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UAE work visa requirements for Pakistani citizens

For Pakistan passport holders · Checked 2026-08-15

Route with conditions

The UAE only gives work visas through a UAE employer who applies for your permit, and during 2025-26 Pakistani applicants have faced heavy extra screening and many refusals even though the UAE says there is no ban.

What the employer must have

  • A UAE-registered employer must apply to the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) for your work permit and then sponsor your residence visa — you cannot apply for a UAE work visa on your own.
  • The standard employment visa the employer obtains is issued for two years, tied to that employer, and renewable under conditions set by the visa authorities.
  • After you enter, the employer completes medical testing, Emirates ID and residence-visa stamping under its sponsorship.

What you must do before you leave

  1. Before departure you must be registered with Pakistan's Protector of Emigrants (Bureau of Emigration & Overseas Employment) — your foreign service agreement/employment visa is registered at a Protectorate office or via the e-Protector online system (Emigration Ordinance/Rules 1979).
  2. From 20 July 2026 the UAE requires every Pakistani work-visa applicant to submit a Police Character Certificate (PCC) issued by Pakistani authorities and attested by the UAE Embassy in Pakistan — obtain and attest this certificate before your employer files the work-permit application, or the application will be incomplete.
  3. Go through a licensed Overseas Employment Promoter (unlicensed agents are illegal under Rule 7), OR use the direct-employment route: your contract signed by the employer, attested by the Pakistan Embassy in the UAE, and registered with the Protector of Emigrants.
  4. Keep the original employment contract; the Protector must verify you understand its terms before registering it.

Things to watch

  • The corridor has been unstable. In late 2025 a Pakistani interior ministry official told a Senate committee the UAE had not been issuing visas to ordinary-passport Pakistanis, while the UAE denied any ban. By mid-2026 processing had partially normalised — visit visas resumed through registered travel agents in late July 2026 and work visas are being processed — but screening of Pakistani applicants remains heavier than for other nationalities, and since 20 July 2026 a UAE-Embassy-attested Police Character Certificate is mandatory for work-visa applications. No offer is certain until the entry permit is actually issued.
  • Volume has collapsed relative to Saudi Arabia: BEOE-registered departures to the UAE were 64,130 in 2024 versus 452,561 to Saudi Arabia; Pakistani press reports a further sharp fall in 2025.
  • The work visa is tied to the sponsoring employer; changing employer requires going through the official permit process again.
  • The BEOE statistics here are quoted from press reports of BEOE figures; beoe.gov.pk publishes the official numbers.

What you may lawfully be charged

THE MOST A LICENSED AGENT MAY LAWFULLY CHARGE YOU as a service charge is PKR 15,000 (PKR 6,000 if you found the job yourself and only need the paperwork done). You do not hand it over — you deposit it in a bank and the agent is paid only after the Protector of Emigrants confirms you reached the job. Anything he spends on your ticket, medical or visa must come with a signed, stamped receipt.

Rule 15 and 15A, Emigration Rules 1979 (SRO 1058(I)/2023). Charging more is punishable by up to 14 years — Section 22(a), Emigration Ordinance 1979.

⚠️ Never pay anyone for a job offer or a visa on this route. Legitimate employers and licensed agents do not charge workers for jobs.

Official sources

This describes the immigration system, not your personal case, and not this specific vacancy.

Common questions

Can a Pakistani passport holder work in the UAE?

The UAE only gives work visas through a UAE employer who applies for your permit, and during 2025-26 Pakistani applicants have faced heavy extra screening and many refusals even though the UAE says there is no ban.

What does an employer in the UAE need before hiring a Pakistani worker?

A UAE-registered employer must apply to the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) for your work permit and then sponsor your residence visa — you cannot apply for a UAE work visa on your own. The standard employment visa the employer obtains is issued for two years, tied to that employer, and renewable under conditions set by the visa authorities. After you enter, the employer completes medical testing, Emirates ID and residence-visa stamping under its sponsorship.

What must a Pakistani citizen do before leaving to work in the UAE?

