At a glance
- Local name
- Work Permit (MOHRE Labour Card)
- Country
- United Arab Emirates
- Process steps
- 9
- Fee items
- 9
- Online portals
- 7
- FAQs
- 9
- Pitfalls covered
- 8
- Last verified
- 2026-06
What is Work Permit (MOHRE Labour Card) in UAE?
The work permit, almost always called the 'labour card' even though the plastic card itself was phased out in 2023, is the document that authorises an expat to work for a specific UAE employer. Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 (effective February 2022) rebuilt the labour framework: unlimited contracts were abolished, all contracts are now fixed-term (one to three years, renewable), the traditional six-month 'labour ban' was largely abolished, and a new gig-economy permit was created. The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) issues mainland work permits through eservices.mohre.gov.ae and the MOHRE smart app, while free zone employees (DMCC, JAFZA, ADGM, DIFC, IFZA, RAKEZ, Masdar City, twofour54, Dubai Internet City, and dozens more) get permits from the zone authority itself and do not appear on MOHRE.
Fees depend on the employer's MOHRE category, a classification system that grades establishments on Emiratisation rate, cultural diversity, wage-protection compliance and complaint history. Category A pays the lowest work permit fees (around AED 250 for a two-year skilled permit), Category B pays around AED 500, and Category C (the highest-fee tier, applied to non-compliant employers) pays around AED 5,000 per permit. The category is the employer's responsibility; the resident does not pay it directly, but in practice it is reflected in the offered package, the speed of renewals and the willingness of the employer to take on extra hires.
From 1 June 2026 the Wage Protection System (WPS) escalation timeline became materially stricter. A five-day delay in salary payment from the first of the month now triggers an automatic suspension of new work permit issuances for the establishment. Eleven days triggers financial fines and re-classification to Category C. Sixteen days triggers an automatic labour dispute registration on each affected employee's file. Twenty-one days triggers asset attachment and a possible Public Prosecution referral. This means that the speed of a worker's own renewal depends not just on the worker but on the employer's WPS history.
The traditional 'labour ban' that used to keep workers locked out of the country for six months after a job change is largely obsolete in 2026. The only ban that still bites in routine cases is the one-year work-permit ban on a worker who resigns without notice during the probation period, and even that ban can be lifted with the original employer's written approval. Travel bans (for criminal cases or unsettled court judgements) are entirely separate and are checked on the relevant emirate's police portal, not on MOHRE. The cleanest way to know your own status is the MOHRE smart app's 'Labour Ban Status' service or a call to 600 590 000.
Salary complaints have also become more useful. Since January 2024, MOHRE can issue final, enforceable decisions on labour claims up to AED 50,000 without involving the Labour Court, which used to take six to nine months. Filing a complaint is free through the MOHRE app, eservices.mohre.gov.ae or the hotline 600 590 000; MOHRE retrieves the employment record from the Emirates ID and work permit number, attempts mediation within 14 working days, and either issues a decision or refers the case to the Labour Court (where the worker has 14 days from the referral to register).
Practically, the resident's view of the work permit process is short: an employer extends an offer through the MOHRE Offer Letter service (or its free zone equivalent), the worker e-signs through UAE Pass, the employer pays the work permit and (if needed) quota fees, MOHRE approves and triggers the residence entry permit through ICP/GDRFA, the worker enters the UAE (or changes status from inside), completes the medical fitness test and Emirates ID biometrics, and the labour contract is finally registered against the residence visa. The whole sequence runs two to four weeks from offer to active labour card. Renewals usually take three to seven working days because the entry permit and quota steps are not needed.
What documents do I need for Work Permit (MOHRE Labour Card)?
Bring originals AND coloured photocopies of every item. Files are rejected at counter for a single missing page or unattested certificate.
