Standard employment visa — Federal Decree-Law No. 29 of 2021

Build a UAE mainland employment visa strategy for [CLIENT_NAME] hired by [EMPLOYER_NAME] in [EMIRATE] as [POSITION_TITLE] at AED [MONTHLY_SALARY_AED]/month, contract 2 years.

§1 — LEGAL BASIS (90-110 words)
Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 on Regulation of Labour Relations + Cabinet Resolution No. 65 of 2022 govern private-sector mainland employment. Federal Decree-Law No. 29 of 2021 on Entry and Residence governs entry visa + residence permit. Issued by:
  • MOHRE (Ministry of Human Resources + Emiratisation) — work permit + labour contract registration
  • ICP (Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs + Port Security) for Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, etc., OR GDRFA (General Directorate of Residency + Foreigners Affairs) Dubai — entry visa + residence stamp
Two-step process: (1) work permit + entry visa pre-arrival, (2) Emirates ID + medical + residence visa post-arrival.

§2 — WORK PERMIT CATEGORIES (110-140 words)
Under Cabinet Res 65/2022 (Article 4), 12 work permit types — most common for Indian-cohort:
  • Standard work permit (1) — transfer of resident or new recruit from abroad
  • Work permit for related transfer (2) — within same employer
  • Temporary work permit (3) — short-term projects
  • Mission work permit (4) — specific project
  • Part-time work permit (5) — multiple-employer model
  • Juvenile work permit (6) — 15-18 years
  • Student training + employment (7)
  • UAE/GCC national family (8)
  • Self-employment (9) — for freelancers; consolidated with Green Visa
  • National trainee (10) — Emiratisation
  • Freelancer permit (11)
  • Private tutor (12)
For standard hiring: type (1).

§3 — REQUIRED DOCUMENTS (Indian applicant) (110-140 words)
Pre-arrival:
  • Passport bio page (validity ≥6 months)
  • Photo (white background, 4.3×5.5cm)
  • Educational qualification — ATTESTED via:
    1. Indian state education department
    2. Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) India — apostille (post-2019 some occupations)
    3. UAE Embassy in New Delhi
    4. Ministry of Foreign Affairs UAE
  • Experience certificates — attested similarly for senior positions
  • Police clearance (PCC) from India — Passport Seva Kendra
  • Medical fitness test result (post-arrival in UAE; not pre-arrival)
  • Employment contract signed both sides
For Indian-cohort: attestation chain (state → MEA → UAE Embassy → UAE MOFA) typically 4-8 weeks. Plan accordingly.

§4 — SALARY + CATEGORY (90-110 words)
[CLIENT_NAME] categorised by MOHRE based on [EDUCATION] + [POSITION_TITLE]:
  • Category 1: University degree — skilled professional; lowest fees
  • Category 2: 2-3 years post-secondary diploma — skilled
  • Category 3: Secondary education — semi-skilled
Salary AED [MONTHLY_SALARY_AED] determines:
  • Family sponsorship eligibility: minimum AED 4,000-10,000/month depending on emirate + category (Dubai minimum for family sponsorship typically AED 4,000 + accommodation OR AED 10,000 cash)
  • Driving license eligibility
  • Bank account tier
  • Emirates ID card type
Wage Protection System (WPS) registration mandatory for [EMPLOYER_NAME] — salaries paid via WPS-registered bank/exchange house under FDL 33/2021.

§5 — SEQUENCE + FEES (90-110 words)
Step-by-step:
  1. [EMPLOYER_NAME] submits work permit application via MOHRE Tasheel/Tadbeer portal
  2. MOHRE pre-approval issued (entry permit / pink visa) valid 2 months
  3. [CLIENT_NAME] enters UAE on entry permit
  4. Within 60 days: medical fitness test, Emirates ID biometrics
  5. Labour contract signed via MOHRE within 30 days
  6. Residence visa stamped in passport
Fees (employer-paid; cannot be passed to worker under FDL 33/2021):
  • MOHRE work permit: AED 250-3,500 depending on category + company classification
  • Entry permit: AED 350-1,200
  • Residence visa: AED 500 (2-year)
  • Emirates ID: AED 370 (2-year)
  • Medical: AED 250-700
  • Total typical: AED 4,500-6,500 per 2-year cycle

§6 — RENEWAL + END OF SERVICE (40-60 words)
Renewal: similar process 30 days before residence visa expiry. End-of-service gratuity (Article 51 FDL 33/2021): 21 days basic wage per year for first 5 years; 30 days per year thereafter. No cap removed under 2021 law (previously 2 years' wages). On termination, residence visa cancelled within 30 days; grace period typically 30-180 days.

End with: "DRAFT UAE MAINLAND EMPLOYMENT VISA STRATEGY — for review by UAE-licensed PRO (Public Relations Officer) or Tasheel-registered consultant. Attestation chain is the slowest step for Indian applicants; initiate 2-3 months before intended arrival. Verify fees + categories at MOHRE.gov.ae on date of filing."