Key takeaways
- Company visa quota (Dubai) is really a work permit quota. For a mainland company it is the number of MOHRE work permits the establishment may hold, and MOHRE’s own card for recruiting from abroad lists “an electronic quota available” as its first condition.
- What sets the number. The UAE government portal says MOHRE decides quota “according to the legal form of the company, the area of the premises, the projects involved and the demand of the work operation as evidenced by the employer”. Office size matters, but no square-foot formula is published.
- Four published conditions: a valid trade licence, private status without restrictions, a valid Taq’eem report and a profession that fits the licensed activity. For an electronic quota MOHRE asks for evidence of work volume, the licence, a vehicle list by activity and the Taq’eem report.
- Fees are small; the preparation is not. The MOHRE quota service has no fee on MOHRE’s website and app apart from government fees; the card lists Taq’eem at AED 406 and a business centre commission of up to AED 72. MOHRE’s card gives two working days.
- Two establishment cards come first. The GDRFA establishment card (AED 200 plus VAT and charges, 48 hours) and the MOHRE establishment card must both be valid before quota or permits move.
- Free zones run their own quota. Each free zone ties visas to its licence package and leased facility. DMCC, for example, charges an AED 250 application fee and AED 500 per additional visa, refundable if the request is declined.
- Not every hire uses quota. MOHRE’s cards say family-sponsored, part-time and juvenile permits need no quota, and UAE and GCC nationals are exempt from the category fees.
A company visa quota in Dubai is the number of employee visas a business may sponsor, and on the mainland it is set by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) as an electronic work permit quota attached to the company’s establishment file. MOHRE fixes the number from the company’s legal form, the area of its premises, its projects and the demand for work it can evidence, and it will not issue a work permit without available quota. Free zone companies get their visa allocation from their free zone authority instead, usually linked to the licence package and the office or facility they lease. The company visa quota Dubai businesses talk about is therefore two different systems under one name.
This guide is written for business owners and HR managers. It explains how the work permit quota is decided, how to check what you actually have, how to increase visa quota in Dubai on the mainland and in a free zone, what it costs, how long it takes, why requests are refused, and which hires need no quota at all.
Everything here was checked on 24 September 2026 against MOHRE service cards, the GDRFA Dubai service catalogue, the UAE government portal (u.ae), UAE legislation and published free zone fee schedules. Where official sources disagree or are silent, we say so.
This page explains how the company visa quota works and how to raise it. If you want the quota request filed for you, that is our quota approval service. The immigration establishment card is covered in our establishment card guide, the permit choices in our guide to work permit types, and the choice between the two company routes in free zone vs mainland.
Company visa quota Dubai at a glance
The table sets the two systems side by side. Mainland figures come from MOHRE and GDRFA service cards; the free zone column uses DMCC’s published schedule of charges as the worked example, because each free zone sets its own rules.
| Question | Mainland work permit quota (MOHRE) | Free zone visa quota (example: DMCC) |
|---|---|---|
| Who sets the company visa quota (Dubai) | MOHRE, on the establishment’s labour file | The free zone authority |
| What drives the number | Legal form, premises area, projects and evidenced work demand (u.ae) | The licence package and leased facility, under the zone’s own rules |
| How quota is granted | Proactive quota with no application, or an electronic quota request with evidence | A visa quota increase request to the zone |
| Published fee for a visa quota increase | No fee on MOHRE’s website and app apart from government fees; Taq’eem AED 406; centre commission up to AED 72 | AED 250 application per request plus AED 500 per additional visa (refundable if declined) |
| Published service time | 2 working days | Not stated in the schedule |
| Cards that must be valid | GDRFA establishment card and MOHRE establishment card | The free zone establishment card |
| Fee per work permit after quota | AED 50 plus AED 250, 1,200 or 3,450 by MOHRE category | Free zone visa fees; no MOHRE category fee |
| Hires that use no work permit quota | Family-sponsored, part-time, juvenile permits (MOHRE cards) | Depends on the zone; some approve non-sponsored staff |
MOHRE quota approval in Dubai: our company quota service and fee
Many companies never need outside help with quota: the proactive quota arrives with the establishment file and the HR team files permits on the MOHRE app. Business owners and HR managers come to us when the number is not enough, when the system says “no quota” and nobody knows why, when a free zone upgrade has to be planned against a hiring date, or when a request has been refused. We are a PRO and visa services firm in Al Barsha 1, Dubai, and the service page for this work is our company quota approval service.
What we do
- Audit the file before anything is filed: trade licence validity and activities, the GDRFA and MOHRE establishment cards, the e-signature, MOHRE category, E Quota Status, pending payments, fines and any suspension.
- Release the quota you already have by finding permits that should have been cancelled (leavers, absconding cases, people who never arrived) and closing them properly.
- Build the electronic quota request: the evidence of work volume mapped role by role, the vehicle list where the activity depends on vehicles, and a Taq’eem check.
- Plan the premises side where the office is the constraint: what a larger or additional space means for the licence and Ejari, and in which order to change them.
- Handle free zone increases through the zone’s portal, including any facility upgrade the zone requires.
- Suggest the no-quota routes where they fit: family-sponsored, part-time and other permits that MOHRE’s cards say need no quota.
How it works
- Message us on WhatsApp with the trade licence, the establishment number (or MOHRE login access through your authorised person) and the roles you plan to fill.
- We send a written diagnosis: available quota, any blocker, the documents still needed and the published government fees.
- You approve our fee quote. We then prepare and submit under your authorised signatory, on MOHRE or the free zone portal.
- We follow the request to a decision and move straight on to the work permits and residence files if you want us to.
What it costs
Government fees are passed on at cost, with the official receipt. On the mainland that means the Taq’eem fee shown on MOHRE’s card (AED 406) where it applies, any commission charged by a business service centre (capped at AED 72) and VAT, and later the work permit fees for your category. In a free zone it means the zone’s published charges. Our own fee depends on the file and the number of positions and is quoted in writing before we start. Our standard packages are on our fees page.
Why business owners and HR managers use us
- We publish our sources: every fee and condition in this guide links to the official page it came from.