Documents required
- ✓Passport valid for at least six months and a recent passport-style colour photo
- ✓Highest educational certificate, attested through the home-country chain and UAE MOFA for skilled-category roles
- ✓Signed offer letter accepted through UAE Pass via the MOHRE Offer Letter service
- ✓Employment contract (Standard MOHRE contract for mainland; zone-specific contract for free zones)
- ✓Medical fitness certificate from a DHA, SEHA or approved private centre
- ✓Emirates ID number once issued (existing residents transferring jobs use the current ID)
- ✓Equivalency certificate for foreign educational credentials in regulated professions (doctors, engineers, teachers)
- ✓Police clearance certificate for certain sectors (education, security, healthcare)
- ✓Bank guarantee receipt paid by employer for unskilled labour categories (about AED 3,000 per worker)
Eligibility
- →Aged 18 to 65; workers above 65 require special MOHRE approval per contract
- →Employer holds a valid trade licence and an active MOHRE establishment file
- →Quota slot available for your nationality, role and skill level under the establishment's plan
- →No active one-year work-permit ban on the file (rare in 2026, mostly for resignation-during-probation cases)
- →Educational credentials attested for the skilled categories that require it
- →Employer in WPS compliance: not more than five days late on the most recent salary cycle
How much does Work Permit (MOHRE Labour Card) cost in UAE in 2026?
Government fees current to 2026-06. All payments via the relevant portal wallet or SADAD-equivalent rail; service-centre cash counters typically charge a small extra typing fee.
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Work permit (Category A, skilled) | 250 AED | Two-year validity. Category A establishments pay the lowest MOHRE fee tier. |
| Work permit (Category B) | 500 AED | Two-year validity. Reflects mid-tier employer compliance status. |
| Work permit (Category C) | 5,000 AED | Two-year validity. Applied to employers with weak Emiratisation, low diversity or WPS non-compliance. |
| Unskilled labour work permit | 300 AED | Plus a refundable bank guarantee paid by the employer, typically around AED 3,000 per worker. |
| Late renewal fine | 250 AED | On the company for renewals filed more than 60 days after expiry. |
| Work permit transfer (within UAE) | Same as new issuance AED | Plus the standard residency cost stack (entry permit, medical, Emirates ID). |
| Work permit cancellation | 200 AED | Filed by the employer through MOHRE; the worker's residence visa is cancelled in the same flow. |
| Free zone employment package | 5,000 to 15,000 AED | Bundled with residence visa and Emirates ID. Varies sharply by zone. |
| Gig-economy / part-time permit | 300 to 750 AED | Per six-month window under the MOHRE freelance and part-time work permit categories. |
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How do I apply for Work Permit (MOHRE Labour Card) step by step?
The end-to-end flow for Work Permit (MOHRE Labour Card) in UAE. Total wall-clock time: Two to four weeks from signed offer to active labour card and residence visa for a new joiner. Three to seven working days for a renewal where the worker is already in the system. Same-day to two days for a transfer between mainland employers where both are MOHRE-registered..
- 1
Offer letter and e-signature via UAE Pass
The employer uploads the offer letter to MOHRE through the Offer Letter service inside eservices.mohre.gov.ae. The worker receives a notification on UAE Pass, reads the offer, and e-signs. The offer is binding for both sides once accepted and locks in the salary, allowances and job title.
⏱ 1 to 2 days📍 online - 2
Quota and work permit application
The employer's PRO files the work permit application against the establishment's quota. Mainland employers go through the MOHRE Tasheel channel; free zone employers go through the zone portal (DMCC Member Portal, JAFZA One, IFZA Easy, etc.). MOHRE typically approves in three to five working days, faster for Category A.
⏱ 3 to 5 working days📍 online - 3
Entry permit issuance
The approved work permit triggers the residence entry permit through ICP (most emirates) or GDRFA (Dubai). The e-permit PDF is issued and is valid for 60 days; the worker uses it to enter the UAE.
⏱ 2 to 5 working days📍 online - 4
Status change or arrival
If the worker is already in the UAE on a tourist visa, the employer files an in-country status change (AED 650). Otherwise the worker enters on the e-permit and starts the 60-day in-country window.
⏱ Same day📍 either - 5
Medical fitness test
The worker attends a DHA, SEHA or approved private centre for the standard fit-to-residence medical. Standard packages around AED 320; same-day premium options run up to AED 750. Results are pushed to ICP/GDRFA electronically.
⏱ 1 to 3 working days📍 center - 6
Emirates ID biometric capture
First-time issuance always needs biometrics. The worker books a slot inside the ICP UAE Smart Services app and attends a Customer Happiness Centre for fingerprints, photo and signature. Renewals usually skip this.
