- Home›
- PRO Services›
- Family & Residence Visa›
- Maid & Domestic Worker Visa in Dubai
Maid & Domestic Worker Visa in Dubai
Private sponsorship needs AED 25,000 income. The Tadbeer route waives it entirely and costs roughly half — and most families have never heard of it.
The short version
- Sponsoring on your own file requires a minimum income of AED 25,000 for expatriates — combined family income is accepted.
- The Tadbeer route makes the centre the legal sponsor and waives the AED 25,000 rule entirely. Most people do not know this exists.
- You need accommodation with at least two bedrooms.
- Tadbeer sponsorship runs around AED 8,500; private sponsorship around AED 17,000 plus a AED 2,000 deposit.
Most families assume there is one way to hire domestic help and that the income bar rules them out. There are two routes, and the one that waives the income requirement is the one nobody explains.
The two routes
| Private sponsorship | Tadbeer sponsorship | |
|---|---|---|
| Legal sponsor | You | The Tadbeer centre |
| Income requirement | AED 25,000 (expats) | Waived |
| Typical cost | ~AED 17,000 + AED 2,000 deposit | ~AED 8,500 |
| Who handles compliance | You — WPS, insurance, renewals | The centre |
| Flexibility | Full control of the relationship | Governed by the centre's contract |
| If it does not work out | You manage cancellation and liabilities | The centre handles replacement |
If your income is below AED 25,000, private sponsorship is simply not available — but Tadbeer is, and it is roughly half the cost. It also removes the WPS, insurance and renewal obligations from you. The trade-off is less control over the contract terms.
Sponsor eligibility, precisely
| Sponsor | Minimum income | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Expatriate resident | AED 25,000/month | Combined family income accepted |
| UAE national | AED 10,000/month | |
| Medically necessitated cases | AED 15,000/month | Documented medical grounds required |
| Via Tadbeer | Waived | The centre sponsors |
| Accommodation of at least two bedrooms is required. Sponsorship is generally restricted to families, though bachelors may qualify on documented medical grounds. | ||
The AED 25,000 can be reached by combining spouses' salaries. Households frequently rule themselves out on one salary without realising the other can be counted — worth checking before defaulting to Tadbeer.
What the cost covers
Whichever route you take, the package generally includes:
- Entry permit and residence visa
- Mandatory medical fitness test
- Emirates ID
- Domestic worker insurance
- A refundable deposit
- Under Tadbeer: a WPS-compliant bank account and ongoing compliance handling
Total cost through a MOHRE-licensed Tadbeer centre for a full two-year package typically runs AED 10,000–30,000 depending on the worker's nationality, which affects recruitment and travel costs more than government fees.
What you need
Document checklist
- Sponsor's passport, residence visa and Emirates ID
- Salary certificate or attested labour contract — both spouses, if combining income
- Registered Ejari showing at least two bedrooms
- Recent DEWA bill
- Marriage certificate, attested
- Worker's passport with six months validity
- Worker's photographs to specification
- Employment contract on the approved standard form
- Medical insurance for the worker
Your obligations as a private sponsor
Sponsoring on your own file makes you an employer under UAE domestic worker law. That carries real duties:
- Pay wages through WPS — the same on-or-before-the-1st rule applies
- Provide accommodation, food and medical care
- Grant weekly rest and annual leave per the contract
- Maintain valid insurance throughout
- Renew the visa and Emirates ID before expiry
- Handle cancellation properly if the arrangement ends — including the return ticket where the contract provides it
If the relationship ends and you do not cancel properly, the worker's visa stays open against your file. That creates overstay exposure and can produce a dispute you did not anticipate. Under Tadbeer, the centre carries this.
Maid visa questions
What salary do I need to sponsor a maid in Dubai?
AED 25,000 per month for expatriate sponsors, and combined family income is accepted. UAE nationals require AED 10,000, and medically necessitated cases AED 15,000. The Tadbeer route waives the income requirement entirely.
What is Tadbeer and how is it different?
Tadbeer centres are MOHRE-licensed providers that act as the legal sponsor instead of you. The AED 25,000 income rule does not apply, the cost is roughly half private sponsorship, and the centre handles WPS, insurance and renewals — in exchange for less control over the contract.
How much does a maid visa cost in Dubai?
Around AED 8,500 through Tadbeer sponsorship, or around AED 17,000 for private sponsorship plus a AED 2,000 deposit. A full two-year package through a licensed centre typically runs AED 10,000–30,000 depending on the worker's nationality.
Can I sponsor a maid if I live in a one-bedroom apartment?
Generally not. Accommodation of at least two bedrooms is required, evidenced by a registered Ejari in the sponsor's name.
Can a single person sponsor a domestic worker?
Sponsorship is generally restricted to families. Bachelors may qualify on documented medical grounds, which are assessed case by case.
Do I have to pay a domestic worker through WPS?
Yes, if you sponsor privately — you are the employer and the wage protection obligations apply. Under Tadbeer sponsorship the centre handles payroll compliance instead.
Hand it over
Send the document. We will tell you where you stand.
Government fees passed through at cost, our service fee fixed and agreed before we start, and updates on WhatsApp until the file closes.
Read before you apply
All residency & family visas guides →
Residency & Family Visas
How to Transfer a UAE Visa to a New Passport
Key takeaways You have one month. Under Federal Law No. 9 of 2006, an ID card holder must report any…
33 min read
Residency & Family Visas
UAE Re-Entry Permit After 6 Months: Cost, Conditions, and Why Dubai Is Different
Key takeaways The ICP re-entry permit does not apply to residents of the Emirate of Dubai. ICP publishes this as…
28 min read
Residency & Family Visas
What Is ICP? The Complete Guide to the UAE Federal Authority
ICP issues every Emirates ID in the UAE, decides nationality, controls passports and runs federal customs. Its full mandate, the…
26 min readMore in Family & Residence Visa
Main service page →Entry Permit
Permission to enter and start the residence chain. Two clocks, both matter.
View service →Residence Visa Renewal
Renew before the grace period bites — fees, timeline and what blocks it.
View service →Family Visa Renewal
Spouse and children renewals, including the Ejari and salary re-check.
View service →Dependent Visa
Sponsor a spouse, child, parent or domestic worker onto your file.
View service →Visa Status Change
Switch visa type without leaving the country — and without a border run.
View service →Parents Visa Sponsorship
The harder route — higher income bar, refundable deposit, one-year visa.
View service →Newborn Baby Visa
120 days from birth to birth certificate, passport, Emirates ID and visa.
View service →Visa Medical Fitness Test
DHA screening for every residence visa — tiers, timing and what a referral means.
View service →Family & Residence Visa
Sponsor a spouse, children or parents — assessed before you apply.
Main service →