3 Year Employment Visa Price | Detailed Guide

Dubai’s shimmering towers and a busy economy continue to captivate expatriates from all over the globe, establishing the emirate as a thriving pool of international talent. For anybody who wishes to pursue a career in this upbeat city, getting a valid employment visa is the foremost step and serves as the legal basis for both work and residence. As the UAE casts a net for more flexible and long-term residency options, the 3-year employment visa is slowly making its way to popularity. Understanding the associated costs becomes imperative to both potential employees and the firms hiring them, so that the move into the Dubai workforce can be an open and smooth transition. This guide discusses every financial detail of the 3-year employment visa as a step-by-step account of what to expect.

1. What Is a 3-Year Employment Visa in Dubai?

A 3-year employment visa is a residence permit that lets a foreign national live and work legally in the UAE for three years for a sponsoring employer. Long-term visas are favored among foreigners who work in free zones in Dubai. Free zones are special kinds of economic areas where business-friendly measures are offered, such as tax exemption and 100% foreign ownership.

The visa is sponsored by an employer, which could be a mainland company registered with the DED, a free zone entity, or a government body. To be eligible to sponsor employees, a company must hold a valid trade license and have no outstanding violations. In turn, the work the employee is hired for must also be aligned with the company’s registered business activities. The visa grants the holder full residency rights, including the ability to open bank accounts, lease property, and access government services. It thus attracts expatriates seeking a longer-term career commitment in Dubai.

2. Eligibility Criteria & Application Overview

A candidate for a 3-year employment visa is required to satisfy some major requirements. Applicants must be 18 years old or above, possess the academic or professional qualifications required for that position, and present a formal job offer from an employer in the UAE. A medical fitness test is obligatory to check for communicable diseases.

The sponsoring company also has eligibility criteria, mainly a valid trade license and compliance with the regulations of the MoHRE or free zone authority.

The application process varies between the mainland and free zone companies. Mainland applications go through MoHRE, while a free zone will process applications with its respective free zone authority, which is less tedious and faster. The visa is renewable after expiry, and a provision exists for changing sponsorship from one employer to another, respecting certain conditions.

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3. Factors Affecting 3-Year Visa Cost

The cost of a 3-year employment visa isn’t a set, single figure, but is influenced by several factors:

• Type of Employer: Costs vary between mainland companies and free zone entities. Free zones can often provide bundled services within such packages, which might be cheaper at times.
• Worker Category and Skill Level: The UAE classifies employees based on their qualifications (i.e., bachelor’s degree, diploma, high school). Government fees for labour permits are usually lower for higher-skilled categories.
• Nationality and Age: While not much of that matters, employees above the age of 65 do attract an additional AED 5,000 surcharge.
• Insurance, Health Screening, and Emirates ID: The health insurance obligatory costs vary a lot depending on the choice of coverage. The medical fitness tests have regular or express VIP services at different price levels. The Emirates ID fee coincides with the visa duration.
• Sponsorship Responsibility: An employer is legally bound to pay any costs associated with the visa per UAE Labour Law. Any deductions thereof from a salary are illegal. However, it is important to verify this with the employment contract for every prospective employee.
• Additional Services: The cost for optional services, such as urgent processing or in-country status changes if the applicant is already in the UAE on a tourist visa.

4. Cost Breakdown for a 3-Year Employment Visa (Mainland Example)

The estimated expenditure for a 3-year employment visa can generally vary between AED 3,500 and AED 8,000. This approximation is unbiased, and the variation of the price mainly depends on the factors mentioned above, especially labour category fees.

Below is an approximate breakdown of the component costs:

• Entry Permit/Work Permit: Ranging from AED 250 to AED 3,450, will completely depend on the company’s classification and the employee’s skill level. An initial approval fee of AED 200 will also be applicable.
• Medical Test and Fitness Certificate: Standard medical testing generally costs AED 300- 500.
• Health Insurance: Health insurance is a necessary and variable cost, usually ranging from AED 700 to AED 1,500 or above per annum for a basic plan.
• Visa Processing and Stamping: The fee for stamping the residence visa in the passport is about AED 500-AED 1,000.
• Emirates ID (3 years): The cost for a 3-year Emirates ID is around AED 470-AED 480.
• Labour and Government Fees:  Labour and Government fees are the most variable component, somewhere between AED 300 and AED 5,000, depending on the employee’s skill category (for example, degree holder to unskilled labourer).
• Additional Costs: This amount should include miscellaneous expenses for document typing, translation, and courier services, which can add up to AED 250-AED 350.
• Security Deposit: In some job categories, a refundable security deposit up to AED 2,000 might be required. This deposit has now been largely replaced with an insurance scheme.

