UAE Labour Card – Complete Guide for Employees & Employers in 2025

In 2025, if you are thinking about working in Dubai, Abu Dhabi or Sharjah (cities of UAE) and you know all the laws there, but you hear about the UAE labour card for the first time, the first question that will come to your mind will be: what is it, what is it for, and where is it used? So, there is no need to worry! In this guide, all your questions are answered in detail.

What is UAE Labour Card?

The UAE Labour Card serves as a permit as well as proof of your legal right to work in the United Arab Emirates. It is a type of work ID that contains all the details of your job, and it is mandatory for the employee to keep this card with them while working or traveling anywhere within the UAE. This card reflects the nature of the employee’s work and displays all the new and previous details of their employment. This card is issued by MOHRE, the free zone authority, or the authority with which the employment is legally registered.

The details mentioned on this card are as follows:

Employee’s name
Employee’s occupation
Employer’s name
Employee’s personal identification number
Employee’s nationality
Employee’s contact number
Labour card expiry date
Employee’s permit number (Labour Card number)

In the absence of the labour card, the employee is not legally permitted to work, and in such a case, they may face legal complications. It is the employer’s responsibility to ensure the issuance of the work permit as soon as the employee is hired, so that the employee can apply for UAE labour card online as early as possible to avoid or face any difficulty in the future.

Types of Work Permits & UAE Labour Cards

The UAE government issues different types of work permits for employees working in various sectors. Each work permit is based on the nature of the employee’s job and is in accordance with UAE Labour Law. There are 14 types of work permits for employees, explained below with details:

1. Work Permit for Foreign Workers

Under this permit, UAE companies hire employees from outside the country. These employees include all professionals and related categories. Its validity period is two years and renewal is only done if the employee continues working in the same company.

2. Transfer Work Permit

This permit allows employees to change their company/employer without leaving the UAE. In this permit, it is necessary for the employee to have a new employer to whom the permit will be transferred. Employees can find new job opportunities according to their skills under this permit.

3. Temporary Work Permit

This permit is issued for temporary or short-term period (limited contract). It is usually provided for project-based, seasonal, or urgent jobs. The duration is generally six months and can only be renewed once.

4. One Mission Work Permit

As the name suggests, this permit is issued only for a single project, and its duration is fixed. Companies hire skilled and professional foreign employees for a specific task or project under this permit.

5. Mission Permit / Mission Visa

This permit is different from the one mission work permit and is valid for only 90 days, which can be renewed once. It is issued by government institutions and free zones for small or urgent tasks. It is mainly used for urgent hiring purposes.

6. Juvenile Work Permit

This permit is also known as an employment certificate or age certificate. The employee’s age must not be less than 15 years and not more than 18 years (minor). The employer is responsible for maintaining proper working hours, job nature, and employee rights in accordance with UAE Labour Law.

7. Student Training Work Permit

This is a temporary permit for students studying in the UAE. Under this permit, students without prior skills can work with any company for six months to gain experience and learn professional skills.

8. National Apprentice Permit

This permit is for UAE citizens and is issued to trainee employees according to their educational qualifications to provide them with proper training. It remains valid for one year and can be renewed with mutual consent between the employer and the trainee employee.

9. Freelance Work Permit

This permit is for skilled individuals living in the UAE who work independently without an employer. It allows employees to work with multiple clients at the same time. This permit is mostly used in consultancy, education, design, technology, and media sectors.

10. Work Permit for Citizens Sponsored by Relatives

Under this permit, a UAE citizen can bring his foreign relative (sister, brother, cousin, or close family member) into the country to work independently, without needing an employer or company sponsor.

11. Part-Time Work Permit

This permit allows employees to work for more than one employer. Employees are given limited working hours per week and have opportunities to earn from multiple jobs.

12. Permit for Hiring Emirati or GCC Citizens

Under this permit, employers can hire UAE nationals or citizens from other gulf countries (Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, etc.). Although GCC (gulf cooperation council) citizens do not require a residence visa to work in another gulf country, they still need a work permit as per MOHRE regulations.