⏱ Same-day appointment📍 center - 7
Residence visa stamping and Emirates ID printing
ICP or GDRFA stamps the residence visa electronically (no passport sticker since 2022) and the Emirates ID is printed and dispatched through Emirates Post. The labour card record is activated against the residence visa on the same day stamping completes.
⏱ 3 to 7 working days📍 online - 8
Final labour contract registration
The employer registers the final MOHRE-format labour contract for the worker's e-signature through the MOHRE app. Once both sides sign, the contract is the legal employment record and the worker shows up on MOHRE's WPS payroll register from the following salary cycle.
⏱ Same day📍 online - 9
Transfer or cancellation when leaving
When the worker resigns or is terminated, the employer files a cancellation (AED 200) through MOHRE which cascades to ICP/GDRFA. For job changes, the new employer files a new work permit; since 2022, transfers no longer need the original employer's NOC if probation is complete.
⏱ 3 to 7 working days📍 online
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Which portal do I use for Work Permit (MOHRE Labour Card) in UAE?
These official portals handle Work Permit (MOHRE Labour Card) for UAE. Each page on Wathim has the login flow, common errors and sibling fallback when one is down.
Work permit issuance, renewal, transfer, cancellation, WPS, salary complaints, labour ban inquiry and offer letter signing through eservices.mohre.gov.ae and the MOHRE smart app.
Portal guide →Linked entry permit and residence visa for federal-issued cases; the worker side of the file lives here once stamping happens.
Portal guide →Linked entry permit and residence visa for Dubai-issued cases; works in parallel with MOHRE for Dubai mainland employers.
Portal guide →Authorised service centres in Dubai for MOHRE submissions that bundle with GDRFA visa applications in one trip.
Portal guide →Federal SSO required to authenticate to MOHRE for work-permit issuance, renewal and cancellation.
Portal guide →Abu Dhabi worker-services portal for ADGM and AD-based employer files.
Portal guide →Dubai labour-services dashboard for MOHRE-Dubai files and Tasheel typing-centre routing.
Portal guide →💡 Tasheel centres are MOHRE's official front-counter network and handle quota requests, offer letter typing, contract amendment, work permit applications, transfers and cancellations. Most employers use a PRO who routes everything through Tasheel; service fees typically run AED 150 to 300 per application on top of the MOHRE government fees. Amer centres do similar work for Dubai cases where the immigration-side file (residence visa, Emirates ID) needs to be opened in parallel. Individual workers rarely visit Tasheel themselves; the employer's PRO covers it.
How do I renew Work Permit (MOHRE Labour Card) and what are the penalties?
Work permits are typically issued for two years and renewed in step with the residence visa. Renewal must be completed within 60 days of expiry to avoid the AED 250 late fee on the company. The MOHRE app and eservices portal send reminders 30 days before expiry. Free zone permits follow the zone's own renewal flow but with similar two-year cycles for most categories. Golden Visa holders do not need a separate work permit for their own businesses but their employees do, through MOHRE if mainland or the zone authority if free zone.
Fines & penalties
- ⚠Late renewal: AED 250 fine on the company per permit
- ⚠Working for a different employer than the one on your permit: AED 50,000 fine on the actual employer plus a possible one-year work-permit ban on the worker
- ⚠Absconding report filed by employer: blocks all UAE visa applications for at least one year
- ⚠WPS salary delay over five days: automatic suspension of new permits for the establishment (effective 1 June 2026)
- ⚠WPS salary delay over 11 days: financial fines plus automatic reclassification to Category C
- ⚠WPS salary delay over 16 days: automatic labour dispute registration
- ⚠WPS salary delay over 21 days: possible asset attachment and Public Prosecution referral
- ⚠Resigning during probation without notice: one-year MOHRE work-permit ban, liftable with original employer's written approval
- ⚠False statements on educational credentials or attestations: AED 50,000 fine on the worker plus deportation in serious cases
What goes wrong with Work Permit (MOHRE Labour Card) applications?
These failures repeat across every Work Permit (MOHRE Labour Card) case Wathim sees in UAE. Catch them before submitting to save a counter rejection.
