Before the new UAE visa reforms, which took effect on October 3rd, 2022 you needed an On-Arrival or a Visit Visa if you were entering UAE to find a job. However, this is no longer the case now because you will be required to get a jobseeker visa in UAE, which can be a 30 days, 60 days, 90 days or 120 days permit.
A Jobseeker Visa is a permit meant for people looking for job opportunities in the UAE.
Following is the list of documents required for a jobseeker visa :
The cost of a jobseeker visa in UAE depends on the stay duration. The price includes a Dh1,025 refundable security deposit and, insurance. The 60-day, 90-day and 120-day visa costs Dh1,495, Dh1,655 and Dh1,815 respectively, according to the ICP website.
In this section, we have listed the eligibility criteria for different visa types based on your nationality.
If you are a passport holder/national from the countries mentioned below, you do not have to apply for a prepaid visa because you qualify for a 30 days on-arrival visa. You will be issued the visa at the Immigration office at any airport in the UAE.
If you want to stay longer than 30 days, you can opt for the 60 day/90 day or 120-day jobseeker visa.
If you are a passport holder or nationality of the below mentioned countries, you qualify for a 90-day visa-on-arrival; thus you do not have to arrange a prepaid visa.
You will be issued a visa at the entry point in UAE without any additional requirements. If you want to stay longer, you can opt for the 120-day jobseeker visa.
If your country is not listed above, you need to arrange for a jobseeker or a tourist visa before arriving in UAE.
You can opt for an express visa, which can be processed within 4 hours if you wish to attend an interview, or likewise.
The UAE government has introduced a new category of 60 days tourist visa from October 3rd, 2022 which will cost approximately 650 AED.
The virtual work residency permits one to enter UAE for one year from the date of issue. One does not need a guarantor when applying for this visa, but should meet the qualifications. After getting the virtual work residency visa, you can extend it for the same period.
Below is a list of documents required when applying for virtual work residency :
It is important to understand the UAE job market before applying for a Jobseeker Visa.
It’s a common perception that it is easy to secure a job in UAE compared to developed nations, but that’s not entirely true.
The UAE population and the average number of workers in most companies are lesser than those in more developed economies. Due to this, most businesses in the country would have few open positions.
More and more people want to work in the UAE than there used to be! Therefore, it is hard to find a job, or hire someone. Employers are becoming more and more "picky" and they expect the person to meet most of their expectations.
Working people always have the desire to switch jobs for a better growth. This makes the job market even more competitive, especially in the UAE because it is a remote market.
The question is whether or not you get the desired job!
It is important to have local connections in the UAE as it is the people who will guide you better to get the work quickly. It would also be wise to use your professional network to help you get in touch with the desired organization. The use of social media has enabled the employers to discover ideal applicants to fulfil their requirements, thereby reducing the number of individuals they have to interview.
The importance of diversity is becoming increasingly important as Middle-East continues to expand. Whether it is gender, nationality, or the languages spoken, the criterion to meet the employer's expectations are becoming increasingly difficult to fulfil. The UAE continues to be a global talent attractor. Considering the total talent inflows, it ranks fifth in the world behind the US, the UK, Canada and France.
According to a LinkedIn study, the industries of healthcare, software and information technology in UAE have experienced the greatest rebound in recruiting levels.
According to the report, some businesses such as construction, energy and mining have not yet caught up to where they were before the pandemic. In contrast, others such as retail, recreation and travel have recovered and are above their pre-pandemic levels.
The epidemic has led to intensification of efforts made by both the public and business sectors to support a green recovery on a national scale, and to enable the transition to a more sustainable economy.
The proportion of "green jobs", and jobs that are ‘moving to become greener’ have been growing over the past several years, it stated.
