The UAE consistently ranks as one of the best places for expats to live and work. A stable government, crime-free environment and strong connectivity to the rest of the globe with worldclass airlines and airports are some of the strong reasons why millions of expats choose to make the UAE their home.
Moreover, unlike other countries, it’s easy to live in the UAE even if one doesn’t speak Arabic, the local language.
According to the Expat Insider 2024 report by InterNations, the UAE ranks 3rd out of 53 countries on the Quality of Life sub-index, 6th in the Working Abroad sub-index, 1st on the Expat Essentials sub-index, and 16th on the Ease of Settling In sub-index, giving it an overall ranking of 10 out of 53.
According to the report, nearly nine in 10 respondents (86 percent) agree that the government supports policies to protect the environment (vs. 61 percent worldwide). Moreover, 91 percent rate the infrastructure for cars positively (vs. 73 percent globally). Therefore, it’s not surprising that talent from all around the world is looking for employment opportunities in the UAE.
To facilitate this, the UAE government has rolled out a jobseeker visa. With the help of this visa, foreign nationals can come to the UAE to search for a job without requiring a host/sponsor in the country, for one trip.
The jobseeker visa has a validity of 60, 90 or 120 days.
Eligibility for a UAE jobseeker visa
According to the ICP, to get a visit visa for the purpose of exploring job opportunities, the applicant must fulfil the following conditions:
- He/she must be either in the first, second or third skill level as per the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) professional levels of jobs, or a graduate from the best 500 universities in the world according to the classification approved by the Ministry of Education and must have graduated within the last two years.
- He/she must hold a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent
- He/she must fulfil the prescribed financial guarantee
Required documents
- A coloured photo
- A copy of the applicant’s passport. The passport should be valid for at least six months.
- Qualification certificate (attested).
Where to apply?
The application can be submitted via the ICP application or website, customer happiness centers, or typing centers.
How much time does it take to get the jobseeker visa?
If all the documents are in order, you should receive the visa in 48 hours.
What is the fee?
According to the ICP, the following fee needs to be paid:
- Request fee: AED100
- Issue fee: AED200 (60-day visa), AED300 (90-day visa), AED400 (120-day visa)
- Security deposit: AED1,025
- E-services fee: AED28
- ICP fee: AED22
- Smart services fee: AED100
- Visa insurance fees: AED80
Meanwhile, the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) in Dubai, has listed a slightly different fee structure on its website.
- 60-day visa fee: AED200
- 90-day visa fee: AED300
- 120-day visa fee: AED400
(In addition to 5 percent value added tax)
Fee for financial guarantees:
- Security amount: AED1,000
- Warranty service fee: AED20
- Fee for collection and return of the guarantee: AED40
Additional fees (if the sponsored person is inside the country):
- Knowledge fee: AED10
- Innovation fee: AED10
- Fee inside the country: AED500
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