MOHRE in the UAE: What It Does and When to Register

Key takeaways

• The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) is the federal ministry that issues work permits and enforces the private-sector labour law, Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021; under Article 6, an employer cannot recruit or employ a worker without a MOHRE work permit.
• A mainland company registers with MOHRE by opening an establishment file and then getting an establishment card, which MOHRE says takes 2 working days and lasts two years.
• MOHRE lists a Ta'qeem fee of AED 406 for issuing the establishment card, and the licensee or service agent signing for the company must be at least 21 years old.
• A free zone company usually deals with its own free zone authority for permits and visas rather than MOHRE, but the arrangement differs by free zone, so confirm it in writing before you hire.
• A MOHRE-registered company must pay salaries through the Wage Protection System, and mainland companies with 50 or more employees also face Emiratisation targets.

What is MOHRE and what does it do?

MOHRE is the UAE's federal labour ministry, and its legal name is the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation. It issues work permits, keeps the register of private-sector employers, monitors wage payment and sets the Emiratisation targets for private companies.

Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 defines the work permit as "a document issued by the Ministry, according to which a natural person is allowed to work", and Article 6 bars an employer from recruiting or employing anyone without one. Day to day, that means a company's contact with MOHRE runs through its establishment file, its work permits and its salary payments.

Does my company have to register with MOHRE?

A company with a mainland trade licence that employs people must register with MOHRE; a free zone company normally does not. The labour law applies to "all Establishments, Employers and Workers in the Private Sector" under Article 3, and the only exclusions it lists are government employees, the armed forces and security services, and domestic workers.

Free zones are not mentioned in that article. In practice many free zones run their own employment rules and issue permits themselves: Meydan Free Zone, for example, states that contracts are managed internally with no mandatory MOHRE registration. That is one free zone's position, not a rule for all of them. Check the position for your free zone in writing, because a company that holds both a free zone and a mainland licence will deal with each authority for its own staff.

Accurate as of 20 October 2026. The last row is our reading of the rules, not a MOHRE statement; confirm it with the authority that licenses the branch.

How do I register a new company with MOHRE?

You register in two stages: first the establishment details are recorded with MOHRE, then MOHRE issues the establishment card. MOHRE's service page says the registration covers the owners and authorised signatories, their signature specimens, the business activity and the location.

1. Get a valid trade licence from the licensing authority (DET in Dubai, or the equivalent in your emirate).
2. Make sure each owner, partner and authorised signatory has a MOHRE-issued personal identification number.
3. Confirm the licensee or service agent is at least 21 years old; a minor can sign only with court approval or through a guardian.
4. Confirm the person signing for the company is authorised by the Federal Authority for Identity, Nationality, Customs and Port Security.
5. Submit the application through the MOHRE website, the MOHRE app or a service centre.
6. Wait for the card: MOHRE gives a processing time of 2 working days.

GCC citizens are treated as UAE nationals for these purposes, according to the same page.

AED 406: the Ta'qeem fee MOHRE lists for issuing an establishment card. Source: MOHRE, "Issuance of Establishment Card" service page, checked 20 October 2026. The page adds that business centres may charge a maximum commission of AED 72 and that fees exclude tax and collection charges.

What does MOHRE registration cost and how long does it last?

MOHRE lists a 2 working day processing time and a two-year permit duration for the establishment card, with a Ta'qeem fee of AED 406. Business centres can add a commission of up to AED 72, and tax and collection charges come on top.

MOHRE's service page says that through its website and app only government fees apply. Work permit fees for individual employees are separate and vary by role and company classification; MOHRE does not publish one flat figure on the establishment card page, so we haven't quoted one.

What obligations come with being registered?

Once you are on MOHRE's register, you keep the file current, pay wages through the Wage Protection System (WPS) and, if you are large enough, meet Emiratisation targets. Each one has consequences if you miss it.

File updates. If your owners, activity, location or lease change, the amendment is made through MOHRE's Updating the Establishment File service. MOHRE lists a copy of the trade licence, both sides of the establishment card, an updated lease contract (virtual establishments are excluded), the owner's Emirates ID or residence visa copy, and a partners' addendum for incorporated establishments.