13. Golden Visa Work Permit

Those who hold a golden visa can legally reside in the UAE for up to 10 years and work without needing a UAE labour permit. This category includes trained professionals, scientists, investors, and other specialists.

14. Remote Work Permit

This permit allows employees who work for foreign companies to live in the UAE and work from home. Such employees include freelancers, writers, customer support representatives, and others. The permit remains valid for one year and is renewable.

If you want to calculate your end of service benefits then try this UAE Gratuity Calculator.

Eligibility Criteria and Application Process of UAE Labour Card 2025

Anyone (whether a UAE national or an expatriate) who works in the country must obtain a labour card issued by the employer as an official work permit, regardless of their profession.

Employee eligibility criteria for UAE Labour Card

Age: The applicant must be at least 18 years old and not older than 60.
Qualification: The employee must possess the required educational qualifications for the job.
Certificate: A valid attested certificate from the home country is required.
Fitness: The applicant must pass a medical fitness test.
Criminal record: The applicant must have a clean criminal record.

Employer’s Responsibilities

The employer must ensure the issuance of the labour card within 60 days of hiring an employee. Failure to comply will be considered a legal violation and may result in penalties or legal action.
The employer must keep employees’ records updated, including job details, personal information, and the status of their Labour Cards.
The employee’s salary must align with the nature of their work — neither below nor above the defined standard.
The company must fully comply with MOHRE (Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation) regulations.

Application process For UAE Labour Card

To obtain a UAE labour card, the very first thing required is a work permit, and it is the employer’s responsibility to provide it to you where you are employed.

For expatriates workers, a residence visa permit is required, which allows them to live and work in the UAE.
The process of applying for the work permit and labour card is as follows:

The employee must obtain a signed employment contract letter written in both English and Arabic.
After obtaining the signed contract letter, the employer applies for visa quota approval from MOHRE. If the company is in a Free Zone, the visa approval must be obtained before the employee arrives in the UAE.
MOHRE issues an entry visa for the employee to enter the UAE, which is also known as the pink visa, specially designed for certain employees.
After obtaining the entry visa, the employee must undergo a medical and fitness test, and the medical certificate must be attached along with the visa documents.
After the medical certificate, the required documents, including degrees, diplomas, and all other necessary documents, must be submitted at the TAS-HEEL or Emirates ID centre office.
Employees can check their application status through the MOHRE website. Upon approval, the employee can obtain the online work permit.
Once all these steps are completed, the employee’s passport, Emirates ID, and permit can be stamped.
Employees can also print their permit through the MOHRE mobile app.

Documents required for a UAE Labour Card

To apply for a UAE Labour Card, employees must have the following documents:

Passport-size photographs
Educational certificates (all degrees and certificates)
Medical/Fitness certificate
Copy of visit visa and passport
Three copies of the employment contract
Copy of the company’s valid trade license

How to check Status of UAE Labour Card Online?

Previously, checking the labour card status was difficult for employees, but now the process has been simplified. You can check it easily by following these steps:

Through the MOHRE App:

The app is available on Google Play Store (for Android) and Apple Store/iOS Store (for iPhone).
Download the app.
Log in using your UAE Pass.
Go to or click on your profile.
In this section, you will see all the details, including your personal, labour card, and passport information.

You can also view your Labour Card digitally on this app.

Through Tas-heel Service Centre:

Tas-heel Service Centre (TCS) is a government organization in the UAE that keeps complete details of all jobs and labour law policies.
By visiting this centre, employees can get information regarding their labour card, employment contract, and work permit details by providing their personal information (passport number or emirates id).

Through UAE Pass App:

Download the app from Google play store or iOS app store.
Open the app and log in. If you don’t have an account, register yourself first.
After logging in, go to the MOHRE services section and click on labour card.
Carefully fill in all your details in each section one by one.
Once the process is completed, your digital labour card will appear on the screen.

How to print & download UAE Labour Card?