- We work across MOHRE, GDRFA in Dubai, ICP for the other emirates and the main free zone portals, so quota, permits and residence are handled as one job.
- We tell you when you do not need us, for example when a proactive quota is already sitting on your file.
- Our office is in Al Barsha 1, open by appointment; whatsApp us any time, 24 hours; office open Monday to Friday, 9:00 to 18:00 (Dubai time).
The fix usually starts with the labour file, not immigration
The company visa quota owners worry about is, in practice, a MOHRE work permit quota. It sits at MOHRE and is invisible from the immigration side, which is why a hire that “should take two weeks” can turn into six. When a company asks us for quota approval in Dubai, we start with the MOHRE establishment file.
A candidate who resigns on the strength of your offer, then waits weeks for quota, is a candidate you are likely to lose, and a reputational cost you do not need. Confirming quota takes minutes. Fixing its absence takes weeks. Only once slots are confirmed should offers go out and work permits be applied for.
When the premises are the ceiling, we say so
Where your premises genuinely cap your headcount, we will tell you plainly rather than submit an application that will be refused. Companies that outgrow their quota for space reasons generally have to take more space before MOHRE will grant more slots. That is a property decision with a lead time, so plan quota months ahead of hiring, not in the week of the offer. Where the constraint was compliance rather than space, more quota is sometimes possible without moving.
What to send us for a quota approval
- The current trade licence.
- The current establishment card (see our establishment card renewal service if it has lapsed).
- The registered Ejari showing the office and its area.
- The Emirates ID and passport of the authorised signatory.
- The list of professions and the number of slots you want.
- Evidence that WPS and any fines are current.
From these we tell you how many slots you hold, how many you could realistically get and what is standing in the way. MOHRE’s card gives two working days once a clean request is submitted; a refusal, or a premises change needed first, extends that considerably.
Company visa quota Dubai: what “visa quota” actually means
People say “visa quota”, but on the mainland no immigration authority hands a company a number of visas. The limit sits one step earlier, at the labour file. Article 6 of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 (the Labour Law) says an employer may not recruit or employ a worker without a work permit from MOHRE, and MOHRE will not issue a permit to recruit from abroad unless “the establishment must have an electronic quota available”, in the words of its service card. The residence visa from GDRFA follows the permit. So the company visa quota Dubai owners worry about is, in practice, a work permit quota.
The UAE government portal describes it plainly: “The number of employees a company can hire depends on the quota approved by the ministry.” It adds that the quota “can be changed on request from the employer and the approval of the Ministry”. That one sentence is the legal basis of every quota increase on the mainland.
Three consequences follow for anyone planning headcount:
- Quota belongs to the establishment, not to a person or a job. MOHRE’s card calls the quota service a “subsidiary procedure” of opening and updating the establishment file.
- Every active permit uses a slot until it is cancelled. A leaver whose permit was never closed still sits on your quota.
- The residence side has its own gate. Even with quota, GDRFA will not issue entry permits or residence for a company whose immigration establishment card has lapsed.
How the work permit quota is set on the mainland
MOHRE does not publish a formula that turns square feet or turnover into a number of permits. What is published is the list of factors, the conditions and the evidence. Read together, they tell you how the decision is made.
The four factors on u.ae
The UAE government portal’s page on recruiting on the mainland (last updated 11 June 2025) says the Ministry “will determine the quota according to the legal form of the company, the area of the premises, the projects involved and the demand of the work operation as evidenced by the employer”.
| Factor (u.ae) | What it means in practice | What you can do about it |
|---|---|---|
| Legal form of the company | An LLC, a sole establishment, a civil company and a branch are different kinds of file with different typical scale | Nothing quickly; a change of legal form is a licensing project, not a quota tactic |
| Area of the premises | The registered office or site, shown by the tenancy contract (Ejari in Dubai) linked to the licence | Take more or larger premises and update the licence and Ejari before asking |
| The projects involved | Contracts, sites and work orders that need people | Keep signed contracts, purchase orders and project schedules on file |
| Demand of the work operation as evidenced by the employer | Proof that the work exists now, not a forecast | Map each requested position to a document that proves the need |
The word “evidenced” matters most. MOHRE’s quota card asks for “evidence of work volume” for an electronic quota, and a business plan is a statement of intent, not evidence. Signed contracts, issued purchase orders, a project schedule with staffing by role, vehicles registered to the activity and a payroll already running through the Wage Protection System are the kind of documents that can be checked by someone outside the company.
Proactive quota and electronic quota: the two ways a company visa quota (Dubai) is granted
MOHRE’s card for “Work Permit Quotas For Establishments” describes the service as proactive: “A proactive service quota is awarded without submitting an application or any documentation to the Ministry.” That is why a new company often finds a small quota already on its file after the establishment card is issued. Where a company needs more, or a specific allocation, it asks for an electronic quota, and then the card lists four documents.
| Point | Proactive quota | Electronic quota (request) |
|---|---|---|
| Application | None; awarded with the establishment file | Submitted by the establishment |
| Documents | None, per the MOHRE card | Evidence of work volume, trade licence, list of vehicles according to the establishment’s activities, Taq’eem report |
| When it is used | Opening or updating the establishment file | When more permits, or permits for specific professions, are needed |
| Published time | 2 working days (MOHRE card) | |
The four conditions on MOHRE’s card
| Condition (MOHRE card) | How it fails in real files | Where to read more |
|---|---|---|
| A valid trade licence | The licence expired, or renewal is waiting for an approval or a new Ejari | Trade licence renewal |
| Private status “without any restrictions” | Unpaid fines, a WPS breach, a suspension under a ministerial resolution, an expired establishment card | WPS explained |
| A valid Taq’eem report | No report on file, or one that has lapsed | See the Taq’eem section below |
| The profession is compatible with the establishment’s activities | The role (for example a nurse or an electrician) is outside the licensed activities | Work permit types |
The last condition is also a condition of every work permit on u.ae: “The occupation assigned to the worker must be aligned with the business activity of the establishment.” A company that has quickly grown into a new line of work needs the activity on its licence before it asks for quota for those roles.
