Guide to hire a maid in Dubai and UAE

Today, many families require domestic helper for numerous services like a nanny, helper or driver, etc. These services are usually needed for convenience at a general cost. People who are financially strong can easily hire helpers from other countries who would be available at their service 24/7. The employer (sponsor) is legally responsible for hiring a foreign domestic helper or a maid. Hiring a person for domestic chores involves a great amount of responsibilities. Many people are unaware of the rules to be followed for hiring or sponsoring a maid in Dubai and UAE. Steps to be followed for hiring or sponsoring helper in the UAE are as mentioned below.

Steps for sponsoring a maid in Dubai and UAE

• Helpers visa can be sponsored by a person (Head of the family). However, men or women who earn not less than Dh25,000 are eligible for sponsoring a helper.
• As per legal rules bachelors are not allowed to sponsor a helper in UAE.
• In the UAE, the sponsor can only hire helper from the following countries like India, Srilanka, Philippines, Ethiopia, Bangladesh and Indonesia.

Documents required for sponsoring Helper or Servant visa

1. Passport copy of the sponsor is required with the Valid Residence Stamp
2. Needs to provide Attested Labor Contact or original Salary Certificate of sponsors in Arabic whose visas are direct from immigration.
3. The sponsor must have at least two-bedroom apartment and a copy of the Attested Tenancy Contract by Ejari.
4. Helper’s passport copy (Passport must be valid for at least 6 months).
5. 4 recent passport size photos with white background is required.
6. If a helper is from the same country of sponsor, then an Affidavit from respective Embassy certifying non-relationship required.
7. Application for helper visa need to be filled from authorized typing center.

Find more information about all the required documents on GDRFA website.

How to apply for Maid Visa in Dubai and UAE

1. Entry permit for Helper

For a helper to enter the country you will require to apply for an Entry Permit.

• Helper visa application form typed from the authorized typing center.
• You have to pay typing charges Dh 110. If urgent you need to pay supplementary Dh 100.
• To get the entry permit you have to submit the typed application form to the Immigration or General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA).
• Along with a typed application to have to pay Dh 2000 as a deposit.
• You can send either original or copy to the helper. If a copy is being sent, then an original entry permit must be deposited in Visa Desk at Dubai airport or DNRD counter.

2. Residence Visa for Helper

• First apply for residence visa within 30 days from the arrival of helper into the country along with Emirates ID and medical fitness report. Go to authorized typist and pay for the urgent or non-urgent form.
• Take helper for medical fitness checkups. They have to go through HIV, TB, pregnancy, Syphilis, Hepatitis B and Leprosy test. Hepatitis B Vaccination is given which cost Dh50 in additional with 3 doses. If vaccination is being already taken only the yellow certificate or proof is required while renewing helper’s visa and you do not need to take vaccination as it is valid for 10 years.
• Visit GDRFA (residency section) take a token for the computerized queue system. When your token number comes, you need to submit residency visa typed application along with stamped employment entry permit, salary certificate or labor contract, original passport and passport size photo of helper, sponsor’s passport copy and deposit sticker.
• Domestic Worker Identity Card will be issued to you or if it is non-urgent it will be received through courier.
• To Receive Emirates ID card, you need to produce residency stamp to the typist for updating the application, or you can directly call EIDA and provide the residency number.
• When the helper permanently leaves the country your deposit of Dh2000 will be refunded. You need to conserve the sticker, either use it or receive a refund or it can be used as a proof of deposit to show the residency officer, whenever you do the renewal.

How to take medical fitness results?

As explained, medical fitness is mandatory. A normal test cost around Dh 325, you have also the option to quickly get the result if you pay extra fees.

• Register through DHA online service or authorized typist office. For Emirate ID application you need to pay Dh 140+Dh30 (typing fee)
• You can pay online, if not paid online you can go to registration counter or section of medical fitness center and pay fees.
• Result of medical fitness will be sent to DNRD electronically. Thus, the sponsor will receive notification or else wait to receive results by courier.
• Visit EmirateID office to submit fingerprints and application. This can be done while visiting medical fitness itself.

