Visas and residence
Domestic worker visa: sponsoring household staff in the UAE
A domestic worker visa lets a family in the UAE employ and sponsor household staff such as a housemaid, nanny, cook or private driver. The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation issues the work permit and the standard contract, and the residence visa follows. Caliph checks that you qualify as a sponsor and prepares the file.
At a glance Fact sheet
- Governing law
- Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2022 concerning domestic workers, as amended
- Work permit and contract
- Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE)
- Who can sponsor
- UAE citizens, and residents who meet MOHRE's income, housing and residence conditions
- Jobs covered
- 19 occupations, including housemaid, nanny, cook, gardener and family driver
- Recruitment
- Through an agency licensed by MOHRE, or by sponsoring a worker you chose yourself
- Worker's age
- At least 18
Overview
Household staff in the UAE are covered by their own law, separate from the labour law that applies to companies. It names the jobs that count as domestic work, from housemaids, nannies and cooks to gardeners, private tutors, home nurses and family drivers, and it sets out what the employer and the worker owe each other.
The family is the employer and the sponsor. MOHRE issues the worker's permit and the contract on its approved template, and the residence visa and Emirates ID follow. A resident employer has to show a valid residence, a minimum family income set by MOHRE and proof of housing. A married sponsor also provides the marriage contract and the spouse's residence.
You can recruit through a MOHRE-licensed agency or sponsor a worker you have found yourself. Either way there are more steps than most families expect: permit, entry, medical test, insurance, Emirates ID, contract and residence. Caliph prepares the file, books the appointments and keeps the renewal date on your calendar.
Why families ask Caliph to handle it
Eligibility checked before you commit
We compare your residence, income proof and tenancy with MOHRE's sponsor conditions before you agree anything with a worker or an agency.
Licensed channels only
MOHRE publishes its approved domestic workers services centres and acts against unlicensed offices. We work only through approved channels.
Contract on the approved template
The contract states the job, the wage, the rest periods and the leave in the form MOHRE requires, and the worker receives a copy.
Medical and Emirates ID arranged
Domestic workers take extra screening tests. We book the medical and the biometrics and tell you what the worker must bring.
Renewal and cancellation handled too
MOHRE issues permits to resident employers for one year, so renewal comes round quickly. We track the date, and we manage the cancellation properly if the worker leaves.
What the sponsor and the worker provide
- The sponsor's passport copy, Emirates ID and valid residence
- A recent salary certificate or bank statements that show the family income
- The tenancy contract or title deed for your home
- The marriage contract and your spouse's residence, if you are married
- The worker's passport copy and a colour photo
- The worker's current visa, or the cancellation of the previous one, if the worker is already in the UAE
- An insurance policy that covers the worker
MOHRE asks for a written explanation when a household employs more than five domestic workers. Your consultant confirms the full list for your case.
How sponsoring a domestic worker works
Confirm that you qualify
Your consultant checks the sponsor conditions against your documents and the job you want to fill.
Choose how to recruit
Use a MOHRE-licensed agency, or sponsor a worker you have selected yourself. We explain what each route involves.
Apply for the work permit
The application is filed with MOHRE through its approved channels. In Dubai, the bundled domestic worker service in the DubaiNow app can be used.
The worker enters or changes status
A worker abroad travels on the entry permit. A worker already in the UAE moves across once the previous visa is cancelled.
Medical test and Emirates ID
The worker attends the medical fitness test and gives fingerprints in person.
Sign the contract
You and the worker sign MOHRE's standard employment contract.
Residence issued
The residence visa and Emirates ID are issued, and we record the expiry dates.
Good to know
- The worker keeps their own passport and identity documents. The law gives them that right.
- Wages for certain domestic occupations are paid through the Wages Protection System, so each payment is on record.
- The medical for domestic workers adds tests for hepatitis B and syphilis, and a pregnancy test for female workers.
- If the agency does not keep to the recruitment contract, you may refuse the worker and ask for a replacement or a refund.
Questions people ask
Who can sponsor a domestic worker in the UAE?
UAE citizens can, and so can residents and investors with a valid residence permit who meet MOHRE's conditions. For expatriates these include a minimum family income, shown by a salary certificate or bank statements, and proof of housing. A married sponsor adds the marriage contract and the spouse's residence. Your Caliph consultant confirms what applies to you.
Do I have to use an agency to hire a domestic worker?
No. You can recruit through an agency licensed by MOHRE, or apply for the work permit for a worker you have chosen, whether that person is inside or outside the country. What you may not do is sponsor a worker through an unlicensed third party. MOHRE lists its approved domestic workers services centres on its website.
Which jobs count as domestic work?
The law lists 19 occupations. They include housemaid, housekeeper, cook, nanny, gardener, guard, family driver, private tutor, home nurse, personal assistant and farm worker, among others. The worker may only do the job named in the contract, and a change of occupation needs the worker's consent.
What medical tests does a domestic worker take?
Like every residence applicant, the worker is screened for HIV and tuberculosis. Domestic workers, including housemaids, nannies and drivers, are also tested for syphilis and hepatitis B, and female domestic workers take a pregnancy test. The health ministry requires hepatitis B vaccination for nannies, housekeepers and similar roles. The worker attends in person.
How long is a domestic worker's permit valid?
MOHRE currently issues the work permit for one year when the employer is a resident and for two years when the employer is a UAE citizen. Golden Visa holders can choose either. The residence visa and Emirates ID are renewed with it, and the worker takes the medical test again.
What happens if my domestic worker leaves or I end the contract?
The work permit and the residence have to be cancelled. For domestic workers this goes through MOHRE or the domestic worker bundle, not the usual immigration service. You settle the wages that are due and pay for the worker's return home. If there is a dispute, either side can file a complaint with MOHRE, which first tries to settle it amicably.
- UAE Government portal: domestic workers
- Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation: new work permit for domestic workers
- UAE Government portal: health conditions for the residence visa
Reviewed by Caliph Business Solutions on . Rules differ by activity and by authority. Your Caliph consultant confirms what applies to you.
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