Employment Visa -

Employment visa procedure in UAE If you intend to work or live in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, UAE you need to have proper visa. You must have proper job contract from local or foreign company to proceed with the employment visa. Your employer has to request the immigration department for work visa. Your employer should take care of all the paperwork and expenses throughout the procedure of residence visa. The procedure for entry permit and employment visa are as below: Employer should get an approval for the employee from Ministry of Labour or relevant alternative authorities. If the employee is to be employed in in any Free Zones before the employee enters UAE for employment purposes. The Ministry’s criteria for granting an employment permit include satisfying itself that there are no unemployed nationals who are able to perform the relevant job. Once an employer receives the labour approval, the immigration will issue Entry Permit Visa (otherwise called the pink visa) to an employee to get into UAE. After an employee enter into UAE on entry permit, the employer must apply for a labour card. ID card will be processed in case of employee is employed in DIFC or in a FREE ZONE . This should be done within 30 days of arrival or as early as possible. Labour cards and ID cards are normally valid for two years. Employee should then go to the Emirates ID service points after fill in the e-form at any typing center along with original valid passport and valid visa. Employer should make an application for a residence visa(employment visa) to the immigration authorities. Employee should go to a government hospital or medical clinic for a health check. The medical check is a blood test and chest X-ray for HIV(AIDS), Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Tuberculosis (TB), Leprosy, and Syphilis. If results come back positive for any of those conditions, the person is deported with immediate effect. Therefore employee should pass the visa medical examination from the authorized Medical Fitness Services Center before stamping the visa. Employer or the PRO of the company should go back to the DNRD with all the necessary supporting documents to stamp the visa on employees passport. All these requirements should be satisfied within 60 days of the employee's entry into UAE on the entry permit visa. But it is advisable to meet the requirement as early as possible. Note: While applying the residence visa for particular professions you need to show your credentials like educational qualifications. Your credentials need to be authenticated both by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and by the embassy or consulate of the UAE in your home country. If you are thinking to bring your family with you, it is possible and there are options for sponsoring dependants. Please remember that you can only do so if you produce a rental contract with your own name on it. Your applications will also be taken into account if your rental contract is from a different emirate. Your prospective employer should be able to explain all available options to you or else you can visit.