Taq’eem: what we can and cannot confirm
MOHRE’s quota card lists “a valid Taq’eem report” as a condition and “Taq’eem fees: 406 dirhams” under fees. The same AED 406 Taq’eem line appears on MOHRE’s card for issuing the establishment card itself. The cards do not define Taq’eem (“evaluation” in Arabic) or say how long a report lasts. In practice it is treated as MOHRE’s assessment of the establishment file, and the fee appears when the establishment file is opened or assessed. We could not find an official page that explains it further, so we show the card’s wording and nothing more.
Budget AED 406 plus VAT where the MOHRE screen asks for it, and treat the payment screen as final. If a provider quotes a single “quota fee” far above that, ask for the split between government fees and service fees. You are entitled to see it.
Office space, Ejari and the work permit quota
Business owners are often told that each visa needs a set number of square feet. We have not found that rule on any MOHRE, Dubai Economy and Tourism (DET) or u.ae page, and it does not appear on MOHRE’s quota card. What is official is narrower and still important.
- Premises area is one of the four factors u.ae lists for setting quota.
- MOHRE inspects before it issues the e-signature. u.ae says the Ministry “will issue the card only after inspecting the business premises and verifying lack of any violations”, and that “the eSignature is a prerequisite for any application submitted by the employer”.
- A mainland licence needs registered premises. In Dubai the tenancy is registered through Ejari and linked to the licence at renewal; our guide to renewing a trade licence covers that side.
The practical reading is that a company asking for many more permits from a small office should expect the premises to be questioned, and one that has moved to larger premises should update its licence and Ejari before it asks. Where the work is done on client sites or in labour-intensive activities, project contracts and site documents carry more weight than the office itself. If the premises need changing, our Ejari registration service handles the tenancy registration.
A tenancy that exists only on paper does not survive an inspection, and u.ae lists a “fictitious” establishment, or one that “does not exercise its registered activity”, as a ground for MOHRE to refuse or cancel work permits. Take the space you actually need and use it.
Company visa quota Dubai: approved, used and available quota
The number that matters is the one you can use today. Approved quota is what MOHRE has allowed; used quota is the active permits and approved permit applications against it; available quota is the difference. MOHRE’s public enquiry portal includes an “E Quota Status” enquiry that shows whether quota is available or an application is pending.
Available quota shrinks in ways HR teams do not always see:
- A worker left but the work permit and contract were never cancelled.
- A candidate’s permit was approved but the person never came, and the approval was never cancelled.
- A worker stopped coming to work and no absconding (work abandonment) report or cancellation was processed.
- A permit was issued to the wrong profession and a second one was taken out instead of amending the first.
Before asking MOHRE for a visa quota increase, clean the file. Cancelling a leaver’s work permit and contract is explained in our guide to cancelling an employment visa, and the absconding route in our employer’s guide to absconding.
Company visa quota Dubai prerequisites: the two establishment cards
A Dubai mainland company holds two separate registrations, and both must be valid before quota means anything. The immigration card belongs to GDRFA; the labour card to MOHRE.
| Card | Issued by | Published fees | Published time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Establishment card (immigration) | GDRFA Dubai: “Establishment Card for Institutions in the Private Sector/ Free Zone” | AED 200 plus 5% VAT, AED 10 Knowledge Dirham, AED 10 Innovation Dirham, AED 50 service fee; AED 100 urgent fee; the card notes the issuance or renewal fee is AED 100 per year | 48 hours |
| MOHRE establishment card (the “company labour card”) | MOHRE: “Issuance of Establishment Card” | Ta’qeem AED 406; no fee on MOHRE’s website and app apart from government fees; centre commission up to AED 72 | 2 working days; valid two years |
MOHRE’s card adds that the licensee or service agent must be at least 21 and that “the authorized signatory in the Ministry must also be authorized to sign in the Federal Authority”. GDRFA asks for the partners’ appendix, passport copies of authorised signatories and a notarised authorisation. The detail of each card, renewal and late renewal sits in our establishment card guide and our guide to the company labour card. If you want either card handled, see our establishment card renewal service or labour file opening service.
MOHRE classification, Emiratisation and Nafis: how they affect the company visa quota (Dubai)
MOHRE’s classification of private companies, in force since 1 June 2022 under Cabinet Resolution No. 18 of 2022, does not change how many permits you may hold. It changes what each permit costs and, at the bottom end, whether you can get permits at all.
| MOHRE category | Who falls in it (MOHRE, 1 June 2022) | Two-year work permit fee |
|---|---|---|
| Category 1 | Compliant companies meeting at least one extra criterion, such as raising their Emiratisation rate at least three times above the target, partnering with Nafis to train at least 500 citizens a year, youth-owned ventures, training and employment centres, or companies in a sector targeted by the Cabinet | AED 250 |
| Category 2 | Companies that comply with the laws and the skilled workforce and diversity policy; the default for compliant companies | AED 1,200 |
| Category 3 | Companies that break labour market rules, for example human trafficking, recruiting without permits, wage, housing or safety breaches, or fake Emiratisation | AED 3,450 |
MOHRE’s card for recruiting from abroad adds a flat AED 50 application fee in every category, and the classification announcement says the employment of UAE and GCC nationals is exempt from these fees.
Emiratisation touches quota in three ways. First, the targets: MOHRE requires companies with 50 or more employees to raise Emirati employment in skilled roles by 2% a year, and companies with 20 to 49 employees in specified sectors to employ UAE nationals, with financial contributions for missed targets. Second, fake Emiratisation is a category 3 trigger and, under Article 60 of the Labour Law as amended by Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2024, carries fines of AED 100,000 to AED 1,000,000 multiplied by the number of workers. Third, u.ae’s recruiting page still records the principle that the Ministry checks whether a registered national can do a job before consenting to a non-national. Targets, deadlines and contributions are covered in our Emiratisation rules guide; this guide does not repeat them.
A growing company that hires ten people from abroad pays AED 2,500 in permit fees in category 1 and AED 34,500 in category 3, before any GDRFA fee. The work permit quota lets you hire; the category decides the price. Our employment visa cost breakdown adds the GDRFA, medical and Emirates ID lines.
