Hiring absconded maids is regarded as an offense in Dubai. Stay away from hiring any maids who have run away from their employers.
Source : Khaleej Times
We have compiled a detailed guide with all the information you need to know about applying for a maid visa in Dubai 2024. This guide covers important topics like fee structure, recent updates, etc.
Getting a maid’s visa in Dubai is an easy and upfront process. The head of the family (usually the male) can be the sponsor of this visa. Having a salary not less than AED 10,000 and a tenancy contract (showing min 2 bedroom apartment) with Ejari attestation are two important requirements to be able to apply for this visa.
The UAE maid visa has a validity period of 1 year and needs to be renewed every year. Other UAE employment visas are valid for either 2 or 3 years.
Below we have listed all costs related to getting a maid visa and the renewal costs for you to get an idea of how much needs to be spent for 2 years.
| First Year | |
|---|---|
| Fees for | Fees-AED |
| Non Local Sponsor in country visa | 2303 (1000 AED refundable) |
| Change status | 622 AED |
| Labor contract | 83 AED |
| Visa stamping new | 5424 AED |
| Medical | 406 AED |
| Insurance | 622 AED |
| Emirates ID | 174 AED |
| Renewal another year Year | |
|---|---|
| Fees for | Fees-AED |
| Non Local Sponsor in country visa | 0 |
| Change status | 0 |
| Labor contract | 83 AED |
| Visa stamping new | 5592 AED |
| Medical | 406 AED |
| Insurance | 622 AED |
| Emirates ID | 174 AED |
These are the documents you should provide when applying for a maid visa. We will help you with legal translation and attestation and collect the original Emirates ID for you.
Majority of the expats living in Dubai are finding maids within the country. Because of Dubai’s independent employee/employer rules & regulations, many maids switch from one employer to another. If your maid’s residence visa got cancelled and you want to proceed with the maid visa then you can start the process immediately. If you need some time to collect required documents and get document attestation you can get a tourist visa change without exit. To know more about this procedure read our UAE tourist visa extension guide.
If you would like to terminate the maid visa because of unsatisfactory performance or some other reason, you can cancel it during your visa validity period by following this process:
The UAE’s action plan for fighting human trafficking is by preventing the act, prosecuting or punishing traffickers, provide protection for survivors and increase international participation. Dubai Foundation for Women and Children (DFWAC) is Dubai’s first licensed non-profit organization that provides shelter for women and children who have been subject to domestic abuse, violence and human trafficking in the UAE. Since its inception in July 2007, it provides victims with immediate support and protection services while complying with international human rights obligations.
A helpline, shelter, case management, psychological support, medical care counselling, legal and immigration assistance are a few of the services DFWAC offers for free. Recreational activities, vocational training, children’s education and physical fitness are some of the secondary support services offered by this organization.
Report human trafficking issues through Dubai Police-Control Center of Human Trafficking on +9714-6082347
Listed below are the updates and recent laws that have taken place between 2021 and 2022 with regards to Maid visas in Dubai
Hiring absconded maids is regarded as an offense in Dubai. Stay away from hiring any maids who have run away from their employers.
Suspension of Hourly Maid Services
Hiring maids on an hourly or daily basis from Tadbeer centres has been suspended until further notice. The MoHRE (Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation) announced on Tuesday that the decision to stop short-term hiring of domestic workers is a measure taken to curb the spread of the COVID19 virus.
Residents who want to sponsor a maid to work for them need to earn a minimum salary of AED 25,000 per month. An official from the Ministry of Human Resource and Emiratisation stated that anyone who wishes to hire a maid but earns less than AED 25,000 can recruit a maid via Tadbeer.
The employer is not allowed to sponsor the visa of his maid’s child as the female employee should be the sponsor for her own child. Additionally, domestic helpers don’t fall under the category of female professionals who are eligible to sponsor their family. In Abu Dhabi, female professionals who can sponsor their husband and family include engineers, teachers, doctors, nurses or any other medical sector professional earning a monthly salary of AED 10,000 or AED 8,000 with accommodation. All relevant documents also need to be submitted.
Tadbeer centres are the best option if you are in this situation as they have set up packages to suit residents and citizens no matter their salary or bank balance. WIth Tadbeer offices around UAE and their partnership with professional agencies have made the procedure of hiring a maid easy. Selecting a maid from the centre, interviewing her and taking her home immediately is a seamless process that can be easily done with Tadbeer.
First step is to choose the maid’s nationality (usually African, Indian or Indonesian). Second is to interview them. Upon finding a suitable choice, you can take them home without any major paperwork. You need to bring along your valid Emirates ID and sign an agreement. The centre will take care of the maid’s salary, medical, insurance, visa, travel fees and Emirates ID. You have to provide the maid with food and other basic requirements. If you are unhappy with the housemaid’s performance, you can replace them with another housemaid of the same nationality. Tadbeer offers unlimited free replacement, anytime. The contract is on a monthly basis and can be cancelled at any time. A monthly fee of AED 3,500 needs to be paid every month for the first 5 months. From the sixth month onwards if you are with the same maid, the charge for African maid will reduce to AED 2,420 and Indian maid AED 2,800.
If your maid is infected with COVID19, the provisions of the following decisions are applicable:
Isolating himself or herself with the regulations set by the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention (the ‘Ministry’) is the responsibility of the individual infected with COVID19. After an individual is tested positive for COVID, he/she must download the ‘Al Hosn’ app on the phone for local UAE authorities to track the movement of COVID infected people.
If your Maid doesn't follow the home quarantine rules issued by the Ministry, then she is responsible to pay a penalty of AED 50,000. As an employer, you are not responsible to pay any penalties if your Maid breaks any house quarantine rules issued by the UAE authorities and the Ministry. Additionally, it's your Maid’s responsibility to follow all public ethics in accordance with Article 16(2) of the UAE Domestic Workers Law, which states: “The worker shall abide by the obligations stipulated in the contract of employment and shall in addition observe the customs and traditions of society and commit to public ethics.
As an employer, your duty is to provide basic requirements (including food) for your maid, even if you are out of UAE during the duration when your maid is infected with COVID19. You should also provide necessary medical treatment and relevant emergency numbers of UAE health authorities for your maid. It is the employer’s responsibility to provide the maid with accommodation, food, clothing and medical treatment in accordance with Article 15 (2) (3) (4) & (5) of the UAE Domestic Workers Law. As stated in Article 18 of the UAE Domestic Workers Law, the employer and maid must follow all health and safety requirements as per current UAE laws.
In summary, based on all the laws mentioned above, as an employer it is your responsibility to provide your maid with medical, food, accommodation and safety requirements even if you are outside the country.