Services
PRO services in the UAE for licences, labour and immigration
A PRO, or public relations officer, handles a company's dealings with UAE government bodies. That covers the licensing department, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, immigration, the municipality and other regulators. Any company that holds a licence, sponsors visas or employs staff needs this work done, either by an in-house officer or by a firm such as Caliph.
At a glance Fact sheet
- What a PRO does
- Prepares, submits and follows up a company's government applications
- Licensing and labour
- DET or your emirate's economic department, and MOHRE
- Immigration
- GDRFA Dubai, or ICP in the other emirates
- Who needs it
- Any company with a trade licence, sponsored visas or employees
- How you can use Caliph
- For a single transaction or on a yearly retainer
Overview
Every company in the UAE has a standing relationship with several government bodies. The licence is renewed with the economic department each year. Staff are hired through the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation. Entry permits and residence visas go through immigration, which means GDRFA in Dubai and ICP in the other emirates. Some activities add the municipality or a sector regulator on top.
Most of this now happens on government portals and at approved service centres, so the work is less about queuing and more about getting each application right. A wrong job title, an expired establishment card or a missing signature authority stops the file, and a late renewal brings a fine. A PRO knows which system each request belongs to, in what order, and what has to be valid first.
Caliph has done this work for clients since 2020, first during setup and then year after year. You can bring us one transaction, such as a single visa or a licence amendment. Or you can put the whole company on a yearly retainer, where one consultant keeps your calendar of expiry dates and handles each renewal as it falls due.
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What our PRO work covers
Your licensing file
Renewals, amendments and extra approvals with the Department of Economy and Tourism or the economic department of your emirate, plus the tenancy registration the licence depends on.
Your labour file
Everything a mainland employer files with MOHRE, from the company's own registration and signature authority to the paperwork for each person you hire, renew or release.
Your immigration file
The company's record with GDRFA Dubai or ICP, and the entry permits, residence visas and Emirates ID applications issued under it.
Approvals from other regulators
Some activities need a no-objection or permit from the municipality or a sector authority. We prepare the request and follow it until it is issued.
A calendar of expiry dates
Licence, tenancy, establishment card, work permits, residence visas and insurance all expire on different dates. On a retainer we track every one and start early.
One-off or yearly retainer
Ask for a single task when that is all you need. Choose a retainer when you hire regularly or would rather not manage government portals yourself.
How PRO support works with Caliph
Tell us what you need done
In a free consultation your consultant lists the transactions involved, the authority for each and the order they must follow.
We check what must be valid first
Licence, tenancy contract, establishment card and labour file are reviewed, because one expired document blocks every application behind it.
You send documents and authorise us
We tell you exactly which copies, signatures and digital approvals are needed from the owner or the authorised signatory.
We submit and follow up
Applications go through the official portals and approved service centres. We answer any query the authority raises and keep you updated.
You receive the result
The permit, card, visa or certificate is sent to you and saved in your company file with its expiry date.
Renewals are planned ahead
Retainer clients get a reminder before each expiry, and we start the renewal in good time.
Questions people ask
What does a PRO do in the UAE?
A PRO, short for public relations officer, prepares and submits a company's applications to government bodies and follows them to completion. Typical work includes licence renewals, labour and immigration files, visas, Emirates ID applications and regulator approvals. The role exists because each authority has its own system, forms and sequence.
Does a small company need PRO services?
Yes, though not necessarily a full-time officer. Even a one-person company renews a licence, keeps an establishment card valid and renews at least one residence visa. Small firms usually hand this to a consultancy and call on it only when a transaction comes up.
What is the difference between one-off PRO work and a retainer?
With one-off work you ask for a specific transaction and we complete it. On a yearly retainer Caliph looks after the company's government work as a whole, tracks every expiry date and handles renewals as they come. Retainers suit companies that hire often or hold many visas. Your consultant explains the cost of each option.
Do free zone companies need a PRO?
They do, but the route differs. A free zone company applies for work permits and residence visas through its free zone authority instead of MOHRE, and the establishment card is requested through the zone as well. Caliph handles those applications with the authority of your zone.
Which steps still need me in person?
Fewer than before, since most applications are filed online. The owner or authorised signatory approves some requests digitally, and each visa applicant aged 18 or over attends a medical fitness test and gives biometrics for the Emirates ID where required. Your consultant tells you in advance which steps need you.
What do you need from me to start?
A copy of the trade licence, the establishment card if you have one, passport copies of the owners and the authorised signatory, and a short list of what you need done. If the company is new, we open the labour and immigration files first and then move to visas.
- UAE Government portal, recruiting on the mainland
- General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs, Dubai
- Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security
Reviewed by Caliph Business Solutions on . Rules differ by activity and by authority. Your Caliph consultant confirms what applies to you.
Ready to establish your company in the UAE?
Book a free consultation. Tell us what you want to open and we come back with the route, the documents and the cost.
- VisitHapag-Lloyd Building, Port Saeed, Deira, Dubai. P.O. Box 8070
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