How to check quota approval in Dubai (your company visa quota)
To check quota approval in Dubai, open MOHRE’s enquiry portal (inquiry.mohre.gov.ae), choose E Quota Status and enter your establishment or transaction number. The authorised signatory can see the same quota, active permits and pending applications in the MOHRE website or app with UAE PASS, and MOHRE’s call centre on 600590000 or any Tasheel centre can confirm the position too.
Checking costs nothing and takes minutes, and it should happen before an offer letter goes out, not after the candidate has resigned from their current job.
| Channel | What you can see | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| MOHRE enquiry portal (inquiry.mohre.gov.ae) | E Quota Status, Company Information, Pending Payments, Fine Calculator, GDRFA Establishment Link Status | Public enquiries by establishment or transaction number |
| MOHRE website and smart app (employer login or UAE PASS) | The establishment’s quota, active permits, applications in progress | The authorised signatory’s access |
| MOHRE call centre 600590000 | Status and guidance | The quota card says it is available 24/7 |
| Tasheel business service centre | A printout of the establishment’s position | Centre commission applies |
Read four things together: available quota, the MOHRE category, the establishment card expiry dates (both cards) and any pending payments or fines. If the quota looks fine but applications fail, check the “GDRFA Establishment Link Status”: a broken link between the MOHRE and immigration files stops permits even when quota exists.
Visa quota increase on the mainland: step by step
A visa quota increase on the mainland means asking MOHRE for an electronic quota, and MOHRE’s card describes approval as happening once the requirements and documents are met. There is no appeal stage on the card. So the work is done before you submit.
- Check available work permit quota and clean the file. Cancel permits for leavers and no-shows, close absconding cases through the proper route, and see whether the proactive quota has already given you what you need.
- Clear every restriction. Pay outstanding MOHRE fines, correct any WPS rejection, renew an expiring licence or establishment card. A request made on a restricted file fails on the second condition, whatever the evidence says.
- Match the licence to the roles. List each profession you want to hire and check it against the licensed activities. Add activities first where needed.
- Check the premises. If you have outgrown the office, move or add space, register the new Ejari and update the licence before the request.
- Confirm the Taq’eem position and budget the AED 406 shown on the card.
- Build the evidence of work volume role by role: contracts, purchase orders, project schedules, vehicle registrations, and the payroll you already run.
- Submit the electronic quota request through the MOHRE website or app (no MOHRE service charge), a business service centre (commission up to AED 72) or Tawseel, which the card lists as channels.
- Follow up. The card says the customer is notified once the request is completed and gives two working days. A request open much longer usually means something in the file needs attention.
- Issue the permits for the right types once quota is available; see our guide to work permit types.
Building evidence of work volume that holds up
This is the item that decides the size of most approvals. The test we apply to every document is simple: could someone outside the company confirm it is real?
| Carries weight | Carries little weight |
|---|---|
| Signed service or supply contracts with scope, value and duration | Letters of intent, unsigned proposals |
| Purchase orders already issued by clients | Sales pipeline reports and forecasts |
| Project schedules that show staffing by role | An organisation chart of a future team |
| Vehicles registered to the establishment and matching its activity | Plans to buy vehicles |
| Premises in use whose operation needs staff (a clinic, a workshop, a restaurant) | An intention to lease |
| A payroll already running through WPS | Projected salaries |
Present the evidence by role. A request that says “four drivers: vehicles 1 to 4, registrations attached; two site supervisors: contract with client X, schedule page 3” can be approved as it stands. An undifferentiated bundle leaves the assessor to build that link, and the conservative answer is a smaller number.
Ask for what the evidence supports. Two clean requests, one now and one when the next contract is signed, usually take less time than one ambitious request followed by a partial approval and a resubmission on the same documents.
Visa quota increase when the constraint is the premises
If the company has grown beyond its office, the order of operations matters. Sign the new or additional tenancy, register it on Ejari, update the trade licence with DET, let the change reach the MOHRE file, and only then request quota. Asking first and moving later means the request is assessed against the old premises. For mainland licence changes and renewals, see our trade licence renewal service.
Visa quota increase when the constraint is the licence
A trading company that starts doing installation, or a consultancy that starts producing video, needs the new activity on its licence before MOHRE will allow those professions. The fix is a licence amendment with DET and any external approval the activity needs. It is a known process, but it takes time, which is why the activity check belongs at the start of hiring planning, not at the permit stage. If the licence has expired, read our guide on expired trade licences first.
Company visa quota Dubai fees: the full table for a visa quota increase
The quota itself costs little. The larger costs are the permits it unlocks and the premises or licence changes you may need first. This table lists only published government figures, with the source for each.
| Item | Published figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| MOHRE quota service (proactive or electronic quota) | No fee on MOHRE’s website and app apart from government fees | MOHRE: Work Permit Quotas For Establishments |
| Taq’eem | AED 406 | MOHRE quota card; MOHRE establishment card |
| Business service centre commission | Up to AED 72 | MOHRE quota card |
| VAT and collection charges | Extra; card fees exclude them | MOHRE cards |
| GDRFA establishment card, issue or renewal | AED 200 + 5% VAT + AED 10 + AED 10 + AED 50 service fee; AED 100 urgent | GDRFA service cards |
| MOHRE establishment card | Ta’qeem AED 406; valid two years | MOHRE: Issuance of Establishment Card |
| Work permit from abroad, application | AED 50 | MOHRE: new work permit (overseas) |
| Work permit from abroad, two years | AED 250 / 1,200 / 3,450 by category | MOHRE card; MOHRE classification news, 1 June 2022 |
| Free zone visa quota example: DMCC visa quota increase | AED 250 application per request (non-refundable) + AED 500 per additional visa (refundable if declined) | DMCC schedule of charges |
| Free zone example: DMCC company establishment card | AED 1,825 to issue (DMCC schedule); AED 1,800 yearly renewal on our DMCC price list, October 2026 | DMCC schedule of charges; our DMCC price list |
The full fee hub for MOHRE, GDRFA and ICP is our UAE government fees list. What PRO companies charge on top, and how to compare quotes, is in our guide to PRO services cost.
