Sponsoring a Domestic Worker as a Company Owner: Steps, Cost and Common Delays
Topic Summary
Know the True First-Year Cost Upfront
Sponsoring a domestic worker in Dubai costs between AED 15,000 and AED 22,000 in the first year alone. This includes government fees, mandatory insurance, and agency commissions before the worker even arrives.
Three Government Bodies Control the Process
GDRFA issues the residency visa, MOHRE registers the employment contract, and ICP handles the Emirates ID. Each authority runs on its own timeline, so delays in one can stall the others.
Confirm Your Eligibility Before Filing Anything
You need a valid UAE residency visa, a declared monthly salary of at least AED 6,000, a current Emirates ID, and an active company license with no renewal arrears. An expired Emirates ID alone is enough to trigger a silent rejection.
You Sponsor as an Individual, Not a Company
The company license is never the sponsoring entity — the individual investor is personally liable for the worker's welfare, repatriation costs, and end-of-service gratuity. This distinction matters when completing GDRFA application forms.
Federal Law No. 10 of 2017 Sets the Rules
Domestic workers fall under a separate legal framework from commercial employees, with distinct entitlements including a minimum of 57 rest hours per week and annual leave. Sponsors must follow MOHRE-regulated contracts under this law.
Accommodation Must Be Formally Documented
An Ejari-registered tenancy contract proving adequate accommodation is a required document in the sponsorship application. Without it, the application cannot proceed regardless of other eligibility criteria being met.
Household Size Caps at Three Domestic Workers
GDRFA limits most households to a maximum of three sponsored domestic workers at any one time. The minimum income threshold also rises with each additional worker you add to the sponsorship.
The first-year cost of sponsoring a domestic worker in Dubai lands between AED 15,000 and AED 22,000, and that figure arrives before the worker boards a single flight. Stack up the entry permit (AED 500–700), medical fitness test (AED 300–500), Emirates ID (AED 370), visa stamping (AED 500), mandatory insurance (AED 1,080–1,800 per year), and a mid-tier recruitment agency commission (AED 5,000–12,000), and the budget fills fast. The sponsoring domestic worker Dubai process involves three separate government authorities: GDRFA controls the residency visa, MOHRE administers the employment contract, and ICP issues the Emirates ID. Each runs on its own timeline.
This guide covers exactly who qualifies as a sponsor, what every stage costs, which documents you need, and where delays typically stack up, so you can plan the budget and timeline before you touch a single application form.
What Is Sponsoring a Domestic Worker in Dubai and Who Can Do It
Sponsoring a domestic worker in Dubai means a UAE resident assumes legal responsibility for a household employee's visa, accommodation, and welfare under a MOHRE-regulated contract. Company owners qualify provided their license is active, their residency visa is valid, and their declared salary meets the minimum income threshold set by GDRFA.
The Legal Framework Behind Domestic Worker Sponsorship
UAE Federal Law No. 10 of 2017 governs domestic workers specifically. It sits entirely separate from Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, which covers commercial employees, so the rules, entitlements, and dispute routes are different. Under Federal Law No. 10 of 2017, the law mandates a minimum of 57 rest hours per week for domestic workers, annual leave entitlements, and end-of-service gratuity (MOHRE, 2017).
Two authorities split the administrative work. MOHRE handles contract registration, rest entitlement enforcement, and dispute resolution. GDRFA controls the residency visa issuance and entry permit. The sponsor, always the individual, not the company, is personally liable for the worker's welfare, repatriation costs, and gratuity.
A free zone company owner holding a valid investor visa and earning above the income threshold can sponsor a live-in housekeeper under this framework. The company license itself is not the sponsoring entity; the individual investor is. That distinction matters when you're filling in GDRFA forms.
Eligibility Criteria for Company Owners
Before filing anything, confirm you meet all four criteria GDRFA checks:
Valid UAE residency visa, an investor or partner visa tied to an active free zone license qualifies
Minimum monthly salary of AED 6,000 declared to GDRFA for a single domestic worker; the threshold rises with each additional worker
Current Emirates ID, an expired ID is a silent rejection trigger
Active company license with no outstanding renewal arrears
Ejari-registered tenancy contract proving adequate accommodation
Maximum of 3 domestic workers per household in most cases (GDRFA)
Company owners without personal UAE residency, for example, those still on a visit visa while their investor visa is processing, cannot sponsor a domestic worker until their own residency stamp is in the passport. A founder who has set up a company in Dubai on a 2 Visa Package holds an investor visa and meets the AED 6,000 income threshold; they can proceed immediately once their Emirates ID is issued.
Sponsoring Domestic Worker Dubai: What the Full Cost Breaks Down To
The total first-year cost of sponsoring a domestic worker in Dubai typically falls between AED 15,000 and AED 22,000. One-off government fees cover the entry permit, medical, Emirates ID, and visa stamping. Recurring costs include the annual insurance policy and any renewal fees due at the two-year mark.
One-Off Government Fees
A domestic worker recruited from the Philippines and entering on a new entry permit will typically trigger all five fee categories below, putting the government-fee component alone at roughly AED 2,100 to AED 2,850 (fees confirmed via GDRFA and ICP, 2026).
Fee Item | Indicative Cost (AED) |
|---|---|
Entry permit application | 500–700 |
Status change fee (if worker is already in UAE on visit visa) | 500–750 |
Medical fitness test (DHA or MOHAP approved centre) | 300–500 |
Emirates ID (two-year card) | 370 |
Visa stamping | ~500 |
Note: Fees confirmed via gdrfad.gov.ae and icp.gov.ae | Total: ~AED 2,100–2,850 |
Recurring Costs and What Is Not Included
Government fees are only part of the picture. A company owner using a mid-tier recruitment agency and purchasing standard Takaful insurance should budget an additional AED 6,000 to AED 14,000 on top of government fees in year one, before salary.
