There is one narrow exception and it runs company to company, never company to worker. If you switch to another UAE employer during probation, the new employer compensates the old one for recruitment cost unless they agree otherwise. That is a bill between two businesses. It is not a charge anyone may pass to you. u.ae, Employment contracts, 12 Aug 2026
The sequence, in the order it actually happens
The government describes it in one line: "The employment process in the private sector involves receiving a formal job offer, signing the employment contract, receiving the work permit and then, receiving the work visa." u.ae, Job offers and the employment process, checked 20 Sep 2026
- Offer letter, signed by both sides, before any permit is applied for. Once signed, the employer cannot change or replace any provision of it without your consent and within the law. Read it as a binding document, because it is one.
- MOHRE work permit. The employer applies. MOHRE issues 13 permit types; hiring someone from abroad uses the "recruit from outside the UAE" permit, valid 2 years. Fees run AED 250 to AED 3,450 depending on whether the company is classified A, B or C. u.ae, Work permits, 13 Aug 2026
- Entry permit for employment. Valid two months. Residency formalities must be completed within 60 days of entry; overstaying costs AED 50 a day. u.ae, Preparing to work, 12 Aug 2026; ICP, Issuing Residency Permit, 20 Sep 2026
- Medical fitness test, mandatory at 18 and above. Screening covers HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis B, TB, syphilis and leprosy. Abu Dhabi screens for pulmonary TB by chest X ray; Dubai does not use chest X ray for TB. A finding of TB scarring or active TB leads to a conditional fitness certificate and a one year visa with treatment inside the UAE, not automatic removal. u.ae, Health conditions for UAE residence visa, 20 Sep 2026
- Emirates ID. Issued after the residence, delivered by courier. Late renewal beyond one month past expiry costs AED 20 a day, capped at AED 1,000. Urgent service adds AED 150. u.ae, Emirates ID, 17 Feb 2026; ICP FAQ, 20 Sep 2026
- Residence visa, standard work residence is 2 years, renewable, applied for by the employer. ICP publishes application AED 100, issuance AED 100 per year, smart service AED 100, in country status adjustment AED 500, processing time 2 days. u.ae, Work visa, 7 Aug 2026; ICP, 20 Sep 2026
- Contract registration with MOHRE. The signed contract is registered and you receive an approved MOHRE contract. Check it against your offer letter line by line, then keep a copy somewhere that is not your work laptop.
