A visa is necessary if you’re an outsider who wants to reside and work in the UAE. The UAE is recognised for being very simple to get residency and employment visas compared to many other countries. However, there are many different visa categories, therefore it’s important to be aware of the immigration environment before starting any business setup.
The UAE’s immigration policy is connected to its employment policy. For the purposes of obtaining a local work permit and a residency visa, foreign nationals must be sponsored by a licenced and registered firm in the UAE. Expat “sponsorship” is both employer- and location-specific (just for one employer) (within a relevant free zone, for example). Working with third parties is allowed, but only under certain restrictions.
Depending on the Emirate and the region (free zone or mainland) where a corporation is based, there are different immigration procedures. Free zones typically have their own specialised government service office, which communicates with immigration authorities on behalf of the sponsoring firm (enterprise), and which typically has expedited work authorisation processes.
In the overview that follows, we examine visa categories in more detail and provide descriptions of important visas, excluding tourist visas:
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