An all-in price for “getting quota”. Whether your licence needs amending, whether a fine or restriction must be cleared, whether you need more premises, and what a provider charges all vary by company, and none of them is a MOHRE quota fee. Any single figure that bundles them hides which part is government and which part is service.
Company visa quota Dubai timelines: how long a visa quota increase takes
| Step | Published time | What really sets the pace |
|---|---|---|
| MOHRE electronic quota request | 2 working days (MOHRE card) | Whether the file is clean and the evidence complete |
| GDRFA establishment card issue or renewal | 48 hours (GDRFA card) | Notarised authorisation and partners’ appendix being correct |
| MOHRE establishment card | 2 working days (MOHRE card) | Personal identification numbers for owners and signatories, age 21 rule |
| Work permit after quota | 2 working days on most MOHRE permit cards | Job offer signed, documents and attestation ready |
| Licence amendment or premises change | No single published time | Landlord, Ejari, DET and any external approval |
| Free zone visa quota increase | Set by each zone | The zone’s review and any facility upgrade |
MOHRE’s quota card gives two working days. Separately, a MOHRE announcement carried by the Emirates News Agency (WAM) on 9 February 2026, under the second phase of the Zero Government Bureaucracy programme, said establishments can now receive work permit quotas instantly, a process that previously took up to 10 days (secondary source: news reports of the WAM release; the service card has not been updated to match). The two statements differ, so we plan against the card’s two working days and treat a faster result as a bonus. Processing times across all authorities are in our visa processing times guide.
Company visa quota Dubai refusals: why requests fail and what to do
MOHRE approves on compliance with published requirements. A refusal is almost always a failed condition, so resubmitting the same file gets the same answer. Find the cause first.
| Cause | Official basis | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Trade licence expired or about to expire | Quota card condition 1; u.ae work permit conditions | Renew the licence, then reapply |
| Restriction on the establishment file | Quota card condition 2 | Identify the block (fines, WPS, suspension) and clear it |
| Unpaid work permit delay fines | Ministerial Resolution 46 of 2022, Article 4: no new permits or renewals until paid; after four months unpaid the suspension extends to all establishments wholly owned by the same owner | Pay the fines, or claim an Article 3 exception where it applies |
| Serious violations | Ministerial Resolution 543 of 2022 (via u.ae): new permits suspended for violations such as human trafficking allegations and failure to provide labour accommodation | Correct the status; eligibility can return once corrected |
| Wage Protection System breach | u.ae: MOHRE may refuse or cancel permits where the establishment is not WPS-compliant | Bring WPS files current; see our WPS guide |
| Fictitious establishment or inactive activity | u.ae refusal grounds | Real premises, real activity, real staff |
| Incorrect documents | u.ae refusal grounds | Resubmit with correct, verifiable documents |
| Profession outside licensed activity | Quota card condition 4 | Amend the licence first |
| Taq’eem missing or lapsed | Quota card condition 3 | Complete Taq’eem and pay the AED 406 shown |
| Evidence does not support the number | Quota card documents list | Ask for what the evidence carries; return when new contracts are signed |
A partial approval is not a refusal. It is MOHRE’s reading of the evidence you supplied. The useful question is which positions the documents did not support, not how to argue the number up.
Article 3 of Ministerial Resolution 46 of 2022 lists situations in which an employer is not treated as late, for example a worker outside the UAE for more than six months, a worker deported, a death, a complaint referred to court, or imprisonment. If late fines are the block and one of these applies, raise it before paying. The labour ban and permit ban rules that can stop an individual candidate, as opposed to the company, are in our labour ban guide.
Free zone visa quota: how it works and how to raise it
A free zone company does not use MOHRE work permits for its own staff, so MOHRE’s work permit quota rules, conditions and category fees do not apply to it. The free zone authority registers the company, issues its establishment card, approves each employee and sponsors or processes the residence through GDRFA or ICP. The free zone visa quota is whatever that authority allows under its own rules.
Most zones link the number of visas to the licence package and the facility leased: a flexi-desk or shared-desk package typically carries a small allocation, a private office more, a warehouse or plot more again. The exact numbers are set in each zone’s regulations, package terms and fee schedule, and they change. We do not reproduce a table of “visas per square foot” for every zone because none of the zones we checked publishes one in its fee schedule.
A published free zone visa quota example: DMCC
DMCC’s schedule of charges has a “Company Visa Quota” section with a line for “Increase In Visa Quota”:
| DMCC charge | Amount | DMCC’s rule |
|---|---|---|
| Service fee, increase in visa quota | AED 500 per additional visa requested | Refundable if the additional visa request is declined |
| Application fee | AED 250 per request | Non-refundable |
| Knowledge and Innovation Dirham | AED 20 in total, per DMCC’s general conditions | Applies to charges as the schedule states |
So a DMCC company asking for three more visas pays AED 250 plus AED 1,500, plus the Knowledge and Innovation Dirham, and gets the AED 1,500 back if DMCC declines. Whether DMCC approves depends on its own criteria, which can include the facility the company holds. Each new employee then goes through DMCC’s own visa charges; our employment visa cost breakdown includes a DMCC example.
How to request a free zone visa quota increase
- Read your zone’s current free zone visa quota rules on the company portal or schedule of charges: the allocation for your facility and the fee to add visas.
- Check whether the request needs a facility change. If the zone ties visas to space, an upgrade from a desk to an office, or an additional unit, comes first, with a new lease.
- Keep the licence and establishment card valid; zones do not process visa services for expired entities.
- File the visa quota increase request on the zone’s portal with any supporting documents it asks for, and pay the published fee.
- Process each visa once the allocation is approved.
Some zones also allow staff who are not sponsored by the company. RAKEZ, for example, states that it can approve non-sponsored employees who are GCC nationals, reside in the UAE on a visa sponsored by a relative, are employed on a part-time or temporary basis, or work for a subsidiary or associated company. Check your own zone’s rule before assuming a new visa is needed.
If you are still choosing between a mainland and a free zone company, quota is only one of the differences. Our comparison of free zone vs mainland covers the rest, and our free zone visa services handle zone portals for you.
