Job Seeker Visa UAE – 2024 UAE Visa Reform

Update - 15th October, 2022

Before the new UAE visa reforms, which took effect on October 3, 2022, you needed to get on arrival visa or pre-arranged visit visa if you were entering UAE to find a job. However is no longer the case for job seekers entering UAE because they will be required to get a Job seeking visa in UAE, which can be a 60-days, 90-days, or 120-days job seeker permit.


Dubai Job Seeker Visa

What is Job Seeker Visa UAE 2024


The newly introduced job seeker visa in UAE is meant for people entering UAE to look for job opportunities. The visa is a single entry permit with 60, 90, or 120 days options.



Documents


Dubai Job Seeker Visa

Below is the list of Job seeker visa UAE requirements:

  • A copy of the passport of the job seeker – 6 months valid (required)
  • Colored photo (required)
  • Qualification certificate (required)
  • Place of residence (rent contract or hotel reservation)-mandatory for residents only (optional)
  • Health insurance covers the period of stay (optional)
  • Copy of the traveling return ticket (optional)
  • Certified account statement (optional)
  • Iraqi population card for the beneficiary (optional)
  • the Iranian censenamah/ ID card for the beneficiary (optional)
  • Pakistani id card for the beneficiary (optional)
  • Afghan id card for the beneficiary (optional)

UAE Job Seeker Visa UAE Price


The cost of a job seeker Visa in UAE depends on the number of days. The price you have to pay includes a Dh1, 025 refundable security deposit, and insurance. The 60-day visa costs Dh1, 495, the 90-days Dh1, 655, and the 120-days Dh1 815, according to the ICP website.


Nationality Wise


In this section, we have listed the job seeker UAE visa you can apply for based on your nationality.

Job seekers visa for 30 days on arrival nationals

If you are a passport holder or national from the countries below, you don't have to apply for a prepaid visa because you qualify for on arrival visa for 30 days. After presenting your passport, you will be issued the visa at the immigration office at any airport in UAE.

If you are entering UAE to look for a job and want to stay longer than 30 days, you can opt for the 60 or 90, or 120 days job seekers visa.

  • Andorra
  • Australia
  • Brunei
  • Canada
  • China
  • Hong Kong
  • Japan
  • Kazakhstan
  • Macau
  • Malaysia
  • Mauritius
  • Monaco
  • New Zealand
  • Republic of Ireland
  • San Marino
  • Singapore
  • Ukraine
  • The United Kingdom and Northern Ireland
  • United States of America
  • Vatican City

Job Seekers visa for 90 days on Arrival Nationals

If you are a passport holder or nationality of the countries listed below, you qualify for 90 days arrival visa; thus, you don't have to arrange a prepaid visa.

You'll be issued a visa at the entry point in UAE without any requirements. If you want to say longer, you can opt for the 120 days job seeker visa.

  • Argentina
  • Austria
  • Bahamas Islands
  • Barbados
  • Belgium
  • Brazil
  • Bulgaria
  • Chile
  • Colombia
  • Costa Rica
  • Croatia
  • Cyprus
  • Czech Republic
  • Denmark
  • El Salvador
  • Estonia
  • Finland
  • France
  • Germany
  • Greece
  • Honduras
  • Hungary
  • Iceland
  • Italy
  • Kiribati
  • Latvia
  • Liechtenstein
  • Lithuania
  • Luxembourg
  • Maldives
  • Malta
  • Montenegro
  • Nauru
  • Netherlands
  • Norway
  • Paraguay
  • Peru
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Romania
  • Russian Federation
  • Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  • San Marino
  • Serbia
  • Seychelles
  • Slovakia
  • Slovenia
  • Solomon Islands
  • South Korea
  • Spain
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland
  • Uruguay

UAE Job Seekers Visa for Prepaid Nationals

If you don't have a passport or your country is not listed above, you ought to arrange for a Job seeker UAE visa or tourist visa before boarding a flight to UAE.

  • South Africa
  • Egypt
  • Albania
  • Sri Lanka
  • Afghanistan
  • Albania
  • Algeria
  • Argentina
  • Armenia
  • Azerbaijan
  • Bangladesh
  • Benin
  • Burundi
  • Bulgaria
  • Cambodia
  • Cameroon
  • Congo
  • Fiji
  • Georgia
  • Ghana
  • Haiti
  • India
  • Indonesia
  • Iran
  • Iraq
  • Israel
  • Jamaica
  • Jordan
  • Kazakhstan
  • Kenya
  • Kiribati
  • Kyrgyzstan
  • Laos
  • Lebanon
  • Liberia
  • Malawi
  • Mali
  • Moldova
  • Mongolia
  • Morocco
  • Mozambique
  • Myanmar
  • Namibia
  • Nauru
  • Nepal
  • Nicaragua
  • Niger
  • Nigeria
  • Pakistan
  • Papua New Guinea
  • Peru
  • Philippines
  • Rwanda
  • Senegal
  • Sierra Leone
  • Slovakia
  • Slovenia
  • Solomon Islands
  • Somalia
  • Spain
  • Sri Lanka
  • Sudan
  • Syria
  • Taiwan
  • Tajikistan
  • Tanzania
  • Thailand
  • Togo
  • Tonga
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • Tunisia
  • Turkey
  • Turkmenistan
  • Tuvalu
  • Uganda
  • Uzbekistan
  • Venezuela
  • Vietnam
  • Yemen
  • Zambia
  • Zimbabwe

Express Visa


If you urgently need UAE to-visit visa, like you need to attend an interview, you should opt for the Express visa, which can be processed within 4 hours.


