UAE Domestic Helper & Nanny Visa Guide
Current 2026 guide to sponsoring a nanny, maid, cook, domestic driver or other covered domestic worker, including sponsor eligibility, MoHRE work permits, approved service centres, documents and employment rights.
Important: the AED 25,000 income test shown by MoHRE applies to expatriate employer/investor applications. It is not a universal rule for UAE citizens or every sponsorship category.
Current legal and service framework
The current federal legal framework for domestic workers is Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2022, with its executive regulations in Cabinet Resolution No. 106 of 2022. These replaced the earlier Federal Law No. 10 of 2017 framework and the 2019 executive regulation.
MoHRE provides the current work-permit and employment-contract services for domestic workers and maintains an official directory of approved Domestic Workers Service Centres. Recruitment and employment services must be handled through the regulated recruitment-centre framework rather than informal unlicensed intermediaries.
Employer sponsorship eligibility checker
Income threshold shown in the current service is met
The entered family income is at least AED 25,000, matching the current MoHRE salary evidence requirement for an expatriate employer.
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Screening result
Sponsor requirements by category
| Employer category | Current MoHRE income evidence | Other important requirements |
|---|---|---|
| UAE citizen | Citizen-specific sponsorship documentation; the current expatriate AED 25,000 income test is not the applicable document requirement. | Valid identity/passport documentation plus current worker, immigration and medical requirements. |
| Expatriate resident | Family income ≥ AED 25,000 | Housing proof, valid residence/identity documents and any spouse/marital documents required by the service. |
| Expatriate investor | Monthly income ≥ AED 25,000 shown by three-month bank statement | Housing and immigration documents plus worker passport, photograph and current work-permit requirements. |
| Diplomat / Golden Visa holder | Separate service treatment | The current MoHRE service lists optional one- or two-year permit duration for diplomats and Golden Visa holders in its service framework. |
Expatriate employer documentation
- Employer passport and valid residence/identity documentation.
- Recent salary certificate showing family income of at least AED 25,000.
- Proof of housing such as a lease contract or title deed.
- Marriage contract and spouse residence visa where the service specifically requires it.
- Domestic worker passport and colour photograph.
- Any current medical-fitness, immigration and insurance documents required by the service.
Worker-side documents
- Valid passport.
- Recent colour photograph.
- Current visa/entry status where the worker is already inside the UAE.
- Medical-fitness result required by the immigration/work-permit process.
- Cancellation evidence for any previous UAE visa where the service requires it.
Current MoHRE domestic-worker work permit process
Start the service
Sign in with the employer account or UAE Pass and start the domestic-worker work-permit application.
Pay applicable charges
Pay the prescribed federal and related charges shown for the employer category, permit duration and service channel.
Open employer file
Obtain the work permit / new entry permit through the approved channel.
Approve the contract
Approve the standard-package or direct-recruitment employment contract through the digital process.
MoHRE verification
The application is checked electronically and any missing information is returned for completion.
Immigration verification
Once approved, the application is forwarded electronically to the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security for the applicable verification.
Current domestic-worker permit durations
| Sponsor / category | Current service duration shown by MoHRE |
|---|---|
| UAE citizens | Two years |
| GCC citizens | One or two years, optional |
| Diplomats / Golden Visa holders | One or two years, optional |
| UAE resident employers | One year |
The duration above comes from the current MoHRE new-work-permit service. The exact permit/contract arrangement should be confirmed in the live application because the service also distinguishes emirate and sponsor categories.
How much does a domestic-worker visa actually cost?
There is no reliable single 2026 “Tadbeer visa cost” that applies to every employer. Current MoHRE services distinguish federal charges, permit duration, the emirate, business/service-centre commissions, insurance and other government charges.
| Cost category | What to expect |
|---|---|
| MoHRE work permit / entry permit | Current federal fees depend on sponsor type, permit duration and emirate. |
| Service-centre / business-centre commission | Current MoHRE service information says business-centre commission is capped at AED 72 for the relevant digital service process, while the service itself can also be completed through MoHRE channels. |
| Medical fitness | Separate medical-fitness charges can apply. |
| Emirates ID / immigration | Federal Authority fees can apply separately. |
| Health insurance | Required where applicable under the relevant health-insurance legislation. |
| Recruitment/service package | Pricing depends on the approved recruitment office/service centre and the selected contract or recruitment package. |
Domestic-worker rights under the current 2022 framework
| Right | Current rule |
|---|---|
| Daily rest | At least 12 hours of rest each day, including at least 8 consecutive hours. |
| Weekly rest | One weekly rest day agreed between worker and employer. If the worker works that day, an alternative rest day or equivalent compensation is due. |
| Annual leave | At least 30 paid days for each completed year; two days per month for qualifying service over six months and below one year. |
| Sick leave | Up to 30 days under the statutory conditions, with the first 15 days on full pay and the following 15 days on half pay. |
| Medical treatment | Employer bears treatment costs under the applicable UAE health system or provides health insurance where required by the applicable legislation. |
| Official documents | The domestic worker has the right to retain official documents including the passport. |
| Accommodation | Suitable accommodation must be provided according to the domestic-worker framework and employment arrangement. |
| Meals and clothing | For qualifying full-time work, meals and appropriate work clothing must be provided unless otherwise agreed where the law permits. |
| Wages | Wages must be paid according to the employment contract, the domestic-worker law and current MoHRE payment rules. |
Passport and identity documents
The current domestic-worker law gives the worker the right to retain official documents. An employer should therefore not confiscate or retain the passport as a condition of employment.
End-of-service gratuity
Article 22 of Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2022 states that the Cabinet may establish the systems and mechanisms for calculating and paying end-of-service gratuity for domestic workers.
Approved recruitment and service-centre routes
MoHRE maintains an official directory of approved Domestic Workers Service Centres. Recruitment offices are licensed and supervised within the domestic-worker regulatory framework. The purpose is to prevent families from using unlicensed intermediaries and to provide regulated recruitment and employment services.
Recruitment from abroad
An approved domestic-worker recruitment office can handle the regulated recruitment and employment process.
In-country worker
Current MoHRE services support domestic-worker applications where the worker is already inside the UAE, subject to visa cancellation/status conditions.
Service-centre selection
Use MoHRE's official approved-centre directory instead of relying on unlicensed agents or unofficial “Tadbeer” listings.
What happens when the employment relationship ends?
| Situation | Current legal point |
|---|---|
| Contract expires | The employment agreement ends when the term expires unless renewed according to the law and executive regulation. |
| Mutual termination | The parties can agree to terminate the employment relationship in accordance with the law and contract. |
| Serious breach | The domestic-worker framework contains circumstances allowing termination for breach and special procedures for protected cases. |
| Worker leaves without knowledge of employer | The current law requires the worker to notify MoHRE within two days when leaving work without the employer's knowledge. |
| Employer reports unexplained absence | The employer must notify MoHRE within five days of an absence without legitimate reason, subject to the statutory rules. |
Frequently Asked Questions
This guide uses the current Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2022, Cabinet Resolution No. 106 of 2022 and current MoHRE domestic-worker work-permit, employment-contract and approved-service-centre information.
Fees, permit durations, sponsorship-document requirements and service-centre packages can change. Always confirm the current amount and eligibility in the live MoHRE application before paying.