Since the UAE government has banned physical labour cards, you can now keep it as a digital or virtual card.
To download or print your card, follow the steps below:

Download through MOHRE mobile app:

Log in/sign in to the MOHRE mobile application using the UAE Pass app.
Click on My Dashboard.
Scroll down a little and click on the labour card under the Attachments section.
Your labour card will appear on the screen.
Click on the share button in the top-right corner, then select File Manager to download it.
If the File Manager option is not available, you can also share it on WhatsApp and download it from there.

Download through MOHRE website:

Go to the MOHRE website.
Click on the three dots at the top right corner and select Services.
In the Services section, click on new inquiry services.
Choose a service option and select print work permit.
In the work permit field, enter your labour card number and press search.
Your UAE labour card will now appear on the screen.

UAE Labour Card: Validity, Expiry Rules, Fees, Fines & Renewal Process

After obtaining the labour card, the next step is to understand its fee, validity period, expiry date, renewal charges, and renewal process. Let’s find out.

UAE Labour Card Validity & Expiry

For employees working in the private sector, the Labour Card remains valid for only 2 years, while government employees are an exception — their card remains valid for 3 years. After the card gets expired, the employer must renew it within 50 days for the next 2 years (the same duration as the first term if both employe and employee are agreed).

UAE Labour Card Fines

It is the employer’s responsibility to ensure the renewal of the employee’s labour card when it gets expired. If the employer fails to renew the card within 50 days, a fine of up to AED 500 imposed by the UAE government. Furthermore, if the work permit still remains unissued, additional fines may apply.
To check fines, follow the steps below:

Visit the MOHRE website.
Click on new inquiry services under the services section.
Select UAE fine calculator from the options.
Enter your labour card number and security code.
Click search to view your labour card fines.

UAE Labour Card Fee

The labour card fee depends on the employee’s company and the terms of their employment contract, and it can be up to approximately AED 3,450. All the detailed information is explained below:

Work Permit Application (All levels) = AED 50
Modification of Employment Contract (All levels) = AED 50
Transfer from One Establishment to Another Permit (All levels) = AED 50
Juvenile Work Permit = AED 50
Temporary Work Permit = AED 50
Part-Time Work Permit = AED 50
Training Permit = AED 50
Worker Testing Permit = AED 50
Residence Visa Holder Work Permit = AED 50
Golden Visa Holder/Freelance Work Permit for 2 years = AED 250
Issuance of Work Permit 2 years:
(Lv.1) = AED 250
(Lv.2) = AED 1200
(Lv.3) = 3450

Issuance of work Mission Permit (All levels) = AED 250
Work Permit Renewal 2 years:
(Lv.1) = AED 250
(Lv.2) = AED 1200
(Lv.3) = AED 3450

Permit for Transfer and Employment of workers from one establishment to another:
(Lv.1) = AED 250
(Lv.2) = AED 1200
(Lv.3) = AED 3450

Renewal of UAE Labour Card

As mentioned earlier, the process of renewing the labour card is the employer’s responsibility, and it must be renewed within 50 days. The easiest way to renew it is by applying through the MOHRE website, or alternatively, you can visit a Tas-heel centre to complete the renewal process. The renewal request is usually approved by MOHRE within a minimum of 10 days.

The renewal fee for the UAE labour card depends on the employer and the employment contract; however, the government fee can be up to AED 5000.

What to do if the UAE Labour Card is lost or stolen?

In case the UAE Labour Card is lost, inform your employer immediately.
Visit the nearest police station where the card was lost and file a report.
You can also seek assistance through the MOHRE website or by visiting a Tas-heel Centre and providing all the required details.
The responsibility for replacing or reissuing the lost labour card lies with the employer, and they must also pay the replacement fee.
After submitting the application, a new labour card is issued within 2 to 3 working days. This card is also virtual/digital and can be accessed through the MOHRE website or mobile app.

Conclusion

According to this article, by following all the above-mentioned steps, you can ensure the proper issuance and maintenance of your UAE labour card while working in the country. Since this card is very important, every employee must keep it as proof of employment and comply with UAE labour regulations to avoid any future complications. Moreover, to apply for this card, you must first have all your personal documents ready, as mentioned in this article.