Can I get a new UAE work visa if my previous visa wasn't cancelled?

Generally, a new UAE work and residence visa cannot be completed while a previous residence visa is still active and uncancelled, because the immigration system links your status to one sponsor at a time. If your former employer never finalised the cancellation, the prior visa can block or delay the new employer's application until the old record is closed. The fix is to ensure the previous visa is properly cancelled: the labour side through MOHRE (mainland) or the relevant free-zone authority, and the residence side through ICP, or GDRFA in Dubai. You can check the live status through ICP or GDRFA channels using your passport, Emirates ID, or visa file number, and request the cancellation paper from the former sponsor. If the former employer is unresponsive or refuses to cancel lawfully, there are official avenues to address it, including raising the matter with MOHRE for labour disputes. Because procedures are updated periodically, confirm current steps on the official channels. For a stalled or contested cancellation that is costing you a job offer, you can compare verified UAE labour and immigration lawyers on LEXAI.