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A temporary work permit in the UAE lets a company use a worker who is already in the country for a task of limited length at a different company. Its sister permits are the mission permit, for a worker brought from abroad for one job or project, and the part-time permit, for fewer hours or days than full time. The company applies to MOHRE. We do not print a fee, because the sources conflict.
All three are on the u.ae list of 13 MOHRE permits. The full list is on our work permit types page.
The three short-term permits side by side
| Temporary | Mission | Part-time | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where the worker is | Already in the UAE | Outside the UAE | Inside or outside |
| What it covers | A task for a limited period in a different company | A temporary job or a time-bound project | A contract with fewer hours or days than full time |
| More than one employer | Not stated | Not stated | Yes, with Ministry approval |
| Validity on u.ae | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
| Who files | The company | The company | The company |
Source: u.ae work permits page, checked .
Fees: what we can and cannot confirm
| Fee line | What the official pages show |
|---|---|
| Temporary permit fee | Not on a page we could read |
| Mission permit fee | Not on a page we could read |
| Part-time permit fee | Not on a page we could read |
| Business centre commission | Capped at AED 72 per service |
| Using the MOHRE website or app yourself | Free apart from federal fees |
Source: u.ae work permits page () and the MOHRE recruiting page ().
Here is the problem. Media lists from a few years back show one small application amount for permits issued inside the country. Other articles quote much higher amounts for temporary, mission and part-time permits. They cannot all be right, and the MOHRE service pages refused our connection on . So we give no number. The fee shows on the MOHRE payment screen before the company pays, and that screen is the figure to trust.
What Dubai agencies charge
We found no published agency price for these permits. Agencies quote them case by case.
Conditions the company must meet
u.ae sets these for every permit type:
- The worker is at least 18.
- The job matches the company's licensed business activity.
- The company's licence is valid, with no violations.
- The worker meets the job's requirements.
- An authorised company representative files the application.
A mission worker also needs to enter the UAE. That is a separate GDRFA or ICP step after the permit. We did not find the official fee page for that entry permit, so ask before you budget for it.
Documents checklist
- Worker's passport copy, valid for at least six months
- Recent photo on a white background
- The agreed terms: task, dates, hours and pay
- Current residence and Emirates ID, for a worker already in the UAE
- Attested degree, if the job is at a skilled level
- Company trade licence and establishment details on the MOHRE system
The passport and photo rules are those MOHRE sets for its standard permit from abroad. MOHRE may ask for more on the short-term permits.
Processing time
MOHRE gives 2 working days for its standard permits. It did not publish a separate time for temporary, mission or part-time permits on the pages we read. A mission worker then waits for the entry permit as well.
Common reasons these permits are refused
- The task does not match the activity on either company's licence.
- The worker already holds a full-time permit and the employer has not agreed to the extra work.
- A part-time worker takes a second job without the Ministry's approval.
- The company has unpaid fines or violations on its file.
- A visitor starts work before any permit exists. A visit visa never covers work.
Who pays
The employer. u.ae says the costs of recruitment, travel and residency are borne by the employer, and charging recruitment fees to workers is illegal. That holds on a short contract too.
How it works with us
Send the company's trade licence details, the worker's passport copy and a short note on the job, on WhatsApp or through the form on this page. A visa adviser works out whether temporary, mission or part-time fits, and whether a visa is needed as well. You get one total price before you pay, with the MOHRE fee shown as its own line once the system displays it. The team prepares the file, the company's authorised representative signs it off, and we follow it until MOHRE issues the permit. DubaiVisaDesk.com is a private service. MOHRE, and GDRFA or ICP for any visa, decide.
If MOHRE refuses, the government fee usually stays with the authority. Before you pay, your adviser tells you in writing which part of our total, if any, comes back.
Practical tips
- Put the end date in the agreed terms. A short permit with no clear end is the first thing questioned.
- A worker in probation with their own employer should get that employer's written consent before any temporary task.
- Student, juvenile or family-sponsored? Your permit type may differ. The UAE work permit page covers the standard route.
- For job hunting before any offer, the job seeker visa is the legal way to be in the UAE.
Official sources
- u.ae work permits: definitions of the temporary, mission and part-time permits, conditions, channels.
- MOHRE recruiting a worker from overseas: documents, commission cap, processing time.
- u.ae labour rights: employer pays, recruitment fee ban.
