Tadbeer Domestic Worker Centres

Source-country bans are periodic. Wait for lift, or select a different nationality. Tadbeer centre will hold the package fee or refund per their terms.

Most packages include 1-2 replacements within 2-year window. Open replacement claim at Tadbeer with reason.

Sponsor agrees or refuses. With consent, Tadbeer facilitates transfer for a fee. Without consent, worker must establish breach ground at MOHRE.

File absconding report at Tadbeer immediately. Triggers MOHRE/police record. Package fee is forfeit; no further sponsor obligations.

MOHRE mediates. The Tadbeer contract is the legal record; review the renewal/termination clauses.

Part-time and full-time permits are separate. Cancel part-time first, then file full-time via Tadbeer.

Typically two to four weeks from sponsor's document submission to the worker's arrival in the UAE, assuming all paperwork is in order and the worker's country processing is on schedule. Filipino workers may take longer because of the additional POLO verification.

Income thresholds vary by emirate and household composition, but generally the sponsoring family must show a monthly income of AED 6,000-25,000 depending on the emirate and the number of dependents already on the file. Confirm with the specific Tadbeer centre as they apply the relevant emirate's rules.

Yes. Tadbeer covers the full domestic worker category under Federal Law No. 9 of 2022, which includes maids, nannies, cooks, drivers, gardeners, security guards (for households), and personal carers. Each has its own MOHRE job code.

One paid rest day per week, paid annual leave (typically 30 days), end-of-service gratuity, medical insurance paid by the employer, accommodation and food in line with UAE standards, retained passport, and a written MOHRE-registered contract. Salary must be paid monthly, on time, into a bank account.

Tadbeer typically offers a trial period (commonly 3 months) during which the worker can be replaced. After the trial period, ending the contract requires either a mutual agreement, a transfer to another sponsor with NOC, or a final settlement that includes the gratuity. Discuss the trial-period terms before signing.

No. Federal Law No. 9 of 2022 explicitly prohibits any sponsor from confiscating a worker's passport. The worker keeps the passport; the sponsor can offer a safe in the home but cannot hold the document. Breaches can be reported to MOHRE.

The visa is renewed at any Tadbeer centre 60-30 days before expiry. Documents required are the sponsor's Emirates ID and passport, the worker's passport and current Emirates ID, a valid medical fitness certificate, and the renewed health insurance policy. The fee schedule depends on the emirate and worker category.

Direct hire (the older 'sponsor-hire-directly' model) is being phased out; Tadbeer is now the primary authorised channel. Under Tadbeer the centre is the legal employer of the domestic worker on paper, the sponsor pays a package fee, and the worker is placed with the sponsor's household under a defined contract. The sponsor pays the package (AED 15,000-30,000+ for two years) up-front or in installments. Advantages: training is included, insurance is bundled, return ticket and disputes are handled by the centre, replacement is available if the worker is unsuitable. Disadvantages: higher up-front cost than older direct-hire model, less flexibility on contract terms. For most UAE families in 2026 Tadbeer is the only realistic legal path; direct hires from source countries are largely closed.

If the worker leaves without notice (absconds), the Tadbeer centre files an absconding report which triggers a MOHRE/police record. The sponsor is not liable for further obligations but loses the package fee paid. If the worker requests a transfer (to another household), the existing sponsor must agree to release; the Tadbeer centre facilitates the transfer for a fee. Worker-initiated transfers without sponsor consent are possible if the sponsor breached the contract (unpaid salary, abuse), but require evidence and MOHRE mediation. For the sponsor, the Tadbeer package usually includes one or two replacements within the two-year window if the original worker is unsuitable - confirm this clause before paying. Disputes at end of contract (worker wants to stay, sponsor wants to terminate) go through MOHRE.

