Your employer pays for your UAE visa. All of it. By law.
One of the most common questions from people accepting jobs in the UAE — and one of the most commonly misrepresented facts. The answer is straightforward. Your employer is legally required to bear every cost associated with getting you to work in the UAE. Here's what that includes.
The full list of costs your employer must cover
Under Article 6(4) of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations, employers are prohibited from charging employees — directly or indirectly — for:
Options at each stage
What to do if your employer is asking you to pay — depending on where you are in the process.
Before you join — it's in the offer letter
Ask in writing for the clause to be removed. Employers who know the clause is legally questionable sometimes agree without objection. If they refuse and insist it's 'standard,' you have useful information about how they operate.
You've already joined — now they're asking for payment
A direct demand for visa cost payment after you've started is either a salary deduction attempt or a threat. Both are illegal. File a complaint with MOHRE — the complaint process is online via mohre.gov.ae or the MOHRE app.
You're about to leave — they're claiming you owe them
A 'debt' for visa costs on resignation has no legal basis under UAE labour law. Do not pay without taking legal advice. File at MOHRE if the demand is accompanied by threat of salary withholding, refusal to issue clearance, or absconding threats.
Your new employer is being told to pay
Your future employer has no legal obligation to reimburse your previous employer's visa costs. If a former employer contacts a prospective new employer with such a claim, that employer can disregard it. The private employment contract between you and your old employer cannot create obligations on a third party.
Does this law apply to you if you're in a free zone?
Most UAE free zones apply UAE federal labour law, including the visa cost prohibition. The major exceptions:
DIFC
Governed by DIFC Employment Law 2019. The same principle applies — employers must bear visa-related costs and cannot pass them to employees.
ADGM
Governed by ADGM Employment Regulations 2019. Similar protections apply.
JAFZA, DMCC, Dubai Media City & most others
Apply UAE federal labour law. The visa cost prohibition applies in full.
Common questions
My employer says visa costs aren't covered by my package because I'm a contractor, not an employee. Is that right?
UAE labour law applies to employees. If you're genuinely contracted as a freelancer or through an independent entity, the employment law framework may not apply — but the arrangement itself should be scrutinised. Employees misclassified as contractors to avoid labour law obligations is a known issue. Upload your contract so Sidqo can assess whether your arrangement is consistent with an independent contractor relationship under UAE law.
I've been in the UAE for years and have always been told I pay my own visa renewal. Is that normal?
Visa renewal costs are also the employer's responsibility during an active employment relationship. If this has been standard practice at your company, that doesn't make it legal. Whether to raise it now depends on your situation — upload your contract and ask Sidqo about your specific position.
My employer paid my visa but is now deducting the cost from my salary in monthly instalments. Is that allowed?
No. Recovering visa costs through salary deductions is the indirect charging that the law prohibits. This is also a salary deduction violation under Article 25 of the UAE Labour Law. File a MOHRE complaint.
I'm on a family visa sponsored by my spouse. Does this affect my employment rights?
If you're working on a spouse's or family member's sponsorship, your visa costs aren't paid by your employer — you're not on their sponsorship. But your employment rights under UAE Labour Law still apply in full. Your employer cannot make your visa arrangement a basis for reducing your statutory entitlements.
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Something in your contract or situation doesn't add up?
Upload your contract or describe your situation to Sidqo. You'll get a clear explanation of what the law says about your specific clause, what your employer is required to cover, and what your options are if they're not complying.
Sidqo provides AI-powered legal guidance based on UAE federal law. For formal legal proceedings, consult a licensed UAE lawyer or file a complaint with MOHRE.