Work Visa & Immigration: Complete Guide

Types of UAE Visas

Standard Employment Visa (2-year renewable)

• Employer-sponsored
• Timeline: 2-4 weeks
• Can sponsor family
• Health insurance included

Golden Visa (10-year renewable)

• For healthcare specialists with valid DOH/DHA license
• Bachelor's degree required
• 5+ years UAE work (some categories)
• Timeline: 2-4 weeks
• Sponsor spouse, children, parents at any age

Employment Contract

Must Include:

• Position & description
• Salary & benefits
• Working hours & days off
• 30 days annual leave
• Health insurance
• End of service benefits

Salary by Experience

| Level | Monthly (AED) | |-------|---------------| | 0-2 years | 4,000-5,000 | | 2-5 years | 5,500-8,000 | | 5+ years | 8,500-12,000+ | | Senior | 12,000-20,000+ |

Benefits:

• Housing: AED 1,500-3,000/month
• Transportation: AED 500-1,500/month
• Annual flight
• Bonus: 0.5-2 months
• Professional development

Medical Clearance

Tests: Blood pressure, blood work, chest X-ray, urine, vision, hearing Timeline: 2-3 days Cost: AED 300-500 (employer covers)

Residence Permit

• Issued upon arrival
• Valid until visa expiry
• Timeline: 1-2 weeks
• Required to work legally

Housing

Costs:

• Dubai: AED 30k-50k/year
• Abu Dhabi: AED 25k-40k/year
• Sharjah: AED 15k-25k/year

Banking

• No income tax in UAE
• Open account at: Emirates NBD, FAB, DIB, RAK
• Salary deposits direct

Moving Timeline

3 months before: Job offer, sponsorship, passport update 1 month before: Accommodation, flights, insurance Week of arrival: Airport, immigration, accommodation First week: Residence permit, bank account, mobile, clinic registration First month: Health insurance, labor card, permanent accommodation

Timeline Summary: 6-16 weeks from offer to practicing