A whopping 88.5% of the UAE are immigrants and expatriates. .
The UAE is a never-ending sea of opportunities for professionals with various industry segments the expats can work in. There are even entrepreneurs and expatriates wanting to start a new business due to the ‘free-zones’ that the Emirates – of which one is Dubai – offers. To top it off, Dubai offers accommodations that are new and furnished; and can be rented out on short-term leases. They have a good public transportation system and health care system, and a great night-life for the youngsters. Dubai, ‘the city of Gold’ is a mine land of opportunities for people to find work there, especially South Asians. Statistics show –
59.5% of UAE’s population constitutes of people from South Asian Countries – India being one of them
While all the above-mentioned factors are lucrative for Indians to want to move to Dubai, the government regulations may be a bit difficult to understand. Also, getting the official paperwork done, obtaining a Dubai Work Visa and resident visa, setting up utilities, opening bank accounts, etc. are the factors that need to be addressed properly.
To work in Dubai, you require a work permit and work visa. If you wish to take your family with you, you’ll have to sponsor family resident visas. This is possible only if you have a Work Visa in the first place. And to obtain a Dubai Work Visa you need two most important things – a reliable job/employer in UAE and a reliable Visa consultant service provider.
A reliable Dubai Work Visa Consultant in Delhi will be able to help you throughout the complete process of determining your eligibility of Visa application, helping you through the job-seeking process, applying for the visa, submitting all the documents and requirements, tracking real-time visa status, acceptance & arrival of visa, etc. But, how exactly will this whole process come about? Let’s understand in detail. However, first things come first.
Who Needs A Dubai Work Visa?
You’ll have to apply for a Dubai Work Visa if –
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You are in India, and have been hired by an employer in Dubai
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You are in Dubai on a visit/tourist visa and are offered an employment opportunity
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You work in Dubai, but wish to switch your employment from one company to another
What Is The Dubai Work Visa Process?
First and foremost let’s understand the complete process that you need to go through in the form of the following steps.
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Finding a job in Dubai: Your first step should be finding a job in Dubai. There are various approaches to land your dream Dubai job. First would be the various job portals out there, where you can find any job openings. However, applying through them is not a complete guarantee and you may simply find yourselves simply waiting with no luck. Another approach would be through PEO. There are various experienced global PEO’s that source human resources, providing employers for their clients. You can seek your job through such a PEO. For getting your work visa, there is a need for application from your employer. A PEO can make this complete process easy for you. Another option is to search for industries and vacancies within them for which you are eligible. Make a list of all this, keep all your documents handy, prepare a knockout CV; and then submit online applications. Or if you have someone working in a company in Dubai, you can ask them to personally refer to you and submit your application. This will increase your chances of landing the job. Of course, you can also get a Dubai Visit Visa and personally submit your CV and documentation. In the selection process, there is a small chance that you may be asked to personally visit for the interview. In that situation again, you’ll need to get a Dubai Visit Visa. Once you land your job, your process for your Dubai Work permit will begin. Your employer will then apply to the Ministry of Labor for approval to hire a foreign employee.
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Get an entry permit visa or work permit & go to Dubai: Your next step will be to get an entry permit visa. You can apply for an entry permit visa for an initial period of 30 or 60 days that will let you enter Dubai. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) have set up centers outside of the UAE that facilitates the process of applying for Dubai Visa. Here, Visa consultants can help you through this process of application and issuance. You can opt for a Dubai Work Visa Consultant in Delhi or any place that is near to you. Some even enable online applications, so that you can apply right from where you are. This entry permit visa will let you visit Dubai and you can begin with your work.
In another instance, your employer will submit all the initial paper-work (that you’ll have to submit to your employer) and fees associated with your work visa to the MoHRE, and the process of your Dubai Work Visa will begin. This process may take about three weeks and you’ll receive 2 months work permit to allow you entry into Dubai.
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Get your work visa & start working: When you move to Dubai with your entry permit visa, do note that you cannot take your family there. Once you enter Dubai with your permit, you have 30/60 days to obtain your residence visa. For a residence visa, first, you should apply for a work permit/labor card. You’ll have to visit an Emirates ID service center with your passport and entry visa to obtain an ID. Then you’ll have to visit a government hospital and get a complete medical examination done. The next step will be visiting the immigration authority to apply for a residence visa. You’ll need to take all the required documents to DNRD i.e. Department of Naturalization and Residency Dubai, to get your residence visa stamped on your passport. And there you go, you have your residence and work visa in hand, and you can start with your work.
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Get your family to UAE (Optional): IF you wish to bring your spouse, children, &/or parents also to Dubai, you cannot do so until you obtain your residence visa. Once you have it in hand, you can apply for visas on behalf of your family. For this, you’ll require the standard visa documents and documentation that proves your relationship with them including a marriage certificate, birth certificate, etc.
What Are The Requirements For Dubai Work Visa?
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Multiple Passport size Photographs against white
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A Valid Passport for a minimum of 6 months
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Copies of education certificates that are required for the job with attestation by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs & the Consulate in your country
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Copies of the employment contract and a valid trade license of your employer
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Medical fitness tests at government-approved health centers within Dubai including blood tests, chest x-ray, etc. to obtain a health certificate. The tests will be for checking diseases and conditions including Hepatitis A/B/C, HIV, tuberculosis, Leprosy, pregnancy tests, etc.
Dubai Work Visa Tips:
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To land a job in Dubai, you need to be a minimum of 18 years old, with no maximum age limit.
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Referrals are a good way to get your Dubai Job. Find someone you know working in Dubai to find a vacancy for you in their company and ask them to refer you personally.
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In Dubai, based on your academic qualifications and skill sets, there are three categories – those having a bachelor’s degree, those having a post-secondary diploma, and those having a high school diploma. Accordingly find jobs and apply. Your work permit fees will vary according to the category to which you belong.
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Make sure the company employing you holds a valid license and has had no violations in its name and your work corresponds with the nature of the company.
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If for some reason, your visa is rejected, take the help of visa consultants and solution providers and appeal for reconsideration of your visa.
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Your work permit from the submission of all the required documents will take a minimum of 5 days to a maximum of 3 weeks so if you are initially going to Dubai with an entry permit visa, or a 30days work permit, it should be enough till you get your residence and work visa. If not, you can always get your work permit to be extended for another 30 days.
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Always keep your Residence, Labour Card, and Emirates ID on you as proof that allows you to legally live and work in Dubai.
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Your residence and work visa are issued for around 1-3 years. They can be easily renewed by your employer/sponsor 30 days before the date of expiry.
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For renewal, your sponsor will apply at the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA), similar to the procedure of obtaining your first work visa.
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And lastly, remember that your employer should cancel your residency visa if you are leaving Dubai. Because, if you return to Dubai in the future without having canceled your first visa, you can be arrested.
Now that you are equipped with the knowledge to get your Dubai Work Visa, hurry up & grab your dream Dubai Job!
