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Private-sector employment residence (employer-sponsored): how long it takes, what it costs, and whether it leads to permanent residence
Work Permit
Employer-sponsored residence — not settlement
Two documents, two fees. GDRFA Dubai issues a work entry visa linked to a job contract that allows 60 days in the country to finish residence procedures (requires MOHRE work-permit endorsement for establishments under MOHRE). Separately, GDRFA Dubai “Issuing residence permits for the private sector” grants a residence permit for two years, “renewable for a similar period or periods in accordance with the same conditions under which it was granted.” u.ae distinguishes this standard employer visa from the Green visa (skilled employees on self-sponsorship). The employer applies. Medical examination is required for those over 18. Losing the employer/sponsor ends the status. This is not a settlement or permanent-residence route. ICP’s federal issuance page is a different channel with a different staged AED table.
Source: General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs – Dubai · verified 2026-08-15
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Does Private-sector employment residence (employer-sponsored) lead to permanent residence?
- Residency
Temporary — not a permanent-residence route on its own
Source: General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs – Dubai · verified 2026-08-15
Do you need a job offer for Private-sector employment residence (employer-sponsored)?
- Job offer
Required
Source: General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs – Dubai · verified 2026-08-15
How much does Private-sector employment residence (employer-sponsored) cost to apply for?
- Application fee
AED 200
GDRFA Dubai residence-permit stage only: “Residence permit fee: AED200.” Same page lists extras not included in 200: Knowledge Dirham AED 10, Innovation Dirham AED 10, fee inside the country AED 500, delivery AED 20; issuance fee increases by AED 100 annually when residency is over two years. The earlier work-entry visa is a separate GDRFA service: “Work visa fee: AED200” plus 5% VAT, and inside-the-country extras. Those two 200 AED charges are not added together here. ICP federal issuance lists Application 100 AED + issuance 100 AED per year + Smart Service 100 AED for employment-category residence — not stored as this program’s fee.
Source: General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs – Dubai · verified 2026-08-15
How long does Private-sector employment residence (employer-sponsored) take to process?
- Processing time
No duration published; the authority points to a guidance tool
Open the authority's page for this fact
Source: General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs – Dubai · verified 2026-08-15
What General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs – Dubai does not publish
We checked for each of these and the page carried no figure. The absence is recorded with the reason, so this page states nothing the authority does not.
Processing time
GDRFA Dubai private-sector residence page (opened): “Expected Completion Time 48.0 Hour(s).” Work-entry visa page (opened): also 48.0 Hour(s). ICP federal issuance (opened): Service Completion Duration 2 Days. These are catalogue times, not a 1–2 month range. Old months deleted.
Source: General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs – Dubai · verified 2026-08-15
How it works
- 1The employer applies for the work entry visa and then the residence permit.
- 2Losing the employer or sponsor ends the status.
What changed when we last checked this record
Route is open. u.ae work-visa page (https://u.ae/en/information-and-services/visa-and-emirates-id/Types-of-visas/residence-visa-for-working-in-the-uae): standard work visa is for employees of government and private sectors; the Green visa is a different self-sponsored route. Previous stored name “Standard Employment Visa”, age 18, USD 900 and 1–2 month processing have been removed or replaced. No PR pathway published.
Source: General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs – Dubai · verified 2026-08-15
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