UAE: Moving to Dubai for work? Here's how to bring your family with you

Question: I have been offered a job in the UAE and am planning to come there soon. Can you please explain if I can bring my wife and two kids when I come? What kind of documents would I require?

Answer: Pursuant to your queries, it is assumed that you have received an employment offer from a company based in the mainland of Dubai and your prospective employer is sponsoring your UAE residency visa.

Therefore, the provisions of Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Employment Relations, Cabinet Resolution No.1 of 2022 on the Implementation of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 Regarding the Regulation of Employment Relations, Administrative Resolution No. 38 of 2022 Concerning the Guidelines for Implementing Ministerial Resolution 46 of 2022 Regarding Work Permits, Offer Letters and Employment Contract Forms and Federal Decree Law No. 29 of 2021 Regarding Entry and Residence of Foreigners are applicable.

In the UAE, an employer may recruit an individual who is outside the UAE and obtain a work permit to enable an employee to commence work with an employer. This is in accordance with Article 6(1) (a) of the Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022, which states, “Subject to the provisions of Article 6 of the Decree Law, the types of work permit shall be determined as follows:

a. Work permit (recruitment of an employee from outside the state): This type of permit allows establishments registered with the Ministry to recruit an employee from outside the state.”

Furthermore, Article 6 of the Employment Law states the conditions for recruiting an employee in the UAE and Administrative Resolution No. 38 of 2022 stipulates the guidelines and procedures related to work permits, offer letter and employment contracts.

Based on the aforementioned provisions of law, it is assumed that you are recruited by your prospective employer as a full-time employee as mentioned in Article 7 (1) (a) of the Employment Law, which states

“The models of work contract shall be as follows:

Full time: working for one employer for the full hours of work throughout the working days.”

Once your prospective employer obtains a work permit to employ you in the UAE, it will apply for your UAE residency (entry permit) as your sponsor to reside in the UAE. You may only travel to the UAE on the entry permit sponsored by your prospective employer which is issued by the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs -Dubai (GDRFA). However, you may consider bringing your family (wife and your two children) along with you on visit visas to UAE so they can reside with you in the UAE.

Thereafter, you may change your family’s visa status in the UAE and apply for their residency visas once you complete all the formalities of obtaining your work permit and residency visa in the UAE. As a resident of the UAE, you may sponsor your family residency visa in the UAE. This is in accordance with Article 9 of the UAE Immigration Law, which states "A foreigner who has obtained a residence permit in the State may recruit in his family members in accordance with the controls and conditions determined in the Executive Regulations of this Decree Law'

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