Hiring without using work permit quota: the alternatives
Before a visa quota increase, ask whether every role needs a new employment visa. MOHRE’s own permit cards say several permit types need no quota, and they are often faster and cheaper. The full set is in our guide to work permit types; the ones that matter for quota are these.
| Permit (MOHRE card) | Who it suits | Quota needed? | Federal fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Family-sponsored resident | A spouse, son or daughter living in the UAE on a relative’s residence | No | AED 50 + AED 250 |
| Part-time | A resident with a valid residence visa working fewer hours or days, often alongside another job | No | AED 50 |
| Juvenile (15 to 17) | Young people, with guardian consent and hours limits | No | AED 50 |
| UAE and GCC national | Emirati and GCC citizens | No | Exempt from category fees |
| UAE national trainee | Emiratis on a structured traineeship | No | AED 50 |
| Temporary | A worker already in the UAE for a defined task; current employer’s approval | Not stated on the card | AED 50 |
| Golden visa holder | A holder of a valid Golden residence | Not stated on the card | AED 50 |
| Mission | A worker from abroad for a fixed project, 3 months extendable once | Yes | AED 50 on the card |
| Recruitment from abroad | An ordinary hire from outside the UAE | Yes | AED 50 + AED 250 / 1,200 / 3,450 |
The alternatives come with limits. A family-sponsored employee’s right to live in the UAE depends on the family sponsor’s visa. A part-time worker may already have a main employer whose no objection letter the card asks for. A temporary permit is for a defined task and, per the card, is granted once. None of them is a way round the company’s obligations: Article 60 of the Labour Law, as amended in 2024, fines employers AED 100,000 to AED 1,000,000 for employing someone without a permit or using a permit for a purpose other than the one it was issued for.
Group companies and secondments
A common request is to “borrow” quota from a sister company. Each establishment has its own file and quota, and an employee working for a different group company from the one on the permit is working outside the permit. Where staff genuinely move, transfer them properly, or use a permit type that fits the arrangement. In free zones, check whether the zone approves staff of a subsidiary or associated company, as RAKEZ states it can.
A new company’s first visas: building a company visa quota (Dubai) from zero
Most “no quota” surprises in a new mainland company are sequence problems. The systems accept steps in this order.
| Step | Authority | What it unlocks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Trade licence with premises registered (Ejari in Dubai) | DET (formerly DED); Dubai Land Department for Ejari | Everything else |
| 2. Immigration establishment card | GDRFA Dubai | Entry permits and residence for staff |
| 3. Personal identification numbers for owners and signatories | MOHRE | The MOHRE establishment file |
| 4. MOHRE establishment card and e-signature | MOHRE (premises inspection per u.ae) | Applications to MOHRE |
| 5. Proactive quota, or an electronic quota request | MOHRE | Work permits |
| 6. Work permits, then entry permits, medical, Emirates ID, residence, contract and WPS | MOHRE, GDRFA, DHA, ICP | Staff on the payroll |
The owner of a new LLC who is also its first employee often asks about “the investor visa” separately; partner and investor residence follows its own GDRFA route, which our team can price at the same time. For the labour file itself, see our labour file opening service.
Keeping your company visa quota (Dubai) available: a compliance calendar
Quota problems are rarely sudden. They are the moment a condition that lapsed months ago meets a hiring date. A short routine prevents most of them.
| When | Check | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Before every offer | Available quota and the profession against licensed activities | Stops the costliest mistake: an accepted offer you cannot process |
| Monthly | E Quota Status, pending payments, fines | Unpaid delay fines suspend permits under MR 46/2022 |
| Monthly | WPS files paid and accepted | WPS breaches are a published refusal ground |
| On every exit | Work permit and contract cancelled; residence cancelled | Frees the quota slot and closes the file |
| Quarterly | Taq’eem position; activities against hiring plans | Catches the activity gap before a hire |
| 60 to 90 days before expiry | Trade licence, Ejari, GDRFA and MOHRE establishment cards | An expired licence or card stops everything |
| Yearly | MOHRE category and Emiratisation position | The category sets the permit fee; Emiratisation misses carry contributions |
Keep the evidence file current as you go: signed contracts, purchase orders, project schedules and vehicle registrations. An electronic quota request assembled from a maintained file takes an afternoon; the same request assembled while a candidate waits takes much longer and is usually weaker. Why companies hand this calendar to a PRO is covered in our guide on why companies need PRO services.
Company visa quota Dubai myths: what circulates online that is not true
| What you may read | What the official sources say |
|---|---|
| “You get one visa per 80 (or 100, or 200) square feet.” | No such formula appears on MOHRE’s quota card or u.ae. Premises area is one of four factors, alongside legal form, projects and evidenced work demand. |
| “You must always apply for quota.” | MOHRE’s card says the proactive quota is awarded without an application or documents. An electronic quota request is needed only for more or specific quota. |
| “The quota fee is a few thousand dirhams.” | The MOHRE service has no fee on its website and app apart from government fees; the card lists Taq’eem at AED 406 and centre commission up to AED 72. Larger quotes are service fees or other costs. |
| “A good business plan gets more quota.” | The card asks for evidence of work volume. u.ae says demand “as evidenced by the employer”. |
| “My approved quota is 20, so I can hire 20 more.” | Active permits use quota until cancelled. Check the available figure. |
| “Free zones follow MOHRE’s quota rules.” | Free zone companies get visas from their free zone authority under its own rules and fees. |
| “A sister company can lend us its quota.” | Each establishment has its own file; working for a company other than the one on the permit is outside the permit. |
| “Family visa holders use the company’s quota.” | MOHRE’s card for family-sponsored residents says no electronic quota is needed. |
| “Category 3 only affects the fee.” | It also marks recorded violations; suspensions under MR 543/2022 and MR 46/2022 can stop new permits entirely. |
How to verify every figure (company visa quota, Dubai)
| What to check | Where | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| Work permit quota conditions, documents, fees, time | MOHRE service card “Work Permit Quotas For Establishments” | Conditions, required documents, Taq’eem fee, 2 working days |
| What sets quota | u.ae, recruiting on the mainland | “Quota” section: legal form, premises area, projects, evidenced demand |
| Your available work permit quota | MOHRE enquiry portal: E Quota Status; MOHRE app | Available figure, pending applications |
| Work permit quota condition and category fees | MOHRE card: new work permit (overseas); MOHRE classification news (1 June 2022) | “Electronic quota available”; AED 250 / 1,200 / 3,450 |
| Immigration establishment card fees | GDRFA Dubai service cards (issue and renewal) | AED 200 + VAT + AED 10 + AED 10 + AED 50; 48 hours |
| Suspension rules | MR 46/2022 (Articles 3 and 4); u.ae work permits page (MR 543/2022) | Unpaid fines; violations that stop new permits |
| Free zone visa quota fees | Your zone’s schedule of charges (DMCC as an example) | “Increase in visa quota” lines |
| Penalties | Decree-Law 33/2021, Article 60 (as amended 2024) | Employing without a permit; fake Emiratisation |
Company visa quota Dubai in practice: worked cases
These cases are built from the situations we see most often. Names and identifying details are left out, and the figures are the published ones.
