubai, then issues an entry permit. After arrival the employee takes a medical fitness test and gives Emirates ID biometrics, and the residence visa is issued; since 2022 the Emirates ID has replaced the passport visa sticker as proof of residence. The labour contract is signed through MOHRE and the employee joins the company's WPS payroll.
Before the Employee Travels
The offer and work permit come first. The occupation on the permit should match the role you are actually hiring for, because it sets the MOHRE skill level.
Once the permit is approved, the entry permit is issued and sent to the employee. They travel on it, not on a tourist visa.
- 1Offer letter agreed with the candidate
- 2MOHRE work permit application
- 3Entry permit issued by ICP or GDRFA
- 4Employee travels on the entry permit
After Arrival
The residence steps happen inside the country. The medical fitness test comes first, then Emirates ID biometrics, then the residence visa itself.
Health insurance has to be in place for the visa. Book the medical early in the first week; it is the step that most often slips.
- 1Medical fitness test
- 2Health insurance confirmed
- 3Emirates ID biometrics
- 4Residence visa issued against the Emirates ID
The Part Most PRO Firms Skip
The visa does not finish the hire. The MOHRE labour contract has to be signed, the employee has to be added to WPS, and the first salary has to go through it on time.
The employee also has to subscribe to the ILOE unemployment insurance scheme. It is their obligation, but new arrivals rarely know it exists.
- MOHRE labour contract signed
- Employee added to the WPS salary file
- First salary paid through WPS
- Employee told about ILOE subscription
- Payroll records match the contract
Where Hires Get Delayed
Delays are almost always mismatches. A name spelled one way on the passport and another on the offer. A job title that does not fit the licence activity. A salary that does not meet the level.
Each one is cheap to fix before filing and slow to fix after.
- Name mismatch between passport and documents
- Occupation outside the licence activity
- Unattested certificate for a skilled role
- Medical booked late
- Expired establishment card
How Exiloz Runs It
We run the whole sequence, permit to payroll. You get one point of contact and a date for each step, including the ones that sit with the authorities.
- Permit, entry permit and residence steps
- Medical and biometrics booked
- Labour contract prepared
- WPS payroll set up for the first salary
Related Exiloz Services & Guides
What is the first step to hire someone from abroad?
The MOHRE work permit. The entry permit and residence visa follow from it.
Can the employee enter on a tourist visa and change status?
Changing status inside the country is possible in many cases, but the normal route for a hire from abroad is to travel on the employment entry permit.
Is there still a visa sticker in the passport?
No. Since 2022 the Emirates ID has served as proof of UAE residence in place of the passport sticker.
Who pays for the employee's visa?
The employer. UAE labour law does not allow recruitment and visa costs to be charged to the employee.
When does the employee go onto WPS?
From their first salary. Paying a mainland employee outside WPS puts the company in breach of MOHRE rules.
Does the employee need unemployment insurance?
Yes, under the ILOE scheme. It is the employee's own obligation, and the fine for not subscribing is AED 400.
The rest of what we do
Licence, visas, bank account, books and the first tax return — handled by the same team, so the structure has to survive its first year.
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VAT Registration
Threshold checks, grouping and registration handled against the FTA's current rules.
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VAT Return Filing
VAT201 prepared, reconciled and filed, with the position documented.
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Corporate Tax Registration
Every taxable person must register, including free zone companies applying 0%.
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Corporate Tax Filing
Returns, elections and the qualifying income analysis behind them.
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Accounting & Bookkeeping
Books kept audit-ready from month one, not reconstructed at year end.
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Audit Preparation
Schedules, reconciliations and the evidence your auditor will ask for.
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Payroll & WPS
Payroll, WPS files and end-of-service calculated correctly.
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Tax Residency Certificate
Day-count position verified and the FTA document pack assembled.
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Hiring Someone From Abroad?
Send us the role, the start date and the candidate's nationality. We will set out the sequence and the dates.