- !Joining a Category C employer where the high permit fees are passed through your package as deductions or reduced allowances
- !Free zone vs mainland confusion: a worker hired under a free zone trade licence cannot have a mainland MOHRE labour card, and vice versa, so the visa channel must match the licence
- !Educational attestation skipped: skilled-category permits cannot be issued without the home-country plus UAE MOFA attestation chain on the highest degree
- !Resigning during probation without proper notice: the AED 250 fine is small but the one-year MOHRE work-permit ban can derail an immediate job switch
- !Misunderstanding the 2026 WPS rules: a five-day salary delay now suspends the employer's permit pipeline, which means your own renewal can be blocked through no fault of your own
- !Assuming the old six-month 'labour ban' still applies: it does not for routine job changes, but residents still get told it does by recruiters who have not updated their script
- !Forgetting that absconding reports filed against you carry over even after you fly home: re-entry on any new visa is blocked until the report is withdrawn or a court rules in your favour
- !Working a side gig without a freelance or part-time permit: MOHRE's gig categories are cheap (AED 300 to 750 per six months) and avoid the AED 5,000 unauthorised-work fine
Where can I file Work Permit (MOHRE Labour Card) in person in UAE?
Tadbeer centres handle this directly.
Frequently asked questions about Work Permit (MOHRE Labour Card) in UAE
Two to four weeks from a signed offer to an active labour card and residence visa. The MOHRE approval and entry permit issuance steps take most of the calendar time (about a week each), while the medical fitness test and Emirates ID biometrics are usually completed within the same week. Free zone hires can be faster (often two weeks total) because the zone authority handles its own quota and visa channel.
It is the MOHRE-issued work permit linking a specific expat worker to a specific mainland employer. Since 2023 it is a fully digital record; there is no plastic card any more. The labour card sits inside the MOHRE smart app and can be downloaded as a PDF for visa, banking or rental purposes.
MOHRE classifies establishments based on Emiratisation rate, cultural diversity of the workforce, WPS compliance and complaint history. Category A pays the lowest work permit fees (~AED 250 for a two-year skilled permit), Category B pays around AED 500, and Category C pays around AED 5,000. WPS violations from 1 June 2026 trigger automatic reclassification to Category C at the 11-day mark.
No. Free zone workers get their work permits from the zone authority itself (DMCC, JAFZA, ADGM, DIFC, IFZA, RAKEZ, Masdar City, twofour54, Dubai Internet City, and dozens more) and do not appear on MOHRE. The residence visa, however, is still federal and runs through ICP. WPS does not apply to free zones in the same way; each zone has its own wage rules.
Yes. Since 2022, transfers between mainland MOHRE employers no longer require the original employer's NOC if you have completed your probation period. The new employer files a new work permit through the standard flow and MOHRE links the records. Free zone to mainland (or vice versa) transfers are still possible but go through a full cancel-and-re-issue cycle.
Largely no. The traditional six-month ban that used to block workers from re-entering or taking a new job was effectively abolished by the 2022 labour reform. The only ban that still bites in routine cases is a one-year MOHRE work-permit ban on workers who resign during probation without notice, and it can be lifted with the original employer's written approval. Travel bans (for criminal cases) are entirely separate and handled by the relevant emirate's police.
From 1 June 2026, MOHRE's Wage Protection System enforces strict timeline-based consequences for late salary payments: 5 days late triggers automatic suspension of new work permit issuances for the company, 11 days late adds financial fines plus reclassification to Category C, 16 days late triggers automatic labour dispute registration on each affected employee, and 21 days late can lead to asset attachment and a Public Prosecution referral. Workers can verify WPS status through the MOHRE app.
Through the MOHRE smart app or eservices.mohre.gov.ae under 'Services for Employees > Labour Complaint', or by calling 600 590 000. MOHRE retrieves the employment record from the Emirates ID and work permit number, gives you a case number immediately, attempts mediation within 14 working days, and (since January 2024) can issue a final enforceable decision on claims up to AED 50,000 without the Labour Court. Filing is free.
UAE limited-contract gratuity is 21 days of basic salary per year for the first five years and 30 days per year after that, capped at two years of total pay. Use our UAE gratuity calculator to compute the exact amount based on your last basic salary, joining date and resignation or termination date. The wage base is basic salary only; allowances are excluded.