Case 1: no work permit quota after two people left
A mainland trading company made an offer to a sales manager and found the MOHRE system would not issue the permit: no available quota. Its approved quota had not changed. Two staff had left in the spring, but only their residence visas had been cancelled; the work permits and contracts were still active on the MOHRE file. Cancelling both permits properly freed two slots. The permit was issued at the company’s category 2 rate of AED 50 plus AED 1,200, and no quota request was needed at all.
Case 2: an electronic quota for a consultancy that outgrew its office
A professional services firm with a small office and a growing client list wanted eight more consultants. Its electronic quota request, backed by a business plan, came back with a smaller approval. It then moved to larger premises, registered the new Ejari, updated the licence, and filed a second request with signed client contracts mapped to each role. The second request was assessed on the new premises and the contracts, and approved for the positions the contracts supported. The government cost of each request was the Taq’eem line on the MOHRE screen and VAT; the real cost was the rent.
Case 3: the new LLC and its first three hires
Two partners opened a mainland company and asked for quota before anything else. We started with the GDRFA establishment card (AED 200 plus VAT, the AED 10 Knowledge and Innovation Dirhams and the AED 50 service fee), then the MOHRE personal identification numbers and establishment card, then the e-signature. When the MOHRE file opened, a proactive quota was already on it, enough for the first hires. No electronic quota request was needed until the company won its first large contract.
Case 4: a free zone visa quota on a DMCC flexi desk
A DMCC-licensed trading company wanted three more employees. The schedule of charges showed AED 250 per request plus AED 500 per additional visa, with the AED 500 refundable if a visa was declined, plus the Knowledge and Innovation Dirham. Before paying, we checked with DMCC whether its current facility supported the number requested; it needed a facility change first. The company upgraded, then filed the increase request, so the fees were not spent on a request that could not succeed.
Case 5: work permit quota blocked by old fines
A contracting company’s quota was healthy, but every new permit and renewal was rejected. The enquiry portal showed unpaid work permit delay fines. Under Ministerial Resolution 46 of 2022, Article 4, an establishment that does not pay those fines cannot apply for new permits or renewals, and after four months the suspension extends to every establishment wholly owned by the same owner. One of the late permits belonged to a worker who had been outside the UAE for more than six months, one of the Article 3 situations in which the employer is not treated as late. That was raised first, the rest was paid, and permits resumed.
Case 6: weekend staff without new visas
A restaurant group needed extra weekend staff and had no quota left. Several candidates already lived in Dubai: two on their spouses’ residence visas and one working full-time elsewhere. The two family-sponsored candidates were hired on family-sponsored work permits (AED 50 plus AED 250, no quota according to MOHRE’s card). The third was hired on a part-time work permit (AED 50) with a no objection letter from his main employer. The company increased its quota later, for the full-time kitchen roles that needed new visas.
What we will and will not do
We will audit the licence, both establishment cards, the MOHRE category and the quota before anything is filed; release quota you already hold by closing old permits properly; build electronic quota requests from real evidence; plan premises and licence changes in the right order; handle free zone quota increases; pass on government fees at cost with receipts; and tell you when your HR team can do it without us.
We will not arrange a paper tenancy or a desk you do not use to inflate quota, register staff under a sister company they do not work for, suggest anyone starts work before the permit is issued, arrange fictitious Emiratisation hires, promise an approval that only MOHRE or the free zone decides, or quote our fee before seeing the file.
Related guides
- Work permit types in the UAE: all 13 MOHRE permits, including those that use no quota
- Immigration card and establishment card explained
- MOHRE labour card and the company labour card
- Free zone vs mainland in Dubai
- Emiratisation rules, targets and contributions
- UAE employment visa cost breakdown by category
- UAE government fees list 2026
- What is MOHRE
- How to renew a trade licence in Dubai
- Amer vs Tasheel
Company visa quota Dubai: frequently asked questions
What is a company visa quota in Dubai?
It is the number of employees a company may sponsor. On the mainland it is MOHRE’s electronic work permit quota on the establishment file: MOHRE will not issue a permit to recruit from abroad without available quota, and the residence visa follows the permit. In a free zone the free zone authority sets the visa allocation under its own rules, usually linked to the licence package and facility.
How does MOHRE decide how many visas my company gets?
The UAE government portal says MOHRE determines quota according to the company’s legal form, the area of its premises, the projects involved and the demand of the work operation as evidenced by the employer. For an electronic quota, MOHRE’s card asks for evidence of work volume, the trade licence, a list of vehicles by activity and a Taq’eem report. No square-foot formula is published.
How do I increase visa quota in Dubai for a mainland company?
Clean the file first (cancel leavers’ permits, pay fines, fix WPS), make sure the licence covers the roles and the premises suit the headcount, then submit an electronic quota request on the MOHRE website or app, a business service centre or Tawseel, with evidence of work volume mapped to each role. MOHRE’s card gives two working days.
How much does a visa quota increase cost?
MOHRE’s quota service has no fee on its website and app apart from government fees. The card lists a Taq’eem fee of AED 406 and a business service centre commission of up to AED 72, with VAT and collection charges extra. The larger costs are usually the work permits themselves (AED 50 plus AED 250, 1,200 or 3,450 by category) and any premises change.
How do I check my company’s available quota?
