PRO services
Labour card and MOHRE work permit: new, renewal, cancellation
The labour card is the everyday name for the work permit issued by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation. It allows a named person to work for a named mainland employer, and working without a valid one is illegal. Every company registered with MOHRE needs one for each employee and must renew or cancel it on time.
At a glance Fact sheet
- Official name
- Work permit, issued by MOHRE
- Legal basis
- Article 6 of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021
- Who applies
- The employer, through a person authorised to represent the company
- Standard validity
- Two years for the main permit types
- Applies to
- Establishments registered with MOHRE
- Free zone staff
- Permits are arranged through the free zone authority instead
Overview
People still say labour card, but the ministry's own term is work permit. The meaning has not changed. It is the ministry's permission for one person to work for one establishment, and the Labour Law bars the employer from putting anyone to work, and the worker from starting, until it has been issued.
There is more than one kind. The permit differs for a person recruited from abroad, a worker moving from another UAE employer, a resident sponsored by family, a Golden Visa holder, a part-time or temporary assignment, a student and a UAE national. Choosing the wrong type is an avoidable reason for a returned application, so your consultant selects it with you before filing.
The permit sits beside the residence visa and is not the same thing. MOHRE issues the work permit. The immigration authority issues the residence. The two are applied for in sequence and are normally renewed together, which is why Caliph tracks them as a pair and starts both renewals in good time.
What Caliph takes care of
The right permit type
We match the permit to the person's situation, whether they are abroad, already resident, sponsored by family or holding a Golden Visa.
A job title that fits your licence
MOHRE expects the occupation to align with the company's licensed activity. We check that before you make the offer.
Renewals that do not run late
Late issuance or renewal brings fines, and unpaid fines stop new applications. We keep every expiry date and begin early.
Clean cancellations
When someone leaves, we file the cancellation, confirm that dues are settled and then cancel the residence, so the file closes properly.
A company record in good standing
The ministry can refuse permits to a company with violations or wage-payment gaps. We tell you what to clear before you apply.
What to have ready
- The employee's passport copy, valid for at least six months
- A colour photo with a white background
- The signed job offer on the MOHRE form
- Attested academic certificates, where the job level requires them
- The professional licence or authority approval for regulated roles such as doctors, nurses, pharmacists and teachers
- The company's valid trade licence and establishment details
- For a cancellation, the employee's signature confirming that dues have been received
The list changes with the permit type. Your consultant sends you the exact list for each employee.
How a work permit moves from application to renewal
We confirm the permit type
Your consultant checks where the person is, their current visa status and the role, then picks the matching permit.
Offer signed and application filed
The signed job offer and the documents are submitted to MOHRE on behalf of the company's authorised representative.
The ministry reviews the request
MOHRE looks at the worker's age, the occupation, the licence and the company's record. We answer any query it raises.
Entry, medical test and contract
After approval the person enters the country or changes status, completes the medical fitness test and signs the employment contract.
Permit and residence are issued
The work permit is issued by MOHRE, and the residence visa and Emirates ID by the immigration authority.
We renew or cancel on time
Before expiry we renew the permit and the residence together. If the employee leaves, we cancel both in the correct order.
Good to know
- MOHRE offers an online Work Bundle that brings hiring, renewal and cancellation requests onto one platform with a UAE Pass login.
- Government fees for issuing and renewing a permit depend on how the ministry classifies the company. A record of violations moves a company into the costliest class.
- Nobody may work on a visit or tourist visa. The permit has to be in place first.
Questions people ask
What is the difference between a labour card and a work permit?
They are the same thing. Labour card is the older, everyday name. Work permit is the term the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation uses today. It authorises a specific person to work for a specific establishment registered with the ministry.
How long is a MOHRE work permit valid?
The main permit types, such as recruitment from abroad or transfer from another employer, are valid for two years. A few special types run for shorter periods, for example permits for juveniles and for student training. The permit is normally renewed with the employee's residence visa.
Does a Golden Visa holder or family-sponsored resident need a work permit?
Yes. A person who holds their own residence, or is sponsored by a spouse or parent, still needs a MOHRE work permit to work for a mainland company. The ministry has a dedicated permit type for each case, and the employer applies for it.
How is a work permit cancelled when an employee leaves?
The employer submits a cancellation request to MOHRE, settles any fines for late issuance or renewal, and confirms that the worker has received all dues. The employee signs the cancellation. After that the employer cancels the residence visa with the immigration authority.
Can MOHRE refuse to issue or renew a work permit?
It can. The ministry may refuse, decline to renew or cancel permits when a company has submitted incorrect documents, is not carrying out its licensed activity, or does not comply with the Wages Protection System and other labour rules. Clearing those issues comes before any new application.
Do free zone employees get a MOHRE labour card?
No. A free zone company applies for its employees' work permits and residence visas through the free zone authority, under that authority's rules. The MOHRE work permit described here applies to establishments registered with the ministry, which in practice means mainland companies.
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
Open in Google Maps