UAE Visit Visa to Residence Visa: New Legal Requirements Explained for UAE Jobseekers

July 20,2025 | Dubai, UAE: As per revised federal regulations of UAE visit visa to residence visa, those presently on a visit visa in the UAE must finish the official change from a visit visa to a residence visa before starting any job. The UAE government has once again underlined that employers operating without appropriate authorization face a serious infraction, with fines up to AED 100,000.

This instruction is part of a larger reform of the UAE residency process meant to control employment and ensure compliance throughout industries. Before legally starting work, if a job offer is made while the person possesses a visit visa, they have to begin the UAE visit visa to residence visa conversion.

Employers in the Emirates must now secure a valid work permit from the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) and handle the UAE residency process on behalf of their new recruits.

Legal Criteria for Starting Residency

Under Article 6(1) of Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Employment Relations, nobody is permitted to work in the United Arab Emirates without a current work permit. Article 5(4) of Federal Decree Law No. 29 of 2021 on Entry and Residence of Foreigners further emphasizes that foreign nationals should not work unless formally permitted.

The UAE visit visa to residence visa transition for persons holding a visit visa who get a job offer starts with the potential employer seeking a work permit from MoHRE. Once authorized, the employer must then seek for a residency entry permit, which legally begins the UAE residency process.

Until the residency visa is issued and stamped on their passport, candidates are not permitted to legally start employment. Working before finishing the UAE visit visa to residence visa change is against the law.

Under the amended Article 60(1)(a) of the Employment Law, as modified by Federal Decree Law No. 9 of 2024, firms who hire people without valid permits expose themselves to hefty fines ranging from AED 100,000 to AED 1 million.

Step-by-step instructions from UAE Visit Visa To Residence Visa

Those now in the UAE on a visit visa who have gotten a job offer need to take the following actions to conform with the UAE residency process:

• Inform the employer of your present visa status and ask that the work permit procedure be started.
• An application for a MoHRE work permit is submitted by the employer.
• Once accepted, the employer gets an entry permit for residency.
• Applicant undergoes medical screening, Emirates ID registration, and biometric verification.
• The residence visa is stamped in the applicant’s passport.

This procedure completes the legal transfer from UAE visit visa to residence visa, therefore enabling the candidate to start a job legally.

Under Article 6 of Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022, freelance, part-time, temporary, and full-time work permits are available, therefore offering flexibility depending on the character of the job. All categories, however, need completion of the UAE residency process before job may start.

Employers are urged to cooperate closely with approved typing centers or legal counsel to guarantee accurate documentation and prevent delays in the UAE visit visa to residence visa process.

The UAE’s recent focus on boosting immigration and compliance with labor regulations fits national goals of simplifying the labor market and safeguarding employers and jobseekers.

Officials ask visit visa holders not to start working without correct permission or to accept employment offers informally. Legal safeguards for all parties and labor market honesty are guaranteed by the UAE residency system.

With a zero-tolerance policy on businesses that break the rules, authorities have stepped up audits and inspections across industries. Before the employee starts any responsibilities, employers must finish the whole UAE visit visa to residency conversion.

UAE-based job seekers on visit visas must first wait for the UAE residency process to be finished and a residency visa etched before beginning any employment. Compliance with the employment regulations of the UAE not only protects individual employees but also ensures long-term labor stability.

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