HomeEmployed professionalUnited Arab Emirates
Routes to United Arab Emirates: employed professional
Employer-sponsored work is the main route; Green and Golden residence remove the sponsor above salary lines
Most professionals enter on a MoHRE work permit applied for by the employer, with a two-year residence visa. Green residence (5 years, no sponsor) needs a bachelor's degree, MoHRE skill level 1 to 3 and AED 15,000 a month; Golden residence for specialised professionals needs AED 30,000 a month. The bad news: no authority page we checked publishes processing times or a worker-side fee schedule, and there is no official shortage-occupation list on the pages we checked, so demand data is left empty.
Match an occupation and passport
Choose an occupation and a passport
0 paths are named in United Arab Emirates's official demand list, ranked below.
What United Arab Emirates wants, in its own order
This order is the official shortage analysis, not our opinion. The source is linked under the list.
The routes
Each route below is a separate permit with its own listed requirements. A requirement you do not meet can stop an application for that route, however strong the rest of the case is. A requirement we cannot confirm is shown as unknown, not as a failure.
Employer-sponsored work permit and residence (MoHRE work permit (recruitment from abroad) and residence visa)
Preview — under verificationThe employer applies; the worker cannot self-apply, MoHRE can refuse or cancel permits, and the pages we checked publish no processing time or per-worker fee.
Who this is for
- Professionals with a job offer from a UAE-licensed employer
You must have every one of these
- A job offer signed electronically by the employer, then by the worker abroad, submitted with the initial MoHRE work permit application
- Worker aged 18 or over, and the job must match the employer's licensed business activity
- Employer holds a valid trade licence free of violations; specialised roles also need the licence to practise that profession
- Employer buys the health insurance policy before applying for or renewing residency (federal rule from 1 January 2025; the page names Abu Dhabi and Dubai as applying now and other emirates to follow, so confirm for the emirate)
- After arrival both parties sign and the contract is registered with MoHRE within 14 days
- Enter on a valid entry permit first: a residence visa cannot be processed from outside the UAE and a visit or tourist visa does not allow work
- Medical report is a listed document for employment-based residency, and residence applicants aged 18+ must pass a medical exam, a security check and apply for an Emirates ID (criteria not published on the official pages checked)
- Passport valid at least 6 months; stay after entry must not exceed 60 days while procedures are completed, otherwise overstay fines apply
Source: UAE Government Portal - Expatriates' employment in the private sector (checked 2026-11-07; document dated 2026-10-14; Government or public body) · UAE Government Portal - MoHRE work permits (checked 2026-11-07; document dated 2026-10-19; Government or public body) · UAE Government Portal - Residence visa for working in the UAE (checked 2026-11-07; document dated 2026-08-07; Government or public body) · UAE Government Portal - Getting a health insurance (checked 2026-11-07; document dated 2025-10-28; Government or public body)
Green Residence - skilled worker (Green visa (skilled employees))
Preview — under verificationFive-year residence without a sponsor for degree-holding employees at MoHRE skill levels 1 to 3 earning at least AED 15,000 a month; grace period length not stated on the page.
Who this is for
- Degree-holding employees in skill levels 1 to 3 who already hold a UAE employment contract
You must have every one of these
- A valid UAE employment contract
- MoHRE occupational classification of level 1, 2 or 3
- At least a bachelor's degree
- Monthly salary of at least AED 15,000 or the foreign-currency equivalent
Source: ICP - Green Residence guide (checked 2026-11-07; document dated 2026-09-12; Government or public body) · UAE Government Portal - Green visa (checked 2026-11-07; document dated 2026-07-28; Government or public body)
Green Residence - freelancer / self-employed (Green visa (freelancers and self-employed))
Preview — under verificationFive-year residence for freelancers holding a MoHRE freelance permit and showing AED 360,000 a year in each of the previous two years.
Who this is for
- Degree or specialised-diploma holders earning independently
You must have every one of these
- A freelance or self-employment permit from MoHRE
- At least a bachelor's degree, specialised diploma or equivalent
- Freelance income of at least AED 360,000 a year (or equivalent) in each of the previous two years
- Proof of stable annual income or financial solvency for the residence period
Source: ICP - Green Residence guide (checked 2026-11-07; document dated 2026-09-12; Government or public body) · UAE Government Portal - MoHRE work permits (checked 2026-11-07; document dated 2026-10-19; Government or public body)
Golden Residency - specialised professionals (Golden visa (specialised professionals))
Preview — under verificationTen-year sponsor-free residence for degree holders earning AED 30,000 a month or more with valid health insurance; most professionals will not meet the salary line.
Who this is for
- High earners and senior staff (occupational level 1 or 2) with a UAE work permit
You must have every one of these
- A valid UAE work permit under an approved employment contract
- At least a bachelor's degree or equivalent
- Monthly salary of at least AED 30,000 or the foreign-currency equivalent
- Comprehensive valid health insurance for the residence period, covering family
Source: ICP - Golden Residency guide (page dates are inconsistent; none recorded) (checked 2026-11-07; Government or public body) · UAE Government Portal - Golden visa (checked 2026-11-07; document dated 2026-07-28; Government or public body)
What it costs
Costs are shown in AED as the cited source states them, with the unit the source gives. We do not convert currencies. A line with no stated unit or date is marked as such and is not an exact official charge.
Companies with violations fall in category C. Residence visa, medical and Emirates ID fees were not stated on the official pages checked.
Source: UAE Government Portal - MoHRE work permits (checked 2026-11-07; document dated 2026-10-19; Government or public body)
AED 250 to AED 3,450Employer paysHow long it takes
Timeline not published by the authority
No authority page we checked publishes an end-to-end processing time for work permits or residence; the ICP FAQ gives a 48-hour issuance time for visit visas only. Not published, not estimated.
Published figures for this route
Published figures on how often this route is used, with their sources.
Documents, insurance, housing and money
These needs are the same whichever track you choose, so they are published once for United Arab Emirates, with sources and check dates.
Quick answers
Which routes to United Arab Emirates exist on the employed professional track?
Employer-sponsored work is the main route; Green and Golden residence remove the sponsor above salary lines
How long does it take?
Timeline not published by the authority. No authority page we checked publishes an end-to-end processing time for work permits or residence; the ICP FAQ gives a 48-hour issuance time for visit visas only. Not published, not estimated.
How much does it cost?
The published costs on this page are in different currencies, so there is no single total. Items that are not in that total, such as proof of funds or later permit fees, are labelled on this page where our sources state them.