How to Get a Visa Sponsorship Job in the UAE: 6 Steps (2026)

Step 3 of 3: How to apply

Every genuine UAE job offer is issued through MOHRE and has a reference number you can check yourself, and that one check stops many visa scams. Follow the 6 steps below, and the next page lists the official visa sites and trusted job sites for sponsored jobs.

First, what's your situation right now?

Which describes you best?

📋 Before you start: what to prepare

• A passport with at least six months of validity, and a clear scanned copy
• A short CV of one or two pages, with your nationality and current location at the top
• Your degree or diploma, plus attestation by your home country's foreign ministry and the UAE embassy if the job is skilled
• Experience letters and any professional licence or training certificates
• A recent photo with a plain background
• An email address you check daily and a phone number with WhatsApp

✅ The 6 steps to a sponsored job

These steps follow the official u.ae guidance on job offers, work permits and residence visas, as of 2026.

1. Find real vacancies. Use well-known job portals, LinkedIn and employers' own careers pages. Jobs for people abroad usually mention a visa, relocation or "employment visa provided". In the UAE, the employer arranging your visa is normal, not a bonus.
2. Apply with a UAE-style CV. Keep it short and honest. List your nationality, visa status, languages and the job titles you've held. Never add fake jobs or certificates, because employers check.
3. Interview. Most interviews for overseas candidates are by phone or video. Ask about salary, working hours, rest days, accommodation, transport and who pays for travel.
4. Get and check your MOHRE job offer. The offer must come through MOHRE, in Arabic and English. Check its reference number on the MOHRE website (Application Status) and search the company in the National Economic Register. Only then sign it.
5. Wait for your entry permit. The employer applies for your work permit, and once MOHRE approves it you get an employment entry permit. Verify it on the GDRFA website for Dubai, or on ICP's platform for the other emirates.
6. Travel, then finish the residence steps. Enter within the permit's validity (two months from issue). In the UAE you take the medical test, give biometrics for your Emirates ID and sign your MOHRE contract, which must match your offer.

Tip: keep copies of your offer, contract and every message from the employer. Your contract must be submitted to MOHRE within 14 days of your arrival.

Ready to search? The next page lists the official UAE visa sites and the best job sites for sponsored roles.

🕒 What happens after you sign

There is no single official timeline. It depends on the employer, attestation, the work permit approval and when the company needs you.

Your employer may hold your passport briefly while stamping the visa, but the UAE government says confiscating workers' passports is prohibited, so it must be returned to you.

Your salary should be paid through the Wages Protection System, which the government enforces so workers are paid in full and on time.

⚠️ How to avoid fake recruiters and visa scams

MOHRE has warned job seekers about fake job offers and visa scams, especially on social media and messaging apps. The rules are simple:

• Never pay for a job offer, a work permit or a "guaranteed visa". Charging recruitment fees to job seekers is illegal in the UAE.
• If a company or agency asks for money for the visa or medical test, the UAE government says it is not a genuine company.
• MOHRE only licenses UAE citizens to run recruitment agencies. Check an agency with MOHRE before you share documents.
• The recruiter's email should match the company's own website, not a free email address.
• Don't accept an offer that has no MOHRE reference number you can check.
• Never travel on a visit visa because someone says they'll "change it later". Working on a visit visa is illegal.
• Don't send your original passport to anyone before you have a verified offer.

Remember: a real employer pays for your recruitment, and nobody can promise you a visa.

📞 Where to get help

• MOHRE labour claims and advisory line (toll-free in the UAE): 80084
• MOHRE from abroad: +971 6 802 7666 or ask@mohre.gov.ae
• Dubai visas and entry permits: GDRFA Dubai (gdrfad.gov.ae)
• Other emirates: ICP (icp.gov.ae)
• The UAE embassy in your home country can help with attestation and checking documents

📝 A CV that works for UAE employers

UAE recruiters read many CVs from overseas, so make yours easy to scan. Put your name, phone number with WhatsApp, email, nationality and current country at the top.

• List your jobs with the most recent first, with dates and two or three real duties for each
• Add your languages, licences and training, such as a nursing licence, trade certificate or food safety course
• Say clearly that you're abroad and ready to relocate on an employment visa
• Save it as a PDF with your name in the file name

❓ Quick answers

On the next page: the official UAE visa sites, how to check an employer is real, and trusted job sites where UAE employers post sponsored jobs.

🌍 More work-abroad guides

Still comparing destinations? These guides explain sponsorship in other countries.

Disclaimer: This is an independent information website. We are not an employer, recruitment agency, immigration adviser or government body, and we do not hire anyone, sponsor or arrange visas, or collect job applications. Visa rules, salary thresholds and fees change often, so always check the official UAE government sites (u.ae, MOHRE, ICP and GDRFA Dubai) before you act. Never pay anyone for a job offer, a work permit or a "guaranteed visa".