More information about Maid Salary in UAE and the other expenses

Salary depends on the role of the job; it varies depending on various numbers of factors such as experience, scope of work, references, etc. You also have to follow certain laws enforce by the embassies of helper’s home countries Embassy set Salaries, Deposits and Minimum age of the helper which are as follows:

• Nepal - Minimum age: 30 / Minimum wage: Dh 900 /Deposit: Dh 5000

• Srilanka - Minimum age: 23 / Minimum wage: Dh 850 /Deposit: Dh 3673

• Philippines - Minimum wage: 1468 / Currently there is a hold on fresh recruitment

• India - Minimum age: 30 / Minimum wage: Dh 1100 / Deposit: Dh 9200

• Bangladesh - Minimum age: 750

Basic living Expenses and Flight ticket

The sponsor is responsible for providing basic living expenses like lodging, food and basic facilities. Annual return flight ticket to your helper needs to be provided.

Sponsorship Fees

Being a legal sponsor, you have to apply for a UAE residence visa which will range up Dh5000 and Dh5500 annually. This is a fee payable to the UAE government, which is not refundable.

Refundable deposit

A refundable security deposit of around Dh3000 to Dh10000 may also require by the embassy of your Helper’s home country. This may differ based on the nationality and as per the rules of the embassy.

Government expenses

You need to pay separate charges for medical tests, registration and Emirates ID insurance. Health insurance coverage for the helper must be provided which is a compulsory requirement for all sponsors.

The advantage of hiring a Helper

There are many advantages for having a maid in Dubai and UAE. For working women, it is becoming difficult to handle both job and house work simultaneously. Due to lack of time and overburden of responsibilities it is best to hire a helper as a helping hand that would make life easy during such situations.

1) Skill set

They are extremely skilled and capable of doing lots of activities. They perform domestic chores like cleaning, laundry, sweeping, ironing and has skill like babysitting and taking care of elderly, hence their versatility makes them significant in their services.

2) Get more Time

The biggest advantage of hiring helper is the fact that you get lots of time for yourself. You get time to be with your family, and can do things what you always wanted to do. Thus, the need of helper arises, who will be doing the job that always was a burden for you. You can rest and relax with your family member with the help of helper, and won’t need to worry about the cleanliness of your home as it is in the safe hands

3) Replacement

When your maid is leaving your family, you can easily hire a maid online. In case if the helper is on holiday or ill, helper agencies can provide a successor. For your helper servant, so that it does not affect your housework.

Full-time or Part time Domestic Helper

Agencies with specific operating license or sponsor the head of the family can appoint full-time domestic helper. There are two kinds of full-time helpers, one which lives at sponsors family home other accommodation for helper is given away from the family home of sponsor. Even if the helper live-out responsibility of sponsor remains the same. Agencies hire out helper for part time domestic helper. You can get helper on hourly basis through agencies. Helper’ works as per committed for per job for minimum time. Rates vary from Dh 25 to 40 per hour. They also hire out nannies at similar rates.

Rules and Regulations

Laws of domestic helper are designed by the General Directorate of Resident and Foreign Affairs Dubai (DNRD). As per the rules helper should not consume alcohol, unmarried helper is not allowed to live with a man or get pregnant if she is unmarried.

Renewal of Helper’s visa

• You need to renew visa annually. Either online or through authorized typist.
• Apply for medical request form online which is free though some typists charge Dh20. Charges for renewal (Dh5080 + typing charges or Dh5180 + typing charged for urgent bases.)
• Medical fitness test need to be done and if you provide proof of Hepatitis B vaccination done or yellow certificate, that you need not pay again for the vaccination again as it is valid for 10 years.

Cancellation of helper’s visa

• Advance cancellation can be done through GDRFA or can be done at the airport. If you want cancel visa in advance you need to get ‘residency cancel’ form type, which cost (Dh70+typing fees).
• Passport of helper and labor card needs to be submitted to GDRFA residency section.
• You will get two cancellation receipts, one is to be given to your helper and other one submits it to Immigration at airport.
• Cancellation of visa automatically happens during immigration once the helper normally does the boarding and departure at the airport.
• With the cancellation receipt you can called your deposit form GDRFA or take helper to airport and get the boarding pass and produce it in GDRFA office near Customs and Immigration counter.
• You need to pay Dh100 and get residence cancelled.
• Reach airport before 1hour than earlier recommended 3hour international flight time in case there is queue for cancellation.
• Give one copy of cancelled form to your helper to submit to Custom or Immigration and other one needs to be submitted to GDRFA to receive your deposit.

Many ladies come here as maids in Dubai or in UAE with an effort to support their families back home. This gives them a support to help their family irrespective of their educational background. It helps them to get a greater chance in life. They stay away from their family and take the risk of working in an unknown country just to make sure that their families back home are financially secure and live a good life as desired.