Maid Visa in Dubai, UAE 2023 : Costs & Requirements

Around 5% of the population of the UAE are domestic workers – and demand is rising. According to recent research, the UAE spends around three billion dollars annually on domestic help. In Dubai and the UAE, hiring help is seen as a competitive advantage and many families live with at least one full-time maid, some with more. If you’re interested in hiring domestic help and obtaining a maid visa in the UAE, take a deep dive into our latest guide to explore up-to-date costs and requirements. In this article, we will explore the following topics:

1. Benefits of hiring a maid in Dubai or the UAE
2. Rules and regulations for a housemaid visa in Dubai or the UAE
3. What are the categories exempted from the regulation?
4. What is the cost of a maid visa in Dubai or the UAE?
5. What is the process of bringing the maid to Dubai, UAE?
6. How can I renew a maid visa in Dubai, UAE?
7. How can I cancel the maid visa in Dubai, UAE?
8. How can you get a maid visa from SPC Free Zone?

Benefits of hiring a maid in Dubai or the UAE

For busy business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs, time is everything. Many choose to hire help, often in the form of a nanny or maid. In the UAE, hiring a maid and other domestic help is commonplace for a number of reasons, such as:

• More affordable option

While employers are required to pay domestic workers a minimum wage and most choose to pay more, hiring a maid in Dubai or the UAE is more affordable than most people assume. It’s much cheaper than hiring by the hour through an agency, too.

• Trusting relationships

Hiring a live-in maid allows you and your family to build a trustful relationship, with many maids becoming an integral part of the household. It avoids disruption, too.

• More time to focus on business

By delegating chores and cleaning to a maid, you can reserve your time and energy for building a business that thrives and spending time with family and friends.

• Multi-skilled domestic help

Many maids and other domestic workers can cook, clean and keep an eye on the children. This makes it a much more convenient and affordable alternative to hiring individual specialists by the hour. 

• It creates jobs

Many individuals seeking employment as domestic help have families of their own to provide for. Demand for work is rising alongside the demand for help.

• It is legal

This might seem like an obvious point, but many expats fail to realise that hiring a maid on a casual basis can land them in hot water. The Ministry of Labour fines individuals for employing workers that are not sponsored by you or workers paid on a cash-in-hand basis. By obtaining the maid visa yourself, you can be secure in the knowledge that you are employing help lawfully.

Rules and regulations for a housemaid visa in Dubai or the UAE

As an employer, it is essential that you comply with the UAE’s rules and regulations regarding hiring a housemaid. We’ve highlighted a selection of the most important rules here:

• Eligibility of sponsor

In the UAE, you must be married and the head of your family to obtain a maid visa. You must also be able to prove that you earn a minimum of AED 6,000 per month. 

• Eligibility of maid

UAE residents can sponsor maids from India, Indonesia, the Philippines, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Citizens of most countries must be over 18, though maids from the Philippines must be aged 30–60 years.

• Rules of employment

As an employer, you are solely responsible for paying the maid, along with any other benefits. You are also contractually obliged to pay household help the statutory minimum wage, though this differs from country to country. At the time of writing, the minimum wages for each country are as follows:

• India: AED 1,100
• Sri Lanka: AED 825
• Philippines: AED 1,400
• Bangladesh: AED 750
• Indonesia: AED 800

Wages must be paid within 10 days of the agreed due date. Each working week must include one day of paid rest and each day must include 12 hours of rest per day, including at least 8 hours of consecutive rest. Employers must cover up to 30 days of medical leave and 30 days of paid vacation. Food, accommodation, uniform and the cost of a bi-annual round trip to their home country must be included in the contract, too.

What are the categories exempted from the regulation?

According to UAE’s new domestic workers law, recruitment of maids and nannies is limited to licenced agencies. However, some residents are allowed to hire domestic help under their sponsorship, and these include those who hold Golden Visas. This category can sponsor an “unlimited number of domestic helpers”, including housemaids, cooks, nannies and babysitters, gardeners, family drivers, farm workers, private tutors, private nurses, personal trainers, personal assistants, and guards, among others.

What is the cost of a maid visa in Dubai or the UAE?