Tourist Visa


The UAE government has introduced another 60 days tourist visa from October 3, 2022. The new 60 days UAE tourist visa will cost approximately 650 AED.


Virtual Work Residency


The virtual work residency permits one to enter UAE for one year from the date of issuance. You don't need a guarantor when applying for this visa, but you 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:

  • Identity receipt (required)
  • colored photo (required)
  • a copy of the passport of the beneficiary of the service (required)
  • a copy of health insurance (required)
  • medical fitness test result (required)
  • virtual work proof -outside UAE- (required)
  • salary certificate (3500 dollars) or equivalent in foreign currency (required)
  • Passport valid for at least six months;
  • Attach proof of his work for an entity outside the country and that the work is done remotely;
  • Attach proof that he has earned a monthly income of at least 3,500 US dollars and the equivalent in foreign currencies;
  • Attach a valid health insurance policy within the country
Dubai Job Seeker Visa

How Difficult is it to Find a Job in UAE?


It is important to go under the UAE job market before applying for a job seeker visa.

There is a perception it is not hard to secure a job in UAE, but that is not entry true. It is not easy to secure a job in UAE compared to developed economies.

The UAE's population and the average number of workers in all companies are much smaller than those in more developed countries. Given this, most businesses in the area will have fewer open positions.

Second, many more people want to work in the UAE than there used to be. So, it is very hard to find a job or hire someone. Employers are becoming more "picky," and they expect the person they are about to hire to meet all their expectations.

People who already have jobs in UAE are always willing to switch jobs to get a better salary, title, or more responsibilities. This makes the job market even more competitive. There is a lot of job competition in the UAE because it is a mobile market.

But this will lead to another point of contention since it's possible to say that you can get a job, but the question is whether or not it's the job you want in terms of salary, title, responsibilities, or industry.

It's important to have connections in the UAE if you want to get work quickly, as the locals will tell you, "It's who you know." Compared to many other countries, it is even more important to use your professional network to assist you with your next career move in this region. This has increased even further due to the usage of social media, which enables employers to discover the ideal applicant to fulfill their requirements and thereby reduces the number of individuals they have to interview.

The importance of diversity is becoming increasingly apparent as the region continues to expand. Whether it is gender, nationality, or languages spoken, the criteria to meet the employer's expectations grow increasingly difficult to fulfill. The United Arab Emirates is expanding and continues to be a worldwide talent magnet. Regarding total talent inflow, the UAE ranks fifth in the world, behind the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and France.

According to LinkedIn's study, the UAE's industries that have experienced the greatest rebound in recruiting levels include healthcare, software, and information technology. Recruitment efforts picked up shortly after the pandemic's initial outbreak in each of these fields.

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. In the meanwhile, Covid-19 has been a driving force behind the growth of the sustainable economy.

The epidemic has intensified efforts being 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.

According to the survey, the proportion of "green jobs" and jobs that are "moving to become greener" have been growing over the past several years.


List of Job Sites in UAE


Dubai Job Seeker

In the UAE, a number of companies are known for their strict hiring policies and good reputations as places to work.

LinkedIn's Top Companies 2022 report says that the retail chains Landmark Group and Majid Al Futtaim, the accounting firm PwC, the investment management companies Mubadala and ADIA, and the management consulting firm Deloitte is among the best places to work.

You can also ask ADNOC, Emaar, Noon, Emirates, Etihad, Air Arabia, and fly Dubai. If you want to find out more about which companies in Dubai are hiring, you should look at some online job sites and their openings.

Here are some helpful websites to check out if you want to find a job or an internship in UAE:

  • Bayt
  • Khaleej Times Jobs
  • Indeed
  • LinkedIn
  • Gulftalent
  • Glassdoor

You might want to use a recruiter to help you find the best person for your job. Many companies in the UAE use recruiters, also called "headhunters." Working with a recruitment firm is not only very common in the emirate but also the best way to find a job. Check out these different places that can help you:

  • Jivaro Partners (marketing & communications jobs)
  • ESP International (conferences, events, hospitality)
  • Robbert Murray (development, construction, engineering & public sector jobs)
  • BAC Middle East (engineering, marketing & management jobs)

If you are considering getting assistance from an agency to get a job in UAE, one factor you should take into consideration is choosing which agency is the one that takes the commission from the employer's end and not yours. Also, be cautious of agencies who ask for fees to help you get a job.