Moving to Dubai for a job: the first 90 days, in order
Entry permit, medical, Emirates ID, bank account, lease, licence. What has to happen before what, and where people lose a week.
The offer is signed and the flight is booked. What nobody hands you when you are moving to Dubai for a job is the order of everything that happens next: which step unlocks which, what you can do in the first week, and what has to wait for a card that takes a few days to arrive. Get the order right and the first three months are busy but calm. Get it wrong and you lose a week at a counter because one document was not ready yet.
Before you fly
Your employer does most of the work before you travel, but a few things need you.
- Sign the MOHRE job offer. The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation has an official offer form, signed by you and the employer, and it goes with the work permit application. Read it: the salary and job title on it should match what you agreed.
- Wait for the entry permit. Your employer applies for your work permit and then your employment entry permit. The entry permit needs health insurance in place, and it gives you 60 days from the date it is issued to enter the country.
- Bring your documents. Your passport, passport photos, and originals of anything your employer has asked for, such as degree certificates.
- Check who pays for what. Under the Labour Law your employer cannot charge you for the cost of recruiting you, and it pays for your health insurance. In Dubai it may not deduct the cost from your salary.
Your first weeks, in order
Once you land on an employment entry permit, the clock starts. You have up to 60 days to complete residency, and after that the ICP charges a fine of AED 50 for every extra day.
from the day you land to complete the medical, the Emirates ID and your residence. After that, ICP charges a fine for every extra day.
- Within 60 days: The medical fitness test A blood test and a chest X-ray at an approved centre. In Dubai that means a Dubai Health medical fitness centre, and your residence cannot be issued without the result.
- Within 60 days: Emirates ID biometrics Fingerprints and a photograph, taken in person.
- Within 60 days: Residence Your residence is issued electronically and linked to your Emirates ID. There is no longer a visa sticker in your passport: the ICP stopped issuing them in 2022, and your Emirates ID is now the proof of residence.
- Within 60 days: Your labour contract Your employer registers your contract with MOHRE within 60 days of your entry. Check it matches the offer you signed.
- Within 4 months: Unemployment insurance New employees must join the scheme within four months of getting a work permit, or pay a fine of AED 400. This one is yours to do, not your employer's, and it is the step people most often forget.
Your employer may use the Work Bundle, which combines the permit, visa and Emirates ID steps into one application. It needs only two visits from you in person: the medical and the biometrics.
Money: bank account and salary
There is no government list of what a bank needs; each bank sets its own. Most will ask for your passport and your Emirates ID, a salary certificate, a payslip or your employment contract, and a UAE mobile number, which is why a SIM card is worth sorting out on your first day.
Your salary is paid through the Wage Protection System, MOHRE's electronic system for paying wages through approved banks and exchange houses. Since 1 June 2026, the previous month's salary is due by the 1st of each month.
And there is no personal income tax on a salary in the UAE, so none is deducted from your pay.
Finding a home: Ejari and DEWA
Many people start in a short-term let and sign a lease once they know the city. When you do, the tenancy contract has to be registered in Ejari, the Dubai Land Department system for tenancy contracts. The tenant, the landlord or a property manager can register it, but make sure somebody does: you will need the Ejari for your utilities and for sponsoring family.
Once the Ejari is registered, DEWA can connect electricity and water. Expect a security deposit, currently AED 2,000 for a flat and AED 4,000 for a villa, plus a small activation fee.
Getting around: your driving licence
Whether you can simply exchange your licence depends on where it was issued. The RTA lists around 60 countries and territories whose licences can be exchanged for a UAE one, including the UK, the USA, Canada, Australia, most of the EU, the GCC, China, Japan, South Korea, South Africa and Turkey. Many are open only to nationals of the country that issued the licence, and some need a legal translation, so check the conditions next to yours. If your country is not on the list, you will need driving lessons and a test.
Either way, a foreign licence is for visitors. Once you are a resident, you need a UAE licence to drive.
Bringing your family
To sponsor your family you need a monthly salary of at least AED 4,000, or AED 3,000 plus accommodation provided by your employer, according to GDRFA. You can sponsor your spouse, sons under 25, unmarried daughters, and children of any age with special needs. You will need suitable housing (this is where the Ejari comes in), proof of the relationship, and health insurance for each of them. In Dubai, insuring your dependants is your responsibility as their sponsor, not your employer's, although some employers choose to cover them.
Moving to Dubai for a job: the first 90 days on one page
| When | What | Who does it |
|---|---|---|
| Before you fly | MOHRE job offer, work permit, entry permit | You sign; your employer applies |
| Within 60 days of arrival | Medical, Emirates ID, residence | Your employer, with you there in person |
| Within 60 days of arrival | Labour contract registered with MOHRE | Your employer |
| First weeks | SIM card, bank account | You |
| Within four months of the work permit | Unemployment insurance | You |
| When you sign a lease | Ejari, then DEWA | You, the landlord or the agent |
| Once you are a resident | UAE driving licence | You |
Questions people ask
How long does the whole visa process take?
MOHRE's published service times are short: two working days for a work permit, and the Work Bundle quotes five working days in total. In practice, allow for appointments, public holidays and waiting for results, and plan on the first few weeks rather than the first few days.
Can I bring my family straight away?
Not as their sponsor until your own residence is issued. Once it is, you need the salary, the housing and the health insurance described above. Many people move first and bring their family once the lease is signed.
Do I still get a visa stamp in my passport?
No. Residence is now recorded electronically and linked to your Emirates ID, which is your proof of residence.
Can my employer keep my passport?
No. Article 13 of the Labour Law says an employer may not keep a worker's official documents. You may need to hand it over briefly for a visa step, but it should come back to you.
How long is probation?
Up to six months, and only once with the same employer. During probation your employer must give you at least 14 days' written notice to end your contract.
Still looking for the role that brings you here? See the jobs on our board, or set up a job alert and we will send you new roles as they open. And if your current employer asks you to stay when you resign, read our guide to counter-offers first.