Domestic Worker Sponsorship Cost Breakdown: One-Off vs Recurring
Cost Item | One-Off Cost | Recurring Cost |
|---|---|---|
Entry permit fee | AED 500–700 (paid once per visa cycle) | Repeats at two-year renewal |
Status change fee (if applicable) | AED 500–750 (only if worker is already in UAE) | Not applicable at renewal if worker exits and re-enters |
Medical fitness test | AED 300–500 per visa cycle | Required again at two-year renewal |
Emirates ID (two-year card) | AED 370 at initial application | AED 370 every two years at renewal |
Visa stamping | ~AED 500 per visa cycle | Repeats at two-year renewal |
Mandatory insurance (Takaful or conventional) | First premium at setup | AED 1,080–1,800 every year |
Recruitment agency commission | AED 5,000–12,000 (paid once at recruitment) | Not recurring unless worker is replaced |
End-of-service gratuity | Not due until contract ends | Accrues at one month's wage per year of service |
NOT INCLUDED: Airfare | Varies by source country; not part of any government fee schedule. Budget separately. |
Step-by-Step Guide to Sponsoring a Domestic Worker in Dubai
Sponsoring a domestic worker in Dubai follows six sequential stages: confirming eligibility, applying for an entry permit via GDRFA, completing the medical fitness test, registering the MOHRE contract, applying for the Emirates ID through ICP, and collecting the residency visa stamp. Each stage involves a separate authority and carries its own processing window. This sponsoring domestic dubai guide walks through each one.
Step 1: Confirm Eligibility and Prepare Documents
Before anything else, assemble this checklist:
Sponsor's valid Emirates ID (check the expiry date, an expired ID blocks the application silently)
Valid UAE residency visa copy
Active company license with no outstanding renewal arrears
Salary certificate or bank statements showing AED 6,000 or more per month
Ejari-registered tenancy contract as proof of adequate accommodation
Confirmation that the worker's nationality appears on MOHRE's approved domestic worker source-country list
If the worker is already in the UAE: current visa status confirmation and clearance of any overstay fines before proceeding
The AED 6,000 minimum income requirement is non-negotiable at GDRFA. If your bank statements don't clearly show consistent monthly credits at that level, a salary certificate from your company is the cleaner document to submit.
Step 2: Apply for the Entry Permit Through GDRFA
Submit via the GDRFA Dubai smart app or an Amer service centre, the online route is faster and avoids queuing.
Select the domestic worker visa category and upload all sponsor documents.
Standard processing runs 2 to 5 working days; a priority service tier is available for an additional fee.
The issued entry permit is valid for 60 days from the date of issue, the worker must enter the UAE and begin the medical process within that window, or the permit lapses and you restart.
Step 3: Medical Fitness Test and MOHRE Contract Registration
The worker attends an approved DHA or MOHAP clinic for blood tests and a chest X-ray. Results are typically available within 24 to 48 hours (DHA, 2026). A cleared result moves the application forward immediately. A flagged result pauses everything until re-testing or specialist sign-off is complete.
Simultaneously, the MOHRE contract must be signed by both sponsor and worker in Arabic and the worker's own language, then registered via the MOHRE app or a Tasheel centre (MOHRE, 2026). The contract sets salary, rest days, duties, and accommodation terms. Deviating from the signed contract later creates direct legal exposure for the sponsor, so read it carefully before both parties sign.
Step 4: Emirates ID Application and Visa Stamping
Submit the Emirates ID application through ICP, biometrics are captured at an ICP typing centre or authorised service provider (ICP, 2026).
The Emirates ID card is typically ready within 5 to 7 working days.
Once medical clearance, the MOHRE contract registration, and the Emirates ID application are all on file, GDRFA places the residency visa stamp in the worker's passport.
The full cycle from entry permit application to visa stamp typically takes 3 to 6 weeks when no complications arise.
Common Delays When Sponsoring a Domestic Worker in Dubai and How to Avoid Them
The most frequent delays in sponsoring a domestic worker in Dubai stem from medical holds, document mismatches between the GDRFA application and the MOHRE contract, expired sponsor Emirates IDs, and entry permit expiry when the worker's travel is postponed. Each delay adds days to weeks to the overall timeline.
Medical Holds and Re-Testing
Tuberculosis and hepatitis markers are the most common reasons for a medical hold. Re-testing adds 7 to 21 days depending on the condition and clinic availability. Some nationalities have higher rates of flagged results due to endemic conditions in their home countries, this isn't grounds for automatic rejection, but it does pause the clock entirely.
Sponsors can't accelerate the medical re-test outcome. The only practical defence is building buffer time into the entry permit's 60-day window. A domestic worker from a country with higher TB prevalence who tests inconclusive on first screen may need a repeat test and specialist sign-off, pushing a clean 3-week process out to 5 or 6 weeks. If you're cutting it close on the 60-day window, apply for the entry permit only once the worker has confirmed travel dates.
Document Mismatches and Sponsor ID Expiry
These are the administrative delays that are entirely preventable, and yet they're the most common reason for rejection at the document review stage:
Name spelling mismatch: Discrepancies between the passport, GDRFA application, and MOHRE contract are the single most common administrative rejection cause. Fix: cross-check the exact spelling across every form before submitting.
Expired sponsor Emirates ID: GDRFA holds or rejects the application without a clear error message. Fix: check your own Emirates ID expiry date before filing anything.
Expired company license: Some service centres flag an expired license even though it doesn't automatically invalidate your personal residency. Fix: renew the license before starting the domestic worker application.
Unregistered tenancy contract: An Ejari-unregistered lease is rejected at document review. Fix: confirm your Ejari registration is current before you begin.
References
Frequently Asked Questions
