Topic Summary
Can You Sponsor Domestic Workers on a Free Zone Company Visa and Why It Matters
A free zone company visa lets you live in the UAE, but the company doesn't sponsor household staff. You do, as an individual resident, through MOHRE-licensed Tadbeer centres, provided your income, housing and visa status meet the rules.
Which Authority Governs Domestic Worker Sponsorship in Dubai
Which Authority Governs Domestic Worker Sponsorship in Dubai
Eligibility: Can You Sponsor Domestic Workers on a Free Zone Company Visa?
Generally you need a valid residence visa, qualifying income, suitable accommodation and a clean sponsor record. Thresholds change, so confirm current figures with MOHRE and GDRFA first.
Process to Sponsor Domestic Workers as a Free Zone Owner
Confirm eligibility, pick a Tadbeer centre, sign the contract, obtain the entry permit, then finish medical, Emirates ID and visa after arrival.
Costs and Common Delays for a Domestic Worker
Budget for the Tadbeer package, visa and medical charges, insurance, salary and housing. First-year totals typically land between AED 15,000 and AED 22,000, as covered in sponsoring a domestic worker as a company owner .
Securing the Right Residence Visa: Can You Sponsor Domestic Workers on a Free Zone Company Visa After Setup?
Yes, once your license delivers a residence visa. Dubai South Business Hub Free Zone offers company formation, trade licenses and residency visa packages, with licenses starting at AED 12,500 (Dubai South Business Hub, 2026).
Next Steps
So, can you sponsor domestic workers on a free zone company visa? Not via the company, but personally, once your visa, income and housing meet MOHRE and GDRFA rules. Speak with the Dubai South Business Hub team to set up your license and residency package, then prepare your household file.
In 2026, over 146,000 domestic worker visas are active across the UAE (UAE Government Portal, 2026). Yet many founders still ask: can you sponsor domestic workers on a free zone company visa? Not through the company. You sponsor them personally as a resident. This guide shows founders how to do it without rejections.
Can You Sponsor Domestic Workers on a Free Zone Company Visa and Why It Matters
A free zone company visa lets you live in the UAE, but the company doesn't sponsor household staff. You do, as an individual resident, through MOHRE-licensed Tadbeer centres, provided your income, housing and visa status meet the rules.
Company Visa Versus Personal Sponsorship
Company quotas cover staff who work for the license. Say a founder holds a Dubai South Business Hub Free Zone license and hires a nanny. The nanny's file sits under the founder's name, not the company's.
Company Employee Visa Versus Domestic Worker Sponsorship
Feature | Company Employee Visa | Domestic Worker Sponsorship |
|---|---|---|
Sponsor | The licensed company | You, as an individual resident |
Purpose of hire | Staff working for the business | Private household help such as a nanny or housemaid |
Governing authority | Free zone authority, MOHRE and GDRFA as applicable | MOHRE and GDRFA Dubai |
Quota or eligibility basis | Establishment card quota | Sponsor visa, income and housing |
Where it is processed | Through the company's free zone | Tadbeer centre, then GDRFA |
Why Founders Get This Wrong
They confuse the investor visa with a company quota.
They assume the company can sponsor directly.
They skip housing and salary checks.
One founder tried adding a housemaid to the company quota. The system rejected it as a category mismatch.
Which Authority Governs Domestic Worker Sponsorship in Dubai
MOHRE regulates contracts and licenses Tadbeer centres, while GDRFA Dubai issues the entry permit and residence visa. ICP keeps federal residency records. Your free zone doesn't process household visas.
Tadbeer centres handle recruitment and contract registration. Your duties cover wages, accommodation, rest days and repatriation terms (MOHRE, 2026). A worker arrives on an entry permit, finishes medical testing, then receives the residence stamp and Emirates ID (GDRFA Dubai, 2026). The UAE domestic worker visa guide covers the contract in detail.
Eligibility: Can You Sponsor Domestic Workers on a Free Zone Company Visa?
Generally you need a valid residence visa, qualifying income, suitable accommodation and a clean sponsor record. Thresholds change, so confirm current figures with MOHRE and GDRFA first.
Active residence visa tied to your license.
Salary certificate or bank statements.
Ejari tenancy contract in your name, with a room for the worker.
Passport, Emirates ID, photographs and the signed contract.
Align family status first. If you're sponsoring a spouse too, see family sponsorship for UAE business owners.
Process to Sponsor Domestic Workers as a Free Zone Owner
Confirm eligibility, pick a Tadbeer centre, sign the contract, obtain the entry permit, then finish medical, Emirates ID and visa after arrival.
Check visa validity, income and housing, then compare two centres' packages.
Register the MOHRE-standard contract and pay fees. GDRFA issues the entry permit.
After arrival, complete the medical test, biometrics, Emirates ID and visa stamping.
The Musaned and domestic worker sponsorship guide lists the documents to bring.
Costs and Common Delays for a Domestic Worker
Budget for the Tadbeer package, visa and medical charges, insurance, salary and housing. First-year totals typically land between AED 15,000 and AED 22,000, as covered in sponsoring a domestic worker as a company owner.
Keep this separate from employee visa cost in Dubai for free zone companies. Rejections usually come from:
An expired or cancelled sponsor visa.
Ejari not in your name.
Income proof that doesn't match records.
Fix the tenancy, resubmit, and the file normally moves.
Securing the Right Residence Visa: Can You Sponsor Domestic Workers on a Free Zone Company Visa After Setup?
Yes, once your license delivers a residence visa. Dubai South Business Hub Free Zone offers company formation, trade licenses and residency visa packages, with licenses starting at AED 12,500 (Dubai South Business Hub, 2026).
The order matters: license, residence visa, then personal sponsorship. Keep the company active and renew on time so sponsor status doesn't lapse (ICP, 2026). Business quotas stay separate, so map office hires and household needs together before choosing a package.
Next Steps
So, can you sponsor domestic workers on a free zone company visa? Not via the company, but personally, once your visa, income and housing meet MOHRE and GDRFA rules. Speak with the Dubai South Business Hub team to set up your license and residency package, then prepare your household file.
References
Frequently Asked Questions