Wage payment. MOHRE's guidance on u.ae says all establishments registered with it must pay wages through WPS, with salaries for the previous month due on the first day of each Gregorian month. If payment slips, new work permits are suspended from day 5 after the due date, an administrative fine applies from day 11, and a repeat violation within six months moves the establishment to the Third Category. If you'd rather not track these dates by hand, the free UAE compliance calendar lists them for your company.

Emiratisation. MOHRE's targets cover private-sector companies with 50 or more employees: a 2% yearly rise in Emiratis in skilled roles, split into 1% every six months. Gulf News reported on 22 June 2026 that non-compliant firms pay AED 10,000 per month, or AED 120,000 a year, for each Emirati position not filled, starting from 1 July after the 30 June deadline. We could not confirm that figure on a MOHRE page, so check it with MOHRE before budgeting.

What most guides don't tell you

• A company can be registered with MOHRE and still have no active permits. The establishment card opens the file; it does not let you hire anyone. Each employee still needs a work permit under Article 6, so budget the permit steps separately from the card.
• The signatory is the bottleneck, not the form. MOHRE requires the authorised signatory to be approved by the Federal Authority for Identity, Nationality, Customs and Port Security. If your signatory's details are out of date, the application stalls even when the trade licence is fine.
• A lease change is a MOHRE event. The file-update service asks for an updated lease contract, so moving offices or renewing your tenancy means your MOHRE record needs amending too, not only your licence.
• Two licences mean two regimes. Say a Dubai company holds a free zone licence for its main activity and opens a mainland branch to serve local clients. Staff at the branch fall under MOHRE while staff at the free zone entity may not, so one payroll can be split across two sets of rules.

Which deadlines apply to your company?

A MOHRE-registered company has recurring dates for card renewal, WPS salary payments and Emiratisation checks, and they differ by company size and licence type. Your trade licence renewal, establishment card expiry and half-yearly Emiratisation checkpoints will not line up on their own. The free UAE compliance calendar is a calendar of your company's UAE tax and compliance deadlines, personalised from a few questions, as a PDF and calendar file.

Frequently asked questions

What is a PRO service and do I need one?

A PRO is a person or service that handles government paperwork for your company, such as establishment file updates, permit applications and renewals. You don't legally need one, but if nobody in your team has the time or the signatory authority to do those filings, outsourcing it is the usual route.

What does a PRO actually do for a small company?

For a small company, a PRO typically submits the MOHRE and immigration applications, tracks renewal dates and collects the approved cards and permits. The company still carries responsibility for the accuracy of what is filed.

What is a work permit vs a residence visa?

A work permit is MOHRE's document allowing a person to work for an employer; a residence visa is the separate immigration permission to live in the UAE. A mainland employee generally needs both, and the two are processed by different authorities.

How do I hire someone who is already on another company's visa?

The steps depend on the worker's current permit status and their current employer, so check the relevant MOHRE service page before you promise a start date. Don't let the person start work until the new permit is approved, because Article 6 bars employing a worker without a MOHRE work permit.

What types of work permits exist in the UAE?

MOHRE's establishment card page lists contract types of full time, part time, temporary, flexible, remote and job sharing. Article 7 of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 sets out the work arrangement types in the law itself.

About Qawi · Qawi is a corporate services firm licensed in the Sharjah Media City (SHAMS) free zone, handling company formation, visas and PRO, bookkeeping, VAT and corporate tax for UAE businesses. Guides are researched from FTA, Ministry of Finance and free zone sources. Qawi on LinkedIn

Sources

• MOHRE: Issuance of Establishment Card
• MOHRE: Updating the Establishment File
• Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 Regarding the Regulation of Employment Relationship (UAE Legislation portal)
• u.ae: Payment of wages (WPS)
• MOHRE news, 7 February 2023: amendments to the mechanism for achieving Emiratisation targets
• Gulf News, 22 June 2026: MoHRE warns UAE firms ahead of Emiratisation deadline
• Meydan Free Zone: Dubai labour law and Meydan Free Zone

Last checked: 20 October 2026

This is general information, not tax or legal advice for your specific situation.

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