How Much Does a UAE Work Visa Cost, and Who Is Supposed to Pay for It?

Key facts

The specifics, before the explanation.

• Total employment visa cost commonly cited in the AED 3,000-8,000+ range for a 2-year visa, covering permit, visa, Emirates ID, and medical test
• Article 6 of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 makes recruitment and visa costs the employer's legal responsibility, not the employee's
• Fines for illegally charging or deducting visa costs from an employee are commonly cited from AED 100,000 up to AED 1 million per violation (after August 2024 amendments)
• Work permit issuance fees vary by employer MOHRE compliance category, commonly cited as AED 250, 1,200, or 3,450 for a 2-year permit
• Any company asking you to personally pay for your own visa should be reported to MOHRE

What this actually means

This is one of the clearest black-and-white rules in UAE labour law, and also one of the most commonly violated in practice, particularly with smaller or less established employers. The law does not leave room for negotiation on this point: recruitment and visa costs sit with the employer, full stop, and deducting them from your salary or final settlement is explicitly illegal.

Where candidates get caught out is subtler than a direct demand for payment. Some employers frame it as a "refundable deposit," a "processing fee," or bundle it into a reduced starting salary that quietly recoups the cost over your first few months. All of these are effectively the same violation dressed differently.

If you are asked to pay, or notice your salary is unexpectedly short in your early months without a clear explanation, that is worth raising directly with MOHRE. Reporting is free, and this specific violation carries serious fines for the employer, so most legitimate companies simply do not risk it.

What to actually do

Rules and figures move. Confirm anything time-sensitive with the official regulator before you rely on it.

• Never agree to pay your own visa costs upfront, even as a "refundable deposit". Ask for the arrangement in writing if it is proposed, then raise it with MOHRE
• Compare your signed offer's stated salary against your first few payslips carefully. Cost-recovery sometimes shows up as an unexplained shortfall rather than a direct request
• Ask the recruiter directly, before signing, "who pays for my visa and Emirates ID" as a standard due-diligence question
• Keep copies of your offer letter and labour contract; they are your evidence if a dispute arises later
• MOHRE's complaint line and portal exist specifically for wage and cost-recovery violations. Use them rather than quietly accepting an illegal deduction

Frequently asked questions

Does this rule apply to free zone employers too?

The general principle that employers bear recruitment costs applies broadly across the UAE, though free zones can have their own specific visa issuance processes and fee structures worth confirming directly.

Can an employer charge me for visa renewal costs later in my employment?

The same employer-pays principle generally applies to renewals as it does to the initial visa, since it flows from the same labour law article treating these as recruitment/employment costs.

What if I already paid and want it back?

Raise a formal complaint with MOHRE promptly with your documentation (payslips, offer letter, any payment proof); this is exactly the kind of violation their complaint process exists to address.