HomeSkilled tradespersonUnited Arab Emirates
Routes to United Arab Emirates: skilled tradesperson
Employer-sponsored work permit; the worker pays no recruitment fee by law
Workers are recruited by a UAE employer through a MoHRE-registered offer and permit. The official portal says the worker cannot be charged recruitment fees and the employer bears recruitment, travel and residence-permit costs; passports cannot be held. The bad news: the Green visa depends on the role's MoHRE skill level (1 to 3 only, where level 3 is technicians) plus a bachelor's degree and AED 15,000 a month, so a worker qualifies only if all three hold and the pages do not say which trade roles sit in which level; there is no official shortage list on the pages we checked, and no authority page gives a processing time.
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0 trades 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
- Skilled trades and labour workers with an 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 (only if the degree and skill-level conditions are met) (Green visa (skilled employees))
Preview — under verificationEligibility depends on the role's MoHRE skill level and the worker's qualification, not on being a tradesperson: the ICP page requires a bachelor's degree, skill level 1 to 3, a UAE contract and AED 15,000 a month, and the pages do not say which trade roles fall in which level.
Who this is for
- Workers who hold a bachelor's degree and a level 1 to 3 role at AED 15,000 a month or more
You must have every one of these
- At least a bachelor's degree
- MoHRE occupational classification of level 1, 2 or 3 (managers, professionals, technicians; level 4 clerical and level 5 service and sales roles do not meet it; which trade roles sit in which level is not stated)
- Monthly salary of at least AED 15,000
Source: ICP - Green Residence guide (checked 2026-11-07; document dated 2026-09-12; Government or public body) · UAE Government Portal - Professional levels of jobs in the UAE (checked 2026-11-07; document dated 2026-08-12; 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 a processing time for work permits or residence. 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 skilled tradesperson track?
Employer-sponsored work permit; the worker pays no recruitment fee by law
How long does it take?
Timeline not published by the authority. No authority page we checked publishes a processing time for work permits or residence. 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.