The cost of obtaining a maid visa in Dubai or the UAE starts at AED 5000. However, there are additional costs to take into consideration too, such as typing centre fees, medical insurance fees and immigration fees. You will also need to make a refundable deposit, usually around AED 2,000.

To ensure you’re getting the best price for your maid visa, get in touch with SPC Free Zone. Our friendly advisors will be able to provide a bespoke quote based on your specific requirements, free of charge.

What is the process of bringing the maid to Dubai, UAE?

Step 1: before you start the process of bringing a maid to the UAE, you need to make sure you’re eligible for sponsoring a home worker.

Step 2: decide the method of bringing your workers to the UAE. The process can be done through a specialized agency or you can initiate it yourself through Tadbeer centres. The centres offer different packages, you can pick the one that suits you.

Step 3: Prepare the documents.

When it comes to applying for a maid visa, the process is very similar to applying for your own visa. For instance, you’ll need to ensure you have obtained an entry permit to allow them to enter the country. They will also need to undergo a medical examination within 30 days of entering the country to apply for an Emirates ID card. You will then need to submit a number of documents on his or their behalf, including:

• The completed application form.
• A copy of both the maid’s passport and the sponsor’s.
• Sponsor’s residence visas.
• Attested marriage certificate.
• Original Emirates ID.
• An affidavit from the embassy or consulate of non-relationship provided in case the maid is from the same country.
• Maid’s Medical Fitness Certificate issued in her country.
• A bank statement from the past three months.
• Proof of accommodation or tenancy contract with a minimum of two bedrooms.
• A salary certificate of sponsor in Arabic for government employees or a labour contract for private employees.
• A labour contract from the sponsor’s employer.
• Three passport photos of the maid.

You should also note that all of these forms must be signed by an authorised typing centre before submission.

Step 4: Bring the maid to Dubai.

After finding the right candidate, you can start the process of sponsorship and bringing the worker to the UAE. This step includes several procedures:

• Applying for the maid’s work permit.
• Medical Fitness exam and Emirates ID registration.
• Receiving the Domestic Worker Identity Card.

Step 5: Get the Emirates ID for the maid through any authorized typist or the official government portals.

How can I renew a maid visa in Dubai, UAE?

To renew your maid’s visa, you need to submit a renewal application and an online medical request form. These forms can be attained from an authorized typist and submitted to any GDRFA office near you after paying the required fees.

How can I cancel the maid visa in Dubai, UAE?

The process of cancelling the maid visa is simple and fast. You can seek the help of a typist centre or process it yourself online through GDRFA website.

Frequently Asked Questions about hiring a maid in Dubai, UAE

Can I hire a maid on her own visa?

Domestic workers can only be hired through a licensed agency or be sponsored as a direct employee if the sponsor meets specific requirements such as a salary of Dh25,000 per month.

Can I hire maid without agency in Dubai?

It is possible to hire a maid without going through an agency, taking into consideration the laws and regulations of employing domestic workers in the UAE.

Can a single guy hire a maid?

No. Bachelors are not allowed to sponsor maids in Dubai, UAE.

What is the maximum age for maid?

Domestic workers who is more than 60 years old can keep working in the UAE if the workers meets the following standards:

• The worker should be physically fit as per the medical certificate issued by the relevant government authorities in the UAE.
• All medical expenses of the worker’s treatments are to borne by the family or the employer hiring the worker.
• An approval must be obtained from the relevant government authority for the continuation of the maid’s work in the UAE.

How can you get a maid visa from SPC Free Zone?

SPC Free Zone is located right in the heart of Sharjah. As well as helping you to navigate the process of obtaining a maid visa, we offer a fast and flexible business setup in the UAE. You can choose from more than 1,500 business activities, apply for 20 visas under one licence, and apply for a dual-licence option that offers both mainland and free zone on the same licence. With immigration services on-site, you can get your licence issued in 45 minutes.

SPC Free Zone offers several value-added support services, that include among others house working visas. We assist in obtaining new, renewing, or cancelling all categories of residence visas including drivers and domestic helpers.

Looking to obtain a maid visa in the, Dubai, UAE as efficiently and smoothly as possible? Reach out to the SPC Free Zone today.