Choose by considering your household's duties, accommodation and schedule, then confirm the legal employment model. “Live-in” describes residence; “live-out” describes residence elsewhere; neither label alone identifies the employer, work permission, charges or cancellation rights.
Under UAE domestic-worker law, mediation places a worker on the household employer's file. Temporary employment instead involves an agency employing the worker and supplying services to a beneficiary. A short visit and a long placement can therefore require different contract questions. Federal Decree-Law 9/2022, Article 1 Federal Decree-Law 9/2022, Article 14
Compare the regulatory arrangements carefully
MOHRE distinguishes the following models. Match your agreement to the appropriate model before applying its rules. MOHRE operations manual 5/2024, Arabic PDF pp. 9–12
| Regulatory model | Registration and accommodation | Planning point |
|---|---|---|
| Traditional recruitment | Worker registered on the employer's file and residing with that employer; the manual describes a two-year arrangement | Household employer responsibilities and the recruitment agreement matter |
| Temporary package | Worker registered with the agency; the manual describes a two-year arrangement and allows residence with the beneficiary when requested | Read the agency–beneficiary allocation of responsibilities |
| Flexible package | Worker registered with the agency for hours, days, a week, a month, six months or a year; the manual states that the worker does not reside with the beneficiary | Confirm the booked period, transport and scope of work |
For the manual's flexible package, the stated daily work limit is eight hours. That package-specific provision must not be confused with the separate statutory daily-rest rule. MOHRE operations manual 5/2024, Arabic PDF pp. 11–12
If you need live-in support
Check that suitable accommodation exists and discuss privacy, meals, household routines and the agreed duties. Living at the workplace does not make a worker continuously available. UAE law provides at least twelve hours of daily rest, including at least eight consecutive hours, and one paid weekly rest day. Federal Decree-Law 9/2022, Article 9
Write down how your family will cover duties during rest and leave. If childcare and cooking are both needed, consider whether they overlap at the busiest times instead of assuming that one person can do both safely without a schedule.
If you need live-out or scheduled support
Confirm who employs the worker, which licensed service covers the work and how travel to the home is organised. Residence elsewhere is not evidence of permission to work for your household. Work for another person must follow the Ministry's procedures; the law and regulations do not create a general “own-visa” exemption. Federal Decree-Law 9/2022, Article 12 Cabinet Resolution 106/2022, Article 11
For an agency's temporary employment, the beneficiary contract must use the approved form and a copy must be given to the worker. The agency cannot withhold the worker's rights because the beneficiary has failed to pay it. Cabinet Resolution 106/2022, Article 9
Make the decision around a weekly needs list
- Identify tasks that need daily attention and those suitable for scheduled visits.
- Record times when tasks overlap.
- Assess available accommodation and transport.
- Plan coverage during weekly rest and annual leave.
- Compare the actual contracts and total cost for the same period.
Hypothetical example: A family needing cleaning on selected days has different scheduling needs from a family needing regular household support throughout the week. Each family can use its needs list to compare the appropriate arrangements.
Contact INAYA to confirm the working arrangement, duties, schedule and terms included in your selected package. Essential, Signature and INAYA Black should not be assigned a live-in, live-out or flexible model from their names or prices alone.
Useful INAYA pages
- Live-in maid service information
- Live-out maid service information
- Comparing live-in, live-out and part-time arrangements