A residence visa alone does not authorise a person to work for your household. Before hiring, confirm the valid work permit, the employer or licensed agency and whether the proposed work is allowed under that arrangement. “Own visa” and “part-time” are descriptions, not substitutes for legal work permission.
UAE domestic-worker law requires work under a valid MOHRE permit and its conditions. The employer must not use domestic labour outside the lawful procedures. Federal Decree-Law 9/2022, Article 12 Federal Decree-Law 9/2022, Article 11
Ask three separate questions
| Question | Evidence to establish |
|---|---|
| May this person reside in the UAE? | Applicable residence status |
| May this person perform the proposed work? | Valid work permission and relevant occupation |
| May they work for this household? | The permitted employer or licensed agency–beneficiary arrangement |
An identity card, an application receipt or permission to reside answers only part of the issue. Do not infer that permission to work for one employer authorises work for every household.
Another employer's worker is not automatically available
The implementing regulation requires Ministry procedures before a domestic worker works for another person. It contains a narrow exception involving an employer's relative up to the second degree and the worker's consent. That exception is not a general right for unrelated households to share or informally hire the worker. Cabinet Resolution 106/2022, Article 11
If the worker is changing employers, use the applicable transfer procedures. The law provides for lawful transfer under Ministry requirements; an informal agreement between families does not replace them. Federal Decree-Law 9/2022, Article 21
For the new-permit application route, MOHRE requires that the proposed worker not already hold an active work permit. That condition does not itself identify which cancellation or transfer process is appropriate in a particular case. Obtain the correct route before starting work. MOHRE: new domestic-worker work permit
Scheduled help through a licensed agency
MOHRE's operational manual describes a flexible agency model with services by hours, days, a week, a month, six months or a year. The worker is registered with the agency, and the manual states that they do not reside with the beneficiary. It provides a daily work limit of eight hours for that model. MOHRE operations manual 5/2024, Arabic PDF pp. 11–12
This is a defined regulatory arrangement, not evidence that every person advertising hourly cleaning is authorised, or that an INAYA branded package has these exact terms. Check the licensed provider, approved agreement, booked period, duties and transport responsibility.
For agency temporary employment, the agency is the employer and the beneficiary agreement must be in the approved form, with a copy for the worker. The agency cannot withhold worker rights because of the beneficiary's non-payment. Federal Decree-Law 9/2022, Article 14 Cabinet Resolution 106/2022, Article 9
A trial also needs lawful permission
Do not use “just one day” or “trial” to bypass the work-permission question. If productive services will be performed, confirm the lawful arrangement, payment and terms first. The statutory probation rule is separate from a commercial trial and permits up to six months from taking up work. Federal Decree-Law 9/2022, Article 12 Federal Decree-Law 9/2022, Article 8
What to check before the first visit
- Confirm the contracting entity and licensed activity.
- Check the employment model and work permission relevant to the household.
- Agree tasks, visit times, fees and transport.
- Confirm cancellation arrangements and a contact for problems.
- Keep the approved agreement and payment records.
Hypothetical example: A household receives an offer from a person who says they have residence permission. The household checks the work arrangement before any service begins. Residence alone does not settle the question.
Contact INAYA to confirm the support available for your case, applicable requirements and fees. Do not assume that an own-visa or part-time arrangement is available or approved until its actual legal route is confirmed.
Useful INAYA pages
- Part-time maid service information
- Comparing live-in, live-out and part-time arrangements
- Service guidelines