What is Tadbeer?
Tadbeer (Arabic for 'management' or 'arrangement') centres are official, MOHRE-supervised service centres in the UAE that manage the full lifecycle of domestic worker employment, including recruitment, sponsorship, work permits, residence visas, employment contracts, and cancellations. They cover household staff categories such as maids, nannies, cooks, family drivers, and similar roles.
Tadbeer was introduced to formalise and regulate a sector that was previously handled by a fragmented network of private recruitment agencies with inconsistent standards. Under the Tadbeer model, centres operate under MOHRE oversight and are bound by standardised procedures designed to protect both the hiring family and the domestic worker.
What Tadbeer handles
- Recruitment of domestic workers from source countries or from within the UAE
- Work permit applications under MOHRE for domestic worker categories
- Entry permit and residence visa processing in coordination with ICP or GDRFA
- Medical fitness test coordination at approved medical centres
- Employment contract preparation, execution, and registration
- Flexible sponsorship packages where the Tadbeer centre, rather than the individual family, acts as the formal sponsor
- Visa cancellation when a domestic worker's contract ends
- Transfer to a new family sponsor when a worker moves to a different household
- Replacement requests in cases of absconding or medical issues
How to hire a domestic worker through Tadbeer
- Visit a Tadbeer centre and describe your requirements: the type of worker needed (maid, nanny, driver, cook, etc.), preferred nationality, contract duration, and live-in or live-out arrangement.
- Review available worker profiles. Centres maintain rosters of workers already in the UAE as well as the option to recruit from source countries for certain nationalities. Availability and timelines vary by centre and nationality.
- Select a package. Tadbeer centres offer different sponsorship models. In one model the family holds the sponsorship directly; in another the centre retains sponsorship under a flexible arrangement. Request a full written, itemised cost breakdown before agreeing to any package.
- Complete the paperwork: employment contract, work-permit application, and immigration documents. The centre manages coordination with MOHRE and the relevant immigration authority.
- The worker completes a medical fitness test at an approved centre. A clean medical result is required before the visa can be issued.
- Once all approvals are in place, the residence visa is issued and the worker can legally begin employment in your household.
What expats use Tadbeer for
Families in the UAE most commonly use Tadbeer to hire live-in maids or nannies. The centres simplify a process that otherwise requires navigating multiple authorities: MOHRE for the work permit, ICP or GDRFA for the visa, and approved medical centres for the health check.
Tadbeer also handles cancellations when a domestic worker's contract ends and the worker departs, transfers when a worker moves to a new household, and replacement requests when a worker absconds or is found medically unfit for continued employment.
Costs at Tadbeer centres vary significantly by worker nationality, package type, and whether recruitment is from inside the UAE or from a source country. Fees are not fixed nationally and change over time. Always request a written, itemised quote from the specific centre you use before committing. Confirm current available nationalities, package options, and eligibility rules directly with the centre or through the MOHRE portal.