Key takeaways
- No UAE authority publishes a monthly price for outsourced PRO work: each provider sets its own retainer or per-transaction fee, and Qawi did not find a verified, published benchmark, so this page gives no monthly figure (checked 19 October 2026).
- Government fees are a separate line from the PRO's fee: for example, MOHRE lists a federal fee of AED 3 plus a channel fee of AED 50 to renew or cancel a work permit through its electronic channels, or AED 100 at a Tasheel service centre (checked 19 October 2026).
- MOHRE caps a business centre's commission at AED 72 per service in its new work permit package, so a quote that bundles the permit with a much larger "service charge" deserves a line-by-line explanation (checked 19 October 2026).
- A PRO card is optional and free to apply for on MOHRE's website and app, valid for 2 years, so an outsourced PRO is a convenience that costs money, not a legal requirement.
- The cheapest PRO arrangement for a UAE company is the one that matches its real volume of hires, renewals and cancellations; a fixed retainer suits a company with steady paperwork, and per-transaction pricing suits one with very little.
How much does an outsourced PRO service cost per month?
The honest answer is that it depends on the provider and the scope, because no authority sets or publishes a rate for PRO work. What can be priced is the structure: providers generally charge in one of three ways, and each one shifts risk differently.
| Pricing model | How it works | Suits | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly retainer | Fixed fee for a defined list of services and a set number of transactions | Companies with regular hiring, renewals and licence work | Transactions that fall outside the list, which are billed extra |
| Per transaction | A service fee each time a permit, renewal or cancellation is filed | Companies with few staff changes | Fees that add up quickly in a busy quarter |
| Annual package | One fee for a year of listed tasks, often tied to the licence renewal | Companies that want one budget line | Unused services that are not refunded |
Provider websites advertise monthly figures, but those are marketing numbers rather than regulated prices, and Qawi has not verified any of them against an official source. Treat a published range as an opening point for a written quote, not a benchmark.
What government fees sit on top of the PRO's fee?
Government fees are paid at cost to the authority and sit on top of whatever the PRO charges, so they should appear as a separate line on every invoice. The table lists the fees MOHRE and ICP state on their own pages.
| Transaction | Authority | Fee (AED) | Processing time listed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work permit renewal | MOHRE | 3 federal + 50 channel (100 channel at Tasheel) | 1 working day |
| Work permit cancellation | MOHRE | 3 federal + 50 channel (100 channel at Tasheel) | 1 working day |
| Modify work permit or contract | MOHRE | 3 federal + 50 channel (100 at Tasheel) + 200 government fee per printed request | 1 working day |
| New two-year work permit | MOHRE | 50 federal + 250, 1,200 or 3,450 by category; business centre commission capped at 72 | 2 working days |
| Residence permit issuance | ICP | 100 application + 100 per year + 100 Smart Services + 20 deposit | About 2 days |
| Residence permit renewal | ICP | 100 application + 100 per year + 100 Smart Services | About 2 days |
Fees as of 19 October 2026. MOHRE's fees exclude tax and collection charges, and its work card fee depends on the establishment's classification and the worker's skill level, so confirm the live figure in your MOHRE account.
AED 72: the maximum commission MOHRE allows a business centre to charge per service in its new work permit package. Source: MOHRE, Issuance of a New Work Permit (Overseas), checked 19 October 2026.
Should you pay a retainer or per transaction?
Choose a retainer if your company has a steady flow of hires, renewals and licence work, and per-transaction pricing if it files only a few times a year. The deciding number is how many filings you expect, not the headline fee.
Say a mainland company has eight employees and renews all eight work permits in a year (a hypothetical). The government part is AED 424 in federal and channel fees if the PRO files electronically (8 × AED 53), or AED 824 if the filings go through a Tasheel centre (8 × AED 103), before the permit fees themselves. That AED 400 gap is why you should ask which channel a provider uses, and whether the quote includes channel charges or passes them on.
To compare two quotes fairly, divide each one by the number of transactions you expect over twelve months. A low retainer that excludes cancellations and amendments can cost more than a higher retainer that includes them. If you'd rather not track these dates by hand, the free UAE compliance calendar lists your company's tax and compliance deadlines, personalised from a few questions, as a PDF and calendar file.
What should a PRO quote include in writing?
A PRO quote should state the scope, the transactions included, the government fees treatment and who holds the credentials, because those four items decide the real monthly cost.
