renew your residence visa
A standard work visa is the most common type of work visa that is issued to people working in a mainland company or a free zone company. Picture used for illustrative purposes only.

Dubai: If you are planning to move to the UAE to work as a skilled worker, there are two types of visas that you can apply for, in order to live in the country.

There are two cases to get a visa for skilled work - standard work visa (which is valid for two or three years) or a five-year Green visa for work.

Get exclusive content with Gulf News WhatsApp channel

What is a standard work visa?

This is the most common type of work visa that is issued to people working in a mainland company or a free zone company. Applying for this visa is an employer’s responsibility, and employees are not required to pay for any of the costs involved.

Employers are required to pay for the employment visa
Article 6 of Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021, also referred to as the Labour Law, pertaining to the recruitment and employment of workers, stipulates that no worker may be employed without obtaining the work permit from the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE). Also, employers have been expressly prohibited from collecting the cost of recruitment and employment from the workers, whether directly or indirectly, in Clause 4 of the Article.

Documents required

You will, however, be required to provide your employer with certain documents, including:

• A colour photograph with white background.
• Passport copy, with passport valid for at least six months.
• Attested university degree, if required.

You may also need a letter of approval from the relevant authority in case you are a physician, pharmacist, nurse, and teacher (your employer will guide you on it). Your qualifications have to be commensurate with the company's activity.

Also read

If you were hired from outside the UAE, you will first receive an entry permit with which you can come to the UAE. The permit is valid for two months, within which your employer should sort out your work visa.

Once you are here, you will need to take a medical fitness test and also provide your biometric data (fingerprint and eye scan) for the Emirates ID.

The Emirates ID is the government-issued identity card for the UAE’s citizens and residents, and it is mandatory for all UAE citizens and residents to apply for it. 

The process for applying for a residence visa is fairly straightforward for employees, as they only need to provide their documents and take the medical fitness test.

Once you have received your visa and Emirates ID, you can then apply for your family's visa, the process for which is slightly different.

If you choose to get a Green Visa instead, the process changes significantly, as this is a ‘self-sponsored’ visa, which means that you will be on your own sponsorship, instead of the company’s. This also means that you will need to cover the costs for the visa and complete all the procedures yourself. The benefits of the visa are a longer stay (five years, instead of two) as well as the flexibility to switch jobs.

To know more about how to apply for a Green Visa, click here.