Free tool · Cancellation
Employer not answering, company closed or sponsor deceased? Find your exact MOHRE, GDRFA or ICP route in six questions.
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An employment visa is two files held by two authorities: the work permit (MOHRE on the mainland, or your free zone authority) and the residence (GDRFA in Dubai, ICP in the other emirates). When the sponsor will not or cannot act, each file has its own official route. Your six answers pick the right one and put the steps in order.
| Your situation | Where it starts | What closes the residence |
|---|---|---|
| Employer not answering, company still exists | MOHRE complaint for work permit cancellation without the employer's consent (Ministerial Resolution 47/2022, Article 5) | GDRFA cancellation (Dubai) or ICP exceptional cancellation |
| Employer refuses unless you sign away dues | MOHRE complaint; your cancellation and your entitlements are separate issues | As above |
| Company closed or owner left | MOHRE complaint; the contract is treated as ended (Decree-Law 33/2021, Article 42(7)) | GDRFA or ICP, with the MOHRE cancellation |
| Sponsor has died | MOHRE, for the work permit | ICP lists the guarantor's death as a ground for exceptional cancellation; GDRFA in Dubai |
| Absconding report filed | MOHRE: ask for the report to be cancelled (MR 47/2022, Article 7) | After the report is cleared |
| Free zone employee | The free zone authority's employee services or complaints channel | The residence authority |
If MOHRE cannot reach the employer within 5 working days, extendable by another 5, the work permit cancellation goes ahead at your request. GDRFA's residence cancellation card then gives 48 hours. Once the residence is cancelled your grace period starts: 30 to 180 days by category at ICP, 60 days on GDRFA's card, then AED 50 per day.
You do not have to fly back. The Ministry of Justice issues digital powers of attorney to people inside or outside the country, and GDRFA can cancel a Dubai residence while the holder is abroad. In September 2026 we completed exactly that for a client whose sponsor had stopped responding; the redacted letter is in our full guide.
Yes. On the mainland, a MOHRE complaint can cancel the work permit without the employer's consent when the employer cannot be reached (Ministerial Resolution 47/2022, Article 5). GDRFA or ICP then cancel the residence using the MOHRE cancellation.
MOHRE's step is at least 5 working days and can be extended by 5 more. GDRFA's cancellation card gives 48 hours and ICP 2 days once the file is complete. If the dispute goes to court, the work permit is cancelled 6 months after referral at the latest.
GDRFA's card lists AED 100 plus AED 10 Knowledge and AED 10 Innovation Dirhams. ICP's exceptional cancellation carries an AED 100 line. Service centre charges come on top.
No. Wages and gratuity are due within 14 days of the contract ending (Labour Law, Article 53) and are a separate issue from the visa. If the company has closed, the workers' protection insurance can pay up to AED 20,000 on a MOHRE decision or court ruling.
No. It shows the route. If you want it handled, send your result to us on WhatsApp and we act under your power of attorney at MOHRE, GDRFA or ICP.
Numbers are one thing
A calculator works from what you type. We work from what is actually recorded against your file — which is frequently different, and always the number that matters.
Grace period by emirate and category, chargeable days at AED 50 a day per person, and the figure in 30 days.
Open calculator → EmploymentArticle 51 by dates or years, unpaid leave excluded, the two-year cap and the 14-day payment deadline.
Open calculator → CostLine-by-line government fees from the published GDRFA, ICP and MOHRE cards, before anyone quotes you.
Open calculator → FamilySalary, housing and who you can sponsor, checked against the official rules, with the cost per dependant.
Open calculator → Golden VisaProperty, salary and entrepreneur routes against the official thresholds, with the Green Visa fallback.
Open calculator → Re-entryOutside the UAE for months? Check if you can board, whether you need a return permit, the fee and your entry deadline.
Open calculator → DeadlinesOne date in, every deadline out: grace period, overstay, ILOE, gratuity, Emirates ID and newborn deadlines, straight into your calendar.
Open calculator → Business setupPrice a Dubai mainland company line by line from the published DET schedule, and compare four free zones on their own published prices.
Open calculator → ComplianceExpired licence, establishment card or work permits, late WPS or corporate tax? See the fines building today and what each lapse blocks.
Open calculator → HiringVisa fees by MOHRE category, worker protection, insurance, salary and gratuity accrual over a two-year visa cycle.
Open calculator → AuthorityType your residence file number and see which emirate and authority hold your file, the helpline and where to apply.
Open calculator → Status changeCompare the published status change fee with the real cost of a border run, and check whether your file is ready.
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