Who Pays? The employer is legally responsible for covering all these costs. The optional extras that an employee might choose, for instance, VIP medical testing to obtain faster results, would normally have to be paid by the worker.

5. Free Zone vs. Mainland: Cost & Features Comparison

Free zones and mainland companies present different costs and benefits to consider. Getting a 3-year employment visa in a free zone would typically cost around AED 3,500 to AED 7,500.

Free Zone Features:

• Pros: The entire process is quicker and smoother, given that free zone authorities act as a single-stop provider for most approvals. Many free zones run bundle packages, covering visas, Emirates ID, and medical testing, thus giving better clarity on costs. Free zones provide various support services for businesses.
• Cons: The visa of an employee is strictly attached to the free zone company, making it more difficult to transfer to another job in the mainland or to another free zone. The operations of the company are also generally restricted within that free zone and to the international market.

Mainland Features:

• Pros: The mainland visa grants employees and companies far more flexibility to work anywhere within the UAE or to carry on business anywhere within the UAE without restrictions.
• Cons: The procedure can be slightly complicated as it will attract approval from various government bodies like the MoHRE and the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA).

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6. Total Cost for Different Job Classes

Employee skill level is one of the major factors in determining the final visa costs, mainly because of the variable labour card fees by MoHRE.

• Professional/Skilled (Category 1): Those with a bachelor’s degree or better belong to this category. They generally incur the least labour card fees, usually in the region of AED 300 to AED 600. However, higher initial costs related to the mandatory attestation of their university degrees may exist. The total cost of obtaining a visa could be within AED 4,000-AED 5,500.
• Mid-Skill (Category 2): This category is for workers who have attained a diploma after secondary education. The government fees are moderate, and labour card costs are anywhere from AED 600 to AED 2,000. In terms of total visa costs, it would probably be somewhere between AED 5,000 and AED 6,500.
• Unskilled (Category 3): This category is imposed on those with a high school diploma or even less, and is imposed by the highest government and labour charges, which can reach up to AED 5,000. This is, however, an incentive to promote companies to hire skilled labour. Therefore, the total visa cost can reach AED 7,000 to AED 8,000 or even higher.

7. What Does the 3-Year Visa Allow You?

3-Year Employment Travel Visa grants Dubai promotion benefits for a full expatriate life. Underneath are the key entitlements:

• The legal right to stay and work in the UK for the duration of the visa.
• A personal bank account, loan accommodation, and other financial facilities.
• Apartments or villas can be rented out for residence.
• An application for a UAE driver’s license.
• The capability of sponsoring immediate family (spouse and children) on a dependent visa, though the sponsor must fulfil applicable minimum charges.
• Renewable, granting an avenue for a long-term stay in Dubai.

8. Step-by-Step Application Guide

Managed by the employer (sponsor), the application procedure proceeds as follows:

• Job Offer and Contract: The job offer formally accepted by the employee bears the signature of the employment contract.
• Work Permit Approval: The application for the work permit and visa quota approval is made by the employer through GDRFA or the relevant authority of the free zone.
• Entry Permit Issuance: After the Work permit gets approval, the employment entry visa is issued. This permits the employee to enter the UAE if they are outside. If the employee is already in the UAE (e.g., on a tourist visa), an “in-country status change” may be performed.
• Medical and Biometrics: After entry or status change, the employee is required to undergo mandatory medical fitness examinations and submit biometric records (fingerprints and photo) for the Emirates ID.
• Emirates ID Application: Application for the Emirates ID.
• Visa Stamping: After passing a medical examination, the employer submits all documents to the GDRFA in order to get a residence visa stamped in the passport of the employee.
• Card Collection: The Emirates ID card is issued and collected.