The 2-year package is the long-standing default and typically prices at AED 15,000-30,000 inclusive of recruitment, visa, medical, Emirates ID, training, insurance, and one return ticket. The 1-year package (where offered) usually prices at 60-70% of the 2-year fee, so per-year cost is materially higher; it suits sponsors uncertain about long-term household needs or those wanting to test fit before committing. The 3-year multi-year contract (piloted 2024, widely available 2026) drops the per-year cost further but locks the sponsor in - mid-term shortening is not supported and early termination forfeits the unused portion. Practical pattern: take the 2-year package for first-time hires (most replacements happen in months 3-9); upgrade to 3-year for proven workers at renewal. Confirm replacement clauses in the contract before paying any deposit; well-structured packages include 1-2 replacements within the contract window at no extra fee.

Income thresholds for sponsoring a domestic worker vary by emirate, by worker category, and by household composition. Dubai and Abu Dhabi typically require AED 25,000 monthly income for sponsoring a domestic worker outside the family file, where the worker is sponsored as a household employee (live-in or live-out) rather than under a spouse-sponsored or company-sponsored arrangement. Lower thresholds (AED 6,000-15,000) apply when the sponsor is already supporting a family on a residence visa and the domestic worker is being added to the family file. The threshold checks against the sponsor's recent salary certificates and bank statements; freelancer income is harder to verify and may require longer documentation. The Sharjah, Ajman, RAK, Fujairah, and UAQ thresholds are typically lower (AED 6,000-10,000) but still require attested salary proof. Confirm the specific emirate's threshold at the Tadbeer centre before paying any deposit.

No. Filipino workers are subject to Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) protocols, which include a host of pre-deployment requirements (worker orientation, contract verification at POLO Dubai, minimum salary floor of approximately USD 400/month, mandatory medical and insurance) and which are periodically paused by the Philippine government during diplomatic disputes or worker-protection concerns. When POLO pauses new deployments, no Tadbeer centre can bring in a new Filipino worker until the pause lifts - typically 2-12 weeks. Sponsors who paid a deposit during a pause either wait it out, switch to a different nationality (Indonesian, Sri Lankan, Ethiopian, Kenyan, Indian, Nepali), or receive a refund per the centre's terms. Filipino workers also command the highest recruitment fees (AED 8,000-12,000 in the recruitment portion alone) precisely because of POLO compliance overhead. Check current Filipino deployment status at the Tadbeer centre before paying; Indonesian workers are often the next-tier choice when Filipinos are unavailable.

Yes, since the WPS-DW (Wage Protection System for Domestic Workers) rule extended the WPS framework to domestic worker salary payments. The sponsor must pay the worker's monthly salary into a bank account in the worker's name (not in cash, not into a sponsor's account 'on behalf of' the worker), with the transfer registered through a participating bank or exchange house, and the WPS record visible to MOHRE. Unpaid or delayed salaries surface as WPS violations and can trigger an MOHRE complaint that voids the worker's contract obligations. The worker keeps a personal bank account or a dedicated wage-card linked to the Emirates ID, opened during the Tadbeer onboarding process. For sponsors used to paying maids in cash, this is the largest operational change of the 2026 framework; budget for the bank-transfer fee (typically AED 5-10 per month) and confirm the worker's account is active before each payroll cycle.

Early termination costs vary by the reason. If the worker leaves voluntarily (resigns or absconds), the sponsor forfeits the unused portion of the package but is not charged a termination fee. If the sponsor terminates without cause before the contract end, the sponsor pays the worker's end-of-service gratuity (proportional to months served) plus the worker's return ticket, plus any unpaid statutory leave; Tadbeer typically charges an administrative fee of AED 500-1,500 for processing the cancellation. If the sponsor terminates for documented cause (theft, serious misconduct, repeated breach), the gratuity may be reduced but the return ticket and visa cancellation costs remain. The Tadbeer contract spells out the specific termination clauses; review before signing. Some packages include 1-2 replacements during the contract window, which is the cheaper option than full termination if the issue is worker-fit rather than need. Disputes at termination go through MOHRE; the Tadbeer contract is the legal reference document.