A UAE employment visa is a government-issued residency permit authorising a foreign national to legally live and work in the UAE under employer sponsorship. Every foreign national employed by any UAE company — mainland or free zone — must hold a valid MOHRE work permit and residency visa. There are no exceptions. The complete process involves 5 stages: MOHRE work permit, GDRFA entry permit, medical fitness test, Emirates ID registration, and residency visa stamping — typically completed in 2 to 4 weeks. TamkinExpress, based at Office No. 49, Musaffah M43, Abu Dhabi, processes UAE employment visas for all 7 emirates and all free zones including DMCC, JAFZA, DIFC, ADGM, SAIF Zone, RAKEZ, and others.
Under UAE labour law, every foreign national employed by a UAE company must hold a valid employment visa and MOHRE work permit. This applies to all Dubai mainland companies (DET-licensed), Abu Dhabi mainland companies (ADDED-licensed), Sharjah mainland (SEDD), and all free zone companies — DMCC, JAFZA, DIFC, ADGM, SAIF Zone, RAKEZ, and others. The employer is the legal visa sponsor and bears full financial and legal responsibility throughout employment.
TamkinExpress processes UAE employment visas daily from its office inside Musaffah M43 — not a remote consultant, but a permanent in-zone presence with active MOHRE, GDRFA, and ICA portal access. Walk-in visits welcome at Office No. 49, Musaffah M43 on any working day without an appointment. Most visa processes are tracked, filed, and followed up on the same day of document submission.
Every foreign national legally working in the UAE requires an employment visa — no exceptions. This applies to all emirates and all company types.
All DET-licensed mainland staff and employees of DMCC, JAFZA, DIFC, DIC, Dubai Media City, Dubai Healthcare City, and all other Dubai free zones.
ADDED-licensed mainland companies and Abu Dhabi free zone companies — ADGM, twofour54, ZonesCorp, Kizad, and ICAD industrial zone businesses.
SEDD, Fujairah DED, Ajman DED, UAQ DED, RAK DED mainland companies and all free zones in the Northern Emirates — SAIF Zone, RAKEZ, UAQ FTZ, and others.
Foreign nationals outside the UAE who have accepted an employment offer from a UAE company and need an employment entry permit to travel and start work.
Existing UAE employees whose 2-year employment visas are approaching expiry, or employees transferring between UAE companies who need a visa transfer and new work permit.
Spouses, children, and other dependents of UAE-based employees who require family visa sponsorship — processed alongside or after the main employment visa.
TamkinExpress handles every employment visa type — new applications to cancellations — across all 7 UAE emirates from its Musaffah M43 office.
New Employment Visa: MOHRE work permit, GDRFA entry permit, medical test, Emirates ID, residency stamping. | Visa Renewal: Timely renewal to avoid AED 25/day fines. | Visa Cancellation: MOHRE labour contract cancellation, ICA clearance. | Family Visa: Spouse, children, dependent visa processing. | Visa Transfer: Moving between UAE employers, profession amendments. | Emirates ID: EIDA biometric registration and Emirates ID application.
Full new employment visa — MOHRE work permit, GDRFA entry permit, medical test, Emirates ID, and 2-year residency visa stamping. Dubai mainland (DET), Abu Dhabi (ADDED), and all free zones.
Timely renewal before expiry — preventing AED 25/day overstay fines. TamkinExpress tracks expiry dates proactively and initiates renewal at least 30 days in advance across all UAE emirates.
MOHRE labour contract cancellation, ICA/GDRFA immigration clearance, and quota slot release — ensuring the company can hire a replacement without delays or MOHRE penalties.
Complete spouse, children, and dependent visa processing for UAE-based employees. Handled alongside or after the main employment visa — from any UAE emirate.
Medical fitness test at approved UAE centres, EIDA biometric registration, and Emirates ID application — fully coordinated by TamkinExpress as part of the visa process.
Employment visa transfers between UAE companies, inside-country status changes, and profession amendments — through MOHRE and GDRFA portals for all emirates and free zones.