- List every service covered by name: new permits, renewals, cancellations, amendments, Emirates ID steps and licence renewals.
- State how many transactions the retainer includes per month or per year, and the price of each extra one.
- Show government fees, channel fees and typing or centre charges as separate lines at cost.
- Say which authority and channel each filing goes through (MOHRE, ICP, or your free zone authority).
- Name who holds the MOHRE E-Signature Card or PRO card, and what happens to it if you end the contract.
- Set a notice period and confirm you receive copies of every submission and receipt.
Verify any provider's trade licence before you share access, using the u.ae licence inquiry service.
Is a free zone PRO priced differently?
Often yes: free zone companies usually process visas through their free zone authority, which sets its own fees and forms, so the MOHRE figures above are a baseline for mainland companies and not a quote for a free zone. Ask your free zone for its fee schedule in writing and compare the PRO's charge against it, line by line.
When is it cheaper to handle PRO in-house?
It is cheaper to file in-house when the owner or an administrator has the time, the E-Signature Card and fewer than a handful of filings a year. MOHRE's permit services are free of charge apart from the stated federal and channel fees when you apply through its website or app, and ICP runs residence renewals on its Smart Services site and app with a UAE Pass login.
The counter-case is risk. An expired work permit or Emirates ID produces daily or monthly penalties, so a missed renewal can erase the saving from skipping a retainer. Doing it yourself works best when someone is accountable for the dates.
What most guides don't tell you
- The headline monthly fee rarely covers amendments and cancellations. MOHRE lists a separate AED 200 government fee on each printed contract modification, and cancellations are their own filing, so ask whether both are in scope.
- A PRO card does not move liability to the PRO. MOHRE issues the card to the establishment's owner and authorised signatory, and the filing is made in your company's name, so the accountability for each submission stays with you.
- Channel choice changes the cost. MOHRE lists AED 50 through electronic channels and AED 100 at Tasheel centres for the same renewal, so a provider that files in person charges you more at cost before adding its own fee.
- Expat PRO cards are limited. MOHRE says an expatriate PRO may hold only one card, and only where the owner employs fewer than 100 workers, so one person cannot cover many unrelated companies.
Which deadlines apply to your company?
Permits, residence, Emirates IDs and licences each run on their own clock, and the cheapest PRO arrangement is the one that never lets one lapse. The free UAE compliance calendar lists the deadlines that apply to your company.
Frequently asked questions
What is a PRO service and do I need one?
A PRO service handles your company's government transactions, such as work permits, residence and Emirates ID steps, and licence renewals. MOHRE describes its PRO card as optional, so you need a PRO only if the volume of filings makes doing them yourself costly or risky.
What does a PRO actually do for a small company?
A PRO prepares, submits and follows up the paperwork that keeps staff legally employed and resident, from new work permits and residence applications to renewals and cancellations. The work follows your hiring and exit calendar, so a company with no staff changes in a quarter may see little activity.
What is MOHRE and when does my company need to register with it?
MOHRE is the federal Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, which issues work permits to private-sector employers on the mainland. A mainland company opens an establishment file to use these services, while a free zone company usually deals with its free zone authority, so confirm which applies to you.
What is an establishment card and why do I need it?
An establishment card is the registration record that links your company to the government services used for hiring, and MOHRE lists a government fee of AED 2,000 plus service fees to open a new one, taking 2 working days. Modifying it costs a AED 3 federal fee plus a channel fee of AED 50 through electronic channels, so keep its details current before filing permits.
How much does a UAE employee visa cost in 2026?
For a mainland hire, MOHRE lists a AED 50 federal fee plus a two-year work permit fee of AED 250, AED 1,200 or AED 3,450 depending on the company's category. ICP then charges AED 100 to apply, AED 100 per year and AED 100 for Smart Services plus a AED 20 deposit for the residence permit, before the medical test and insurance.
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: Service Directory of Human Resources Affairs
- MOHRE: Issuance of a Public Relations Officer Card (PRO)
- MOHRE: Issuance of a New Work Permit (Overseas)
- ICP: Issuing Residency Permit
- ICP: Renewal of residency permits
- u.ae: Services centres for workers and employers
- u.ae: Inquire about licences, names and activities
Last checked: 19 October 2026
This is general information, not tax or legal advice for your specific situation.