Domestic Worker Visa Cost Calculator

There's no single fixed number — every licensed provider says the same thing, because government fees and centre charges vary by emirate, nationality and insurance package. As a realistic range: sponsoring your own worker through a Tadbeer package typically runs AED 8,000 to 10,000 for the 2-year visa, private sponsorship without Tadbeer runs AED 15,000 to 20,000 in year one, and the fully flexible Tadbeer-sponsored route has little to no upfront cost but a monthly package fee instead. Always get a current itemised quote from a MOHRE-licensed centre before committing.

This is the single most confused distinction in the whole process. In own-sponsor via Tadbeer, YOU become the legal sponsor — Tadbeer just processes the paperwork for a one-time fee, and you pay the worker's salary directly afterward, same as any other sponsorship. In Tadbeer-sponsored (sometimes called the flexible or temporary model), Tadbeer itself remains the legal sponsor of the worker, and you pay a monthly package fee that already includes the salary, visa costs, insurance, and typically a replacement guarantee if the arrangement doesn't work out.

The commonly cited threshold is AED 25,000 per month for private sponsorship, but the Tadbeer-sponsored route has a meaningfully lower bar, often cited around AED 10,000 per month, since Tadbeer itself carries the sponsorship risk rather than you individually. UAE nationals typically face no fixed income minimum but must show adequate accommodation. These figures can change — always confirm the current threshold directly with MOHRE or a licensed Tadbeer centre before applying.

Generally not through private sponsorship — UAE domestic labour rules restrict this route to married sponsors. Unmarried male employers typically must go through a Tadbeer centre, which handles the arrangement with case-by-case MOHRE approval, rather than sponsoring directly. Single women and divorced or widowed sponsors generally have a clearer path than bachelors specifically.

Transferring an existing domestic worker's sponsorship to you typically costs AED 6,000 to 10,000 through a Tadbeer centre, covering the visa cancellation on the current sponsor, the new visa issuance, a medical test, and insurance. This is usually cheaper than a brand-new hire from abroad since there's no international recruitment cost involved.

Salaries commonly range from about AED 1,500 to 3,500 per month, depending on the role (maid, nanny, cook, driver, caregiver), the worker's experience, and nationality. This is separate from the visa and sponsorship costs above, and it's a genuine ongoing obligation for the full duration of employment — factor it into your total cost, not just the one-time visa fee.