Before departure you must be registered with Pakistan's Protector of Emigrants (Bureau of Emigration & Overseas Employment) — your foreign service agreement/employment visa is registered at a Protectorate office or via the e-Protector online system (Emigration Ordinance/Rules 1979). From 20 July 2026 the UAE requires every Pakistani work-visa applicant to submit a Police Character Certificate (PCC) issued by Pakistani authorities and attested by the UAE Embassy in Pakistan — obtain and attest this certificate before your employer files the work-permit application, or the application will be incomplete. Go through a licensed Overseas Employment Promoter (unlicensed agents are illegal under Rule 7), OR use the direct-employment route: your contract signed by the employer, attested by the Pakistan Embassy in the UAE, and registered with the Protector of Emigrants. Keep the original employment contract; the Protector must verify you understand its terms before registering it.

What should Pakistani workers watch out for with the UAE job offers?

The corridor has been unstable. In late 2025 a Pakistani interior ministry official told a Senate committee the UAE had not been issuing visas to ordinary-passport Pakistanis, while the UAE denied any ban. By mid-2026 processing had partially normalised — visit visas resumed through registered travel agents in late July 2026 and work visas are being processed — but screening of Pakistani applicants remains heavier than for other nationalities, and since 20 July 2026 a UAE-Embassy-attested Police Character Certificate is mandatory for work-visa applications. No offer is certain until the entry permit is actually issued. Volume has collapsed relative to Saudi Arabia: BEOE-registered departures to the UAE were 64,130 in 2024 versus 452,561 to Saudi Arabia; Pakistani press reports a further sharp fall in 2025. The work visa is tied to the sponsoring employer; changing employer requires going through the official permit process again. The BEOE statistics here are quoted from press reports of BEOE figures; beoe.gov.pk publishes the official numbers.

Should I pay an agent for a job in the UAE?

No. Never pay anyone for a job offer, a visa, or a place on a list. Legitimate recruitment for this route does not require the worker to pay for the job itself. Verify any agent against the official registers linked on this page.

Other countries Pakistani citizens can work in

All work visa guides

26 live UAE vacancies for Pakistani workers

From Pakistan's BEOE overseas job register — vacancies registered for Pakistani workers.

  • Unskilled Workers

    2637/Multan, Yumnah Overseas Employment Promoters · Dammam, United Arab Emirates · 1200 Dirham (AED) · 55 / 100 seats

  • LIGHT VEHICLE DRIVERS

    4802/Rawalpindi, Al Tashira Overseas Employment Promoters · DUBAI, United Arab Emirates · 3500 - 4500 Dirham (AED) · 188 / 200 seats

  • SECURITY GUARD

    3855/Multan, Abu Muhammad Enterprises Company · DUBAI, United Arab Emirates · 2000 Dirham (AED) · 100 / 100 seats

  • GARDENER HELPER

    3855/Multan, Abu Muhammad Enterprises Company · DUBAI, United Arab Emirates · 900 Dirham (AED) · 200 / 200 seats

  • CLEANER

    3855/Multan, Abu Muhammad Enterprises Company · DUBAI, United Arab Emirates · 1050 Dirham (AED) · 199 / 200 seats

  • MOTOR CYCLE DRIVER

    2659/Rawalpindi, New Gulf Pak Recuriting Agency · DUBAI, United Arab Emirates · 1000 Dirham (AED) · 191 / 200 seats

  • LIGHT VEHICLE DRIVER

    2659/Rawalpindi, New Gulf Pak Recuriting Agency · DUBAI, United Arab Emirates · 1000 Dirham (AED) · 160 / 200 seats

  • Light Vehicle Driver

    4125/Lahore, Manawan Overseas Employment Promoter · UAE, United Arab Emirates · 2000 - 4500 Dirham (AED) · 93 / 100 seats

  • Bike Delivery Riders

    4125/Lahore, Manawan Overseas Employment Promoter · UAE, United Arab Emirates · 2000 - 4500 Dirham (AED) · 74 / 100 seats

  • Cleaner

    89/Karachi, Allied Services International Ltd. · UAE, United Arab Emirates · 1067 - 1100 Dirham (AED) · 142 / 300 seats

  • Receptionist

    89/Karachi, Allied Services International Ltd. · UAE, United Arab Emirates · 1150 - 1200 Dirham (AED) · 29 / 30 seats

  • Security guard

    89/Karachi, Allied Services International Ltd. · UAE, United Arab Emirates · 2267 - 2300 Dirham (AED) · 30 / 30 seats

See all jobs and apply