How to stay safe from labour and visa fraud in the UAE

What to check before you accept a job or travel

1. 1

   Insist on a MOHRE offer letter

   If you are offered a job in the UAE , you must get an offer letter issued by the UAE's Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE), signed by the authorised manager. Anything else — a PDF on company letterhead, a chat message, a scan without a signature — is not the document the law expects you to have.

   Documents:MOHRE offer letterSignature of the authorised manager
2. 2

   Verify the offer by its reference number

   You can verify the validity of the job offer using its reference number through the enquiry service - application status on the website of MoHRE. If the person hiring you cannot produce a reference number, treat that as the answer.

   Documents:Offer reference number
3. 3

   Do not start work on a visit or tourist visa

   Visit or tourist entry permit/visa does not give you right to work in the UAE. Working under visit or tourist visa will result in fines and legal liability. Employers who suggest you "start now and sort the visa later" are putting the consequences on you, not on themselves.

4. 4

   Never pay your own recruitment costs

   You should know that the employer is responsible for payment of recruitment expenses as per the UAE's Labour Law. A request for money to secure the role, process the visa or reserve a slot is the clearest fraud signal there is. The quotes give no figure here — if someone quotes you an amount, check what is actually payable on the authority's website rather than taking their number.

5. 5

   Check the entry permit or visa issued in Dubai

   If your visa/entry permit was issued in Dubai, you can verify its validity on the website of GDRFA . Do this before you book flights, not after you land.

   Documents:Entry permit / visa number
6. 6

   Check a permit issued by another emirate

   Verify the validity of an entry permit/visa issued from Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah or Fujairah on the eChannels platform of the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Ports Security (ICP).

   Documents:Entry permit / visa number
7. 7

   Ask the authority directly if something looks off

   Get help on visas and entry permits issued from Dubai through Amer's live chat service . A five-minute question to the people who issue the document beats a week of guessing at a recruiter's story.

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