For private-sector companies in Dubai and across the UAE
MOHRE Services in Dubai
Work permits, employment contracts and establishment file services for private-sector companies in Dubai and across the UAE
Instant PRO handles Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) transactions for private-sector companies: opening the establishment file and issuing the establishment card, issuing new work permits, drafting and renewing employment contracts, updating company details on the ministry’s system, cancelling work permits and contracts when employment ends, and filing absence-from-work complaints. We prepare the application, complete its documents and follow it through to issue.
Send us your MOHRE establishment number or a copy of your trade licence, and we will tell you which transaction you need, what it requires and what it costs before you start.
- We identify the right transaction
- Documents and cost before you start
- Followed through to issue
What We Handle at MOHRE
| Service | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Establishment Card | Opening the company’s establishment record with the ministry, assigning its number and registering owners and authorised signatories. Work permit and contract applications are all filed through it. This is a separate document from the establishment card issued by the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security, which opens the residence file — we arrange both in the correct order |
| New Work Permit | Issuing the permit through the ministry’s system, following the application and completing the required documents and steps |
| Employment Contracts and Renewals | Drafting the employment contract and registering it with the ministry for private-sector companies and their staff, and renewing it before it expires |
| Updating the Establishment File | Updating the company’s record with the ministry after a change to the trade licence, the owners or the authorised signatories, so that it matches what has been approved at the economic department and on the ICP establishment card |
| Cancelling Work Permits and Contracts | Cancelling permits and contracts issued by the ministry when employment ends, and completing the steps that follow |
| Labour Complaint – Absence from Work | Notifying the ministry that a worker has been absent for more than seven consecutive days where the employer cannot locate or contact them |
The Legal Framework
Employment in the private sector is governed by Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 Regarding the Regulation of Employment Relationships and its Implementing Regulation issued by Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022. Under Article 6, no worker may be recruited or employed before the ministry has issued their work permit, and a breach exposes the company to a fine starting at AED 100,000 under Article 60 as replaced in 2024.
A worker also stays on the company’s record until the permit and contract are formally cancelled with the ministry. Leaving the job does not end it.
The ministry further requires that a change be made first at the economic department and on the establishment card issued by the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security before the establishment file can be updated. The order of these steps is not an administrative detail but a condition of acceptance, and reversing it sends the application back to the start.
Companies in free zones obtain work permits from their own free zone authority, and some zones operate under separate employment regimes. We will tell you which route applies to your company before we begin.
How We Work
1 — Send the document or describe what you need
Your establishment number or a copy of the trade licence, even if you do not know what the service is called at the ministry.
2 — We identify the right transaction
We assess your case, determine which application achieves your purpose, and whether anything must be completed before it.
3 — We set out documents and cost
The required document list, the government fees, and our own fee.
4 — We prepare and follow through
We draft the application, submit it, follow it to issue and deal with any observations raised on it.
Fees: How They Are Set
MOHRE fees are federal and published, and no single flat amount applies to every company. They depend on the type of permit or transaction and on the company’s classification with the ministry — one of the three categories set by Cabinet Resolution No. 18 of 2022, based on how far the company complies with the legislation and with the Wages Protection System. The gap between a first-category and a third-category company on a single work permit is considerable, which is why we check your classification before quoting.
A note on fees: the amounts payable to the ministry are government fees only. They do not include our professional fee, the charges of approved service centres, the worker protection insurance policy or the bank guarantee that replaces it, other government fees connected with the transaction at the competent authorities — residence visa, Emirates ID and medical fitness testing — or any legal translation the case may require. Fees are subject to change by later resolutions.
What We Need to Start the Review
Your establishment number with the ministry, or a copy of a valid trade licence.
Once we have reviewed the file we will send you the exact document list for your transaction, since requirements differ substantially between opening an establishment record, issuing a work permit and cancelling one.
Common Reasons MOHRE Transactions Stall
- An expired trade licence, or an activity that does not match the profession requested on the permit.
- Authorised signatory details not updated after an amendment to the memorandum of association or a change of manager.
- A name that differs between the passport, the Emirates ID and the trade licence, even by a single letter.
- An open observation on the establishment file that suspends the company’s services with the ministry.
- The wrong route taken: an application that does not achieve the purpose, or one that depends on a step not yet completed.
Why Instant PRO
Experience
Practical experience in Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation transactions for private-sector companies.
Speed
We prepare the application and follow it through to issue, so your management does not have to.
Considered Fees
Balanced fees, set out before we start rather than after the transaction is done.
A Long-Term Relationship
We work with our corporate clients over the long term and on their recurring transactions, not on one-off jobs.
An Office in Business Bay
Office 805, Opal Tower, Business Bay, Dubai — Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 6 PM.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which MOHRE services do you handle?
Opening the establishment record and issuing the establishment card, issuing new work permits, drafting and renewing employment contracts, updating the establishment file, cancelling work permits and contracts, and filing absence-from-work labour complaints.
What is the difference between a work permit and a residence visa?
A work permit is issued by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation and allows a worker to be employed by a specific company. A residence visa is issued by the competent residency authority — the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security, or the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai — and allows the person to reside in the country. They are two consecutive procedures before two different authorities, each with its own fees, and neither substitutes for the other.
Do you serve free zone companies?
Work permits for free zone employees are issued by the free zone authority rather than the ministry, and some zones operate under separate employment regimes. Send us your licence and we will tell you which route applies to you.
How much does a transaction cost?
It varies with the type of transaction and your company’s classification with the ministry, and the government fee is only part of the total, as set out in the note above. We will give you the cost for your specific transaction once we have reviewed the file.
I don’t know which service I need. What should I do?
Send us the trade licence or describe your situation in a sentence, and we will identify the transaction and its requirements before any fee is paid.
Next Step
Start with the right application
If you are not certain which application is required, or who has authority to sign on behalf of the company, send us your establishment number or a copy of the trade licence. We will review it and come back to you with the next step.
WhatsApp: +971 56 232 7778
Office 805, Opal Tower, Business Bay, Dubai — Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 6 PM
- The right transaction identified
- Full document list
- Cost before you start