Al Wahda Mall Tadbeer Centre

MOHRE has authorised a number of Tadbeer operators to run counters inside major UAE shopping malls to bring the service closer to residential traffic. Al Wahda Mall is central Abu Dhabi's most-visited mall, attracting Emirati families, government employees and longer-resident expatriates who can handle the Tadbeer paperwork alongside everyday shopping. The mall location is particularly convenient for routine renewals, cancellations and consultations; first-time file openings and complex disputes may still involve a follow-up trip to the centre's off-site accommodation block in Mussafah where newly arrived workers stay during medicals and Emirates ID enrolment.

Federal MOHRE thresholds apply across Abu Dhabi: AED 15,000 monthly for a single domestic worker, or AED 10,000 with accommodation provided; AED 25,000 for two or more. Income is evidenced by a salary certificate, labour contract or audited financials for self-employed sponsors. UAE nationals may qualify under separate Family Cohesion Programme rules in Abu Dhabi which can be lower; the branch confirms eligibility at the consultation. Joint sponsorship between spouses is not permitted - the file is opened in one name only.

The branch handles candidates from the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Nepal, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Bangladesh, India and Madagascar. Source-country minimums apply: Filipino workers must receive at least USD 400, Ethiopians around USD 250, Ugandans around USD 200. Indonesia resumed UAE deployment in 2023 under the SIAPkerja framework. Video interviews from source countries are arranged before the sponsor confirms a shortlist of three to five profiles. Police clearance from the source country is mandatory for first-time entry.

The two-year package is the default and substantially cheaper per month. The one-year package (AED 12,500-15,500) carries the same fixed government costs - entry permit, Emirates ID, medical, insurance - compressed into half the contract length, so the effective monthly cost is roughly 60-70 per cent higher. Extension at the end of a one-year contract is charged at the full one-year package rate, not pro-rata; the counter does not offer a discounted extension. Choose one-year only when household circumstances are genuinely temporary - a known overseas posting or a fixed-term family visit. For any longer horizon two-year is materially cheaper.

Full-time live-in transfers the worker to the sponsor's MOHRE file - AED 11,500-23,000 upfront depending on nationality plus AED 1,200-2,500 monthly salary through WPS-DW; the worker sleeps in the household and is the sponsor's direct employee. Part-time keeps the worker under Al Maha's Tadbeer sponsorship and the sponsor pays an hourly rate (AED 35-50, four-hour minimum) or a monthly retainer (typically AED 3,000-4,500). Part-time suits dual-income households without overnight care needs, sponsors below the AED 15,000 income threshold, and anyone wanting to test commitment before opening a full file. Full-time becomes cheaper above about 70 hours per month.

The AED 25,000 rule applies when sponsoring two or more domestic workers in one household. A single-worker file requires AED 15,000 or AED 10,000 with accommodation. Income is gross salary as evidenced by a salary certificate from the sponsor's employer, a labour contract or audited financials for self-employed sponsors. Bonus, commission, rental and capital income are not counted. Husband and wife salaries cannot be combined - the file is opened under one name only. The counter verifies salary against ICP and MOHRE records before typing. UAE nationals may qualify under separate Family Cohesion thresholds in Abu Dhabi confirmed at consultation.

Al Maha maintains a rolling pool of pre-screened Filipino profiles, typically 15-30 active candidates ready for sponsor video interview. From shortlist confirmation to worker arrival in Abu Dhabi is typically 16-21 working days in a normal cycle, stretching to 25-32 days post-Ramadan and December as Philippine Overseas Employment Administration orientation slots fill. Filipino recruitment carries the highest cost (USD 400 minimum salary, OWWA insurance, pre-departure orientation). If the Al Wahda pool does not match preferences, the sibling Yas Tadbeer in Mussafah holds a parallel inventory at higher daily volume - the consultant can circulate the brief across centres.

Driver visas follow the standard domestic worker pipeline plus three driver-specific items. Sponsor brings the original Emirates ID, salary certificate at AED 25,000 if a maid is already on file, attested Tawtheeq and recent ADDC bill. Driver candidate brings original passport with six months validity, two coloured photos on white background, source-country police clearance and a valid driving licence from country of origin showing at least three years' experience. Within 30 days of residence-visa stamping the driver must hold a UAE driving licence; the counter coordinates with Emirates Driving Company for conversion or full instruction. Medical fitness at a SEHA clinic, Emirates ID at ICP, MOHRE orientation and WPS-DW enrolment follow the standard sequence. Full driver package AED 14,000-19,000.

If the SEHA medical fitness test returns a fail - typically tuberculosis, hepatitis B or C, HIV, syphilis, or undisclosed pregnancy - the residence visa cannot be stamped and the entry permit lapses. The worker is housed at the off-site Mussafah accommodation block while the file is closed and repatriation arranged. The sponsor receives a partial refund on visa, Emirates ID and insurance but not the recruitment fee or air ticket. Under the package replacement guarantee a no-fee replacement is sourced within the first three months; the sponsor pays only the new visa, medical and ticket. Repatriation costs are borne by Al Maha where the source-country corridor agreement requires it. Pregnancy triggers mandatory repatriation under federal labour rules.

Early termination of the MOHRE unified contract requires settling three components: any wages outstanding through WPS-DW, end-of-service gratuity at 14 days' wages per year worked (capped at six months' total pay), and either a return ticket or a six-month grace period for the worker to find a new sponsor. The Tadbeer cancellation service fee is AED 200-500. Termination within the six-month MOHRE probation is no-penalty - pay only the days worked. Termination for cause requires documented evidence; without it the worker may transfer to a new sponsor under the 2025 mobility rules and the sponsor may be ordered to pay remaining contract value. Disputed terminations are heard at the mediation room before cancellation is processed.

WPS-DW is the federal mandate, in force since 2024, requiring every domestic worker's monthly salary to be paid into an electronic account linked to her Emirates ID - bank account, exchange-house wallet or prepaid card. At file opening Al Maha opens the WPS-DW wallet on the worker's behalf. The sponsor then transfers monthly wages through a participating bank or exchange house within 10 days of the contracted pay date. Late or missed payments are flagged automatically and may suspend the sponsor's future MOHRE transactions, including renewals on family members' residence visas. Cash payment in any amount is a breach and voids the file. The rule applies identically to live-in, live-out and part-time arrangements.

Under the 2025 federal mobility rules a worker may transfer to a new licensed sponsor without exiting the UAE. With a no-objection certificate from the current sponsor the transfer is administrative and takes 7-14 working days at a fee of AED 2,500-3,500 plus government charges. Without an NOC the worker may transfer in defined breach cases (unpaid wages over two months, abuse, sponsor death, rest-hour violation) subject to MOHRE approval. At natural contract end no NOC is required. Inter-emirate transfers to Dubai or Sharjah take 10-18 working days because the file moves between immigration jurisdictions. The worker's Emirates ID remains valid throughout; only the sponsor name on the residence file changes.

Friday hours run 10:00-12:00 then 14:00-21:00 around the noon prayer; the mall is open longer but the Tadbeer counter is closed during the prayer window. During Ramadan the counter operates 09:30-15:30 Monday to Thursday, closed Friday morning until 14:30, and 09:30-15:30 Saturday and Sunday. Evening orientation sessions for newly arrived workers run at the Mussafah accommodation block by appointment. Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha closures follow the UAE Cabinet calendar; the eve of each holiday the counter closes at 14:00. Confirm by calling 600 500 406.