UAE visit visa, work permit or secondment: when may the person start work?

A UAE visit or tourist visa permits entry for its stated purpose; it does not authorise work, whether paid or unpaid. A job offer, secondment letter or group services agreement also does not replace the applicable UAE work permit. The person may start duties only after the permit and status required for the actual arrangement are active.

This guide owns comparison intent. The existing UAE work-visa service remains the transactional owner.

Route comparison

“Business visitor” describes a purpose of travel, not a universal permission to perform productive work. The factual activities, direction, host, duration, place of performance and benefit decide whether a work route is required.

Why a secondment agreement is not a permit

A secondment agreement can identify:

• the home employer and UAE host;
• reporting line and supervision;
• salary, benefits and cost recharge;
• duration and return;
• confidentiality, IP and data duties;
• liability, insurance and termination.

Those clauses regulate the entities and employee. They do not bind MOHRE or the immigration authority and cannot turn visit status into work authorisation.

For a group assignment, record who employs, directs and pays the individual, where services are performed, which entity receives the benefit and which entity files the permit. If the contract says one thing but daily work shows another, the authorities and a later dispute will follow the facts.

Temporary work permit

The current MOHRE temporary-work service is for a specified task during a specified period in a MOHRE-registered establishment. It currently states:

• permit duration: six months;
• federal fee: AED 50;
• stated completion time: two working days;
• application by the employer's authorised signatory;
• current-employer electronic approval, subject to the published labour-complaint exception;
• official job offer signed by employer and employee.

The AED 50 line is not the total cost of an assignment. Immigration, residence, insurance, professional licensing, document, service-centre, tax and collection items may sit elsewhere.

Mission or temporary permit?

The UAE Government describes a mission permit as the route for bringing a worker from outside the UAE for a short-term task or time-bound project. The temporary permit service is framed around employing a worker for a specified task and period and can require approval from the current employer.

The names should not be chosen by desired duration alone. Check:

1. whether the worker is outside or inside the UAE;
2. current residence and employer;
3. employing and host establishment;
4. task, project and duration;
5. role and professional licence;
6. mainland or free-zone jurisdiction; and
7. whether a transfer, part-time or another permit is the real route.

Lawful-start checklist

The employee should not start productive duties until all applicable items are confirmed:

• the employing establishment is eligible and its licence is valid;
• the role matches the licensed activity;
• the correct work permit is approved and active;
• the signed offer/contract matches employer, role, salary and term;
• entry or current immigration status supports the route;
• a required professional licence is active;
• residence, medical, insurance and Emirates ID dependencies are scheduled; and
• workplace, payroll and WPS obligations are ready.

Laptop access, onboarding, customer calls, coding, sales and delivery can be work even if no first salary has been paid. The UAE Government preparing-to-work guidance states that work on visit/tourist status is prohibited whether paid or unpaid.

Mainland and free-zone boundary

MOHRE rules cover the establishments and workers within its jurisdiction. Free zones use their own employment channels, while immigration, identity, medical and professional steps can involve other authorities. A MOHRE service card should not be copied as the universal free-zone procedure.

At the start, identify the actual employing entity and licensed location. A group brand or shared office does not answer that question.

Frequently asked questions

Can I start after signing a job offer?

No. The offer does not itself authorise work. The applicable work permit and status must be active.

Can I work unpaid while on a visit visa?

The UAE Government says the prohibition applies whether the work is paid or unpaid.

Does a secondment letter solve the visa issue?

No. It documents the assignment but does not replace the UAE work permit or immigration status.

How long is the MOHRE temporary permit?

The current service card states six months and allows reapplication when it expires, subject to the live conditions.

Does temporary work always require current-employer approval?

The current MOHRE card requires electronic approval, with a stated exception for specified employees whose labour complaints have been referred to court.

Can a person work for two employers?

A part-time permit may allow work for more than one employer after approval. The contracts, hours and applicable conditions still need to comply.

Is the government cost only AED 50?

AED 50 is the federal fee currently shown on the named temporary-permit card. It is not an all-in assignment, immigration or residence cost.

Official sources

• UAE Government — Preparing to work
• UAE Government — Work permits
• MOHRE — Temporary work permit
• MOHRE — Part-time work permit

Official sources checked 23 July 2026. This material is general information and not employment, immigration or tax advice.