The whole process, from application to stamping of the visa, normally takes from 2 weeks to 6 weeks.

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9. Key Benefits of a Long-Term Employment Visa

For expatriates intending to settle down in Dubai, the 3-year employment visa is heavily vindicated:

• Stability:  It guarantees 3 years of uninterrupted residency and job security while preventing companies from renewing their business at frequent intervals.
• Family Security: It gives security for families to apply for and live together.
• Career Planning: This visa suits professionals who are more interested in their career growth within the local community.

10. Renewal, Cancellation & Legal Notes

• Renewal: The renewal of the visa must be done before the expiration. The renewal process is almost the same as the initial application, which requires a new medical test and Emirates ID renewal. The costs are generally more or less the same as the initial application fees.
• Cancellation: If an employee leaves his/her job, the employer must cancel the employment visa through either GDRFA or the relevant free zone authority. The employee must also sign stating that he/she has received all the dues for this last settlement.
• Overstay Penalties: After the cancellation of the visa, a grace period of generally 28-30 days is allowed for exiting the UAE or getting a new visa. Daily fines are levied on those who overstay this period.
• Job Transfer: A job transfer is possible. It typically involves cancelling the previous visa and immediately applying for a new one, but in some cases, there may be a direct transfer without the need to leave the country. All expenses for the new visa are to be borne by the new employer.

11. Frequently Asked Questions

Who pays the visa cost?
By law in the UAE, all employment visa-related costs are borne entirely by the employer. They cannot be shared with the employee.

Can the visa be transferred between employers?
Yes, the employee can change the company. The procedure normally requires the previous employer to cancel the existing visa, and then the employer is expected to apply for a new visa on behalf of the employee. A No Objection Certificate (NOC) may be asked for from the previous employer.

Is a medical test mandatory for each renewal?
Yes, medical fitness tests will be performed on every renewal of the visa to make sure no communicable diseases exist in the applicant.

Are there separate costs for dependents?
Yes, there is a separate visa application process for sponsoring a wife, children, or any other dependents, along with its own set of fees for entry permits, medical tests (for adults), Emirates ID, and health insurance.

Is the 3-year visa available in all free zones?
Most areas offer a two-year visa as standard; however, the three-year visa appears to be a preferred option, especially in more established free zones. To confirm the standard period, it is better to check among the relevant free zone authorities.

12. Tips for Managing and Reducing Visa Costs

Although the employer is legally responsible for all visa costs, employees must understand the costs involved.

• Seek All-Inclusive Packages: Before accepting a job offer, ask whether it has a full benefits package that includes processing the visa, without hidden costs from view.
• Compare Free Zone vs. Mainland: Show entrepreneurial acumen, or for those with an employer choice, it is humanly insightful to compare these two overall establishment and operational costs: free zone versus mainland.
• Negotiate and Clarify: Have it clear in your contract that the employer is to bear the costs of any visas and recruitment fees as mandated by law.
• Use Official Channels: Third parties often add a huge markup when something can be had for a much cheaper price. Instead, let the employer’s PRO (Public Relations Officer) or HR department facilitate the processes through government channels.

Conclusion

The 3-year employment visa proves to be the best asset one can have to build a career in Dubai. With its possession, it lays the foundations for very stable professional growth and personal life. Knowing all the various components that make up the whole price, from government fees and medical tests to insurance and skill-level classifications, helps with efficient planning by employees and employers alike. After all, it is the employer that has to bear the financial brunt of such obligations, but an empowered employee will find it easy to deal with the change in career direction. However, before embarking on the process, verify with official government sources or reputed immigration consultants for the latest regulations and fee schedules.

How Arnifi Can Help?

Going through a 3-year employment visa in Dubai can be quite tricky, but Arnifi takes the hassle out of it for your company. As an Employer of Record (EOR), Arnifi manages the entire visa procedure, which involves work permits, medical tests, and applications for Emirates IDs. Clear and upfront pricing helps you control costs and, in all likelihood, save additional steps with the avoidance of hidden fees. Arnifi’s experience in UAE employment laws guarantees complete compliance, allowing you to continue focusing on your core business while they do the heavy lifting with the administration of visas for your personnel.