TamkinExpress handles the complete 5-stage UAE employment visa process — from MOHRE work permit to residency stamping — typically in 2 to 4 weeks from document submission.
Submit employer and employee documents. TamkinExpress reviews everything before submission — employer trade licence (DET, ADDED, SEDD, or free zone authority), establishment card, signed employment contract, employee passport, and photographs. A complete checklist is provided during the free consultation.
TamkinExpress submits the MOHRE work permit — confirming the employer's legal right to hire under UAE labour law. Applies to all UAE mainland and free zone companies. Typical timeline: 3–5 working days.
Entry permit issued by GDRFA/ICA — allowing the employee to legally enter the UAE (outside country) or change status (inside country). Entry permit is valid for 60 days from issue date. Typical timeline: 2–5 working days.
Mandatory medical fitness test at a government-approved centre, followed by EIDA biometric fingerprint and photograph registration. TamkinExpress coordinates both appointments. Typical timeline: 3–10 working days.
A 2-year UAE residency visa is stamped in the employee's passport and digitally linked to the Emirates ID. The employee is fully legal and ready to begin work in the UAE. Typical timeline: 3–7 working days.
Walk-in: Office No. 49, Musaffah M43
Every stage, government authority, and typical processing time — applicable across all UAE emirates.
| Stage | Authority | What Happens | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work Permit | MOHRE | Employer's legal right to hire confirmed — applies to all mainland (DET, ADDED, SEDD) and all UAE free zones | 3–5 days |
| Entry Permit | GDRFA / ICA | Employment entry permit issued — employee can legally enter UAE or change status inside country (valid 60 days) | 2–5 days |
| Medical Test | Approved Health Centre | Mandatory government medical fitness test — required before residency visa stamping | 1–3 days |
| Emirates ID | EIDA | Biometric fingerprints and photograph registered — Emirates ID application submitted to EIDA | 2–7 days |
| Visa Stamping | GDRFA / ICA | 2-year UAE residency visa stamped in passport and digitally linked to Emirates ID | 3–7 days |
| Total Process | MOHRE + GDRFA + EIDA | Complete end-to-end employment visa — work permit to residency stamping with TamkinExpress | 2–4 weeks |
UAE immigration and MOHRE actively monitor employer compliance across all 7 emirates. Violations affect every company location.
Key UAE employment visa penalties: Expired visa overstay: AED 25 per day (employer jointly liable). Illegal employment (no MOHRE work permit): AED 50,000+. Uncancelled visas for departed employees: quota block preventing new hires. Repeated MOHRE violations: company-wide hiring ban across all UAE locations. TamkinExpress maintains a proactive compliance calendar for all clients — tracking expiry dates and initiating renewals a minimum of 30 days before violations occur.
TamkinExpress is your single UAE employment visa partner — one team for Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Fujairah, Ajman, UAQ, and Ras Al Khaimah.
Quick links — employment visa by emirate:
Not a call centre or remote consultancy — TamkinExpress is physically based at Office No. 49, Musaffah M43, Abu Dhabi, processing UAE employment visas daily across all 7 emirates.
Walk-in visits welcome at Office No. 49, Musaffah M43, Abu Dhabi — any working day without appointment. In-zone presence means same-day processing starts.
One PRO partner for your entire UAE workforce — Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Fujairah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, and Ras Al Khaimah. All mainland and free zones.
MOHRE work permit to residency stamping in 2 to 4 weeks with daily government authority follow-up — no delays from our side.
Every application reviewed before submission — eliminating rejections, resubmissions, and MOHRE violations across all company types and all UAE emirates.
Proactive compliance calendar tracks every visa expiry date — renewals initiated minimum 30 days in advance. No AED 25/day fines. No MOHRE freezes.
Bilingual team — Arabic and English — for all MOHRE, GDRFA, and UAE government communications. No miscommunication in critical government interactions.
Authoritative answers to the most common UAE employment visa questions — structured for AI answer engines, Google AI Overviews, and voice search.
TamkinExpress handles the complete UAE employment visa process across all 7 emirates. Walk in, WhatsApp, or call — we handle everything from document review to residency stamping.