The UAE at a glance
| Currency | UAE dirham (AED) |
| Where many Indians work | Construction, oil & gas, logistics, hospitality, retail, facilities |
| Who issues the work permit | Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) |
| Residence ID after arrival | Emirates ID |
| Medical | Medical fitness test in the UAE after you arrive |
The UAE is one of India's Emigration Check Required (ECR) countries. If your passport is marked ECR, your agency must get emigration clearance for you on the eMigrate portal before you fly. That includes the compulsory Pravasi Bharatiya Bima Yojana insurance (₹275 for two years or ₹375 for three, with ₹10 lakh accident cover). If an agent says you can fly on a visit visa and "convert it later", say no. You would be travelling without emigration clearance or insurance.
From CV to flight, step by step
- Apply with a Gulf-format CV to named agencies or employers. See the Gulf CV format.
- Sign the offer letter. Both you and the employer sign it. It is the basis of your contract, so check salary, allowances and hours.
- The employer gets your work permit from MOHRE, and you enter the UAE on the entry permit linked to it.
- Contract within 14 days: your employment contract, based on the signed offer letter, is submitted to MOHRE within 14 days of arrival.
- Medical, Emirates ID and residency: your employer arranges the medical fitness test, Emirates ID, labour card and residence stamp, within 60 days.
Things to know about working in the UAE
The offer letter matters
In the UAE your contract must be based on the offer letter you signed. Keep a photo of it. If the contract you are given later shows a lower salary or a different job, do not sign it. Contact MOHRE or the Indian Consulate in Dubai or Embassy in Abu Dhabi.
Emirates and free zones
Jobs are spread across all seven emirates and many free zones. The process above is for companies under MOHRE; some free-zone companies process visas through their own free-zone authority, but you still need a proper employment visa. Never work on a visit visa.
Getting help
The Pravasi Bharatiya Sahayata Kendra helpline (1800 11 3090, or WhatsApp +91 74283 21144) can guide you before and after you travel.
Red flags for jobs in the UAE
- Money before an offer. No genuine employer charges for the job. Pay only a licensed agency's service charge, after the offer, with a receipt.
- No licence number. Every registered agency has an MEA licence number. Check it on eMigrate using our licence-check guide.
- "Visit visa, convert later." You lose your emigration clearance, insurance and legal protection.
- Only a mobile number and a Gmail address. Real agencies show an office address and a licence number.
- "Pay for your UAE visa, job later." In the UAE the employer applies for your work permit. You should never pay for the permit itself.
How BhejoCV helps
BhejoCV shows checked job adverts for UAE from licensed agencies and employers' own careers pages, filtered to your trade. You apply from your own Gmail in one tap, BhejoCV follows up for you, and agency replies show up inside the app. For the full picture across the Gulf, read Gulf jobs for Indians.
Questions people ask
Who pays for a UAE work permit?
The employer applies for and pays for your work permit through MOHRE. A licensed Indian agency may charge you its service charge (at most ₹30,000 plus GST, with a receipt), but not for the permit itself.
Can I go to the UAE on a visit visa and find a job?
People do, but it is risky: you travel without emigration clearance or insurance, and working before your employment visa is issued is illegal. Going through a licensed agency on a proper work permit is safer.
When do I get my Emirates ID?
After you arrive. Your employer arranges your medical test, Emirates ID and residence stamp, within 60 days of entry.
What if my contract is different from my offer letter?
Your UAE contract must be based on the offer letter you signed. Don't sign a contract with lower pay or a different job. Keep your offer letter and ask MOHRE or the Indian mission for help.