Use “E Quota Status” on MOHRE’s enquiry portal, or log in to the MOHRE website or app with the authorised signatory’s account or UAE PASS. You can also call 600590000 or ask a Tasheel centre. Look at available quota, not approved quota, and check pending payments and the GDRFA Establishment Link Status at the same time.
Do I need a bigger office to get more visas?
Sometimes. Premises area is one of the four factors on u.ae, and MOHRE inspects premises before issuing the e-signature card. But no official ratio of visas to square feet is published, and project contracts and evidenced work demand also count. If you move or add space, update Ejari and the licence before asking for quota.
What is an electronic quota?
An electronic quota is quota the establishment requests from MOHRE, as opposed to the proactive quota awarded automatically when the establishment file is opened or updated. MOHRE’s card lists the documents for it: evidence of work volume, the trade licence, a list of vehicles according to the activities and a Taq’eem report. It is the route for more permits or specific professions.
Why was my quota request refused?
Usually one of the published conditions failed: an expired licence, a restriction on the file (unpaid fines, a WPS breach, a suspension), no valid Taq’eem report, or a profession outside the licensed activities. Thin evidence of work volume leads to smaller approvals. Identify the failed condition and fix it; resubmitting the same file produces the same answer.
How does the free zone visa quota work?
Each free zone sets its own allocation, usually by licence package and leased facility, and charges its own fee to add visas. DMCC, for example, publishes AED 250 per request plus AED 500 per additional visa, with the AED 500 refunded if the request is declined. MOHRE’s quota rules and category fees do not apply to free zone staff.
Can I hire someone without using my work permit quota?
Yes, in some cases. MOHRE’s cards say the family-sponsored resident, part-time and juvenile permits need no quota, and UAE and GCC nationals are exempt from category fees. A resident on a spouse’s visa, for example, can join you on a family-sponsored permit for AED 50 plus AED 250 without a new employment visa.
Does my MOHRE category affect my work permit quota?
The category sets the price of each two-year permit (AED 250, AED 1,200 or AED 3,450) rather than the number of permits. But category 3 reflects recorded violations, and violations can suspend new permits under Ministerial Resolutions 543 and 46 of 2022. A compliant file is what keeps quota usable.
Does Emiratisation affect the company visa quota?
Indirectly. Companies in scope must meet MOHRE’s Emiratisation targets, and missed targets carry financial contributions. Fake Emiratisation places a company in category 3 and carries Article 60 fines of AED 100,000 to AED 1,000,000 per worker. Strong Emiratisation, or training 500 citizens a year with Nafis, can qualify a company for category 1.
Can a sister company share its quota with us?
No. Each establishment has its own MOHRE file and quota, and a person working for a group company other than the one named on the permit is working outside the permit, which Article 60 of the Labour Law penalises. Transfer staff properly or use a permit that fits the real arrangement.
How long does a visa quota increase take?
MOHRE’s quota card gives two working days once the request is complete. The GDRFA establishment card takes 48 hours and the MOHRE establishment card two working days if either needs issuing or renewing. Licence amendments and premises moves have no single published time and usually take longest. Free zones set their own times.
Can MIRDXB PRO increase our company visa quota for us?
Yes. We audit the licence, both establishment cards, category, fines and available quota, release any quota tied up in old permits, and prepare and file the electronic quota request or free zone increase under your authorised signatory. Government fees are passed on at cost with receipts, and our fee is quoted in writing before we start.
We are not sure quota is our problem. Can you diagnose it first?
Yes. Send us the establishment number, the error message or refusal, and the roles you want to fill. We check whether the block is quota, a licence activity, premises, an expired card, unpaid fines or a WPS issue, and tell you the fix and the published fees in writing before any work starts.
Keeping licences, establishment cards and quota aligned for companies is what our PRO services in Dubai team handles.
This guide was rewritten and re-verified against MOHRE and GDRFA service cards, u.ae and published free zone schedules. The earlier version said only that no formula is published and gave no factors; u.ae states that MOHRE decides quota by legal form, premises area, projects and evidenced work demand, and that MOHRE inspects premises before issuing the e-signature card. The earlier version led with instant quota issuance from MOHRE’s February 2026 announcement; that announcement (WAM, 9 February 2026) is now shown as a secondary source alongside the service card’s two working days, which we plan against, and the automation statistics (quota counts, percentage reductions) have been removed as not relevant to planning. The earlier version covered free zones only in general terms; it now gives DMCC’s published quota fees and RAKEZ’s non-sponsored staff rule. We added the GDRFA establishment card fees, the MOHRE category fees and criteria, the suspension rules in Ministerial Resolutions 46 and 543 of 2022, free zone quota fees (DMCC), and the permit types that need no quota. A reference to a quota chatbot has been removed.
- MOHRE: Work Permit Quotas For Establishments (service card)
- MOHRE: Issuance of Establishment Card (service card)
- MOHRE: Issuance of a New Work Permit, Overseas (quota condition and category fees)
- MOHRE: New classification of private companies comes into force (1 June 2022)
- MOHRE enquiry portal: E Quota Status, Company Information, Pending Payments
- The Official Platform of the UAE Government: Recruiting on the mainland (quota and e-signature card)
- The Official Platform of the UAE Government: Work permits (updated 24 September 2026)
- GDRFA Dubai: Establishment Card for Institutions in the Private Sector/ Free Zone
- GDRFA Dubai: Renewal of Establishment Card, all categories
- Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (Articles 6 and 60, as amended)
- Ministerial Resolution No. 46 of 2022 on work permits (Articles 3 and 4)
- DMCC: Schedule of charges (Company Visa Quota; Increase in Visa Quota)
- RAKEZ: conditions for non-sponsored employees
Please note. This guide sets out how the company visa quota works for Dubai mainland and free zone companies, using MOHRE and GDRFA service cards, the UAE government portal, UAE legislation and published free zone schedules, verified 24 September 2026. MOHRE does not publish a formula for the number of permits, and free zone rules vary by zone and change; where sources differ or are silent we say so, and the MOHRE or free zone payment screen is final. The cases are built from common situations and are illustrative, not records of named clients. This guide is general information, not legal advice.
