Direct answer. The UAE job seeker visa is a 60, 90 or 120-day visit visa (single entry, per the UAE Government portal and ICP) that lets you enter the country to look for work without a sponsor or host. Its legal basis is Articles 20 and 21 of Cabinet Resolution No. 65 of 2022, the executive regulations of the entry and residence law. You qualify if you hold at least a bachelor's degree and either work at skill level 1, 2 or 3 in the classification of the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE), or graduated from one of the world's top 500 universities within the last two years, the window set by the UAE Government portal and the ICP and GDRFA Dubai service cards. You must also provide a financial guarantee. The visa does not let you work. Once you find a job, your employer must apply for your work visa and permit before you start.
What the job seeker visa is
The name changes by channel. The UAE Government portal says jobseeker visit visa. The Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) says Search for Job Visa. The General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai (GDRFA Dubai) refers to exploring employment opportunities. It is one visa.
The legal basis is short. Article 20 of Cabinet Resolution No. 65 of 2022 lets ICP grant a foreigner a visit entry visa to find job opportunities. The same article says the visa does not require a guarantor or host inside the UAE. The Resolution implements Federal Decree-Law No. 29 of 2021 on the entry and residence of foreigners, which is the law in force today.
Three features set it apart from an ordinary tourist visit:
- No sponsor or host. You apply for yourself.
- A fixed stay. The UAE Government portal page lists stays of 60, 90 or 120 days, for one trip.
- A defined purpose. The visa exists so you can search for a job. It is a visit visa, not a residence permit.
The general conditions for any entry visa still apply. Article 8 of the Resolution requires a passport valid for at least six months, a ticket to continue your journey or leave the UAE, and valid health insurance inside the UAE.
For a one-paragraph definition, see the dictionary entry on the job seeker visa. For the wider 2022 visa changes that introduced it, see the UAE visa reforms guide.
Who qualifies
Article 21 of the Resolution (the conditions for the visit visa to explore job opportunities) sets three conditions. You must meet all three.
- One of two professional routes. Either you are an experienced worker at the first, second or third skill level of MOHRE's occupational classification, or you are a graduate of one of the world's top 500 universities. Article 21 sets these two routes. The two-year limit on the graduate route comes from the UAE Government portal and both service cards, which say you must have graduated no more than two years before you apply.
- A bachelor's degree or its equivalent. This is the minimum on both routes. A skilled worker without a degree does not qualify on skill level alone.
- The prescribed financial security. The Resolution states no figure; the fees section below shows what the service cards charge.
Two points cause most of the confusion.
Skill levels. The levels come from MOHRE's occupational classification. Under Article 3 of Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022, the Cabinet issues the resolutions that classify skill levels in the labour market. Which jobs sit in levels 1 to 3 follows the occupational classification approved by MOHRE, and it can change. Our guide to MOHRE skill levels explains how the classification works. Confirm your own level with MOHRE before you apply.
The top 500 list. The Resolution refers to the classification approved by the Ministry of Education. It does not name a ranking. Do not assume a commercial league table decides your case. Ask ICP or GDRFA Dubai which list they apply to your university.
The official pages list neither a job offer nor a sponsor as a requirement.
Documents and how to apply
The document lists differ slightly by channel. Gather the full set before you start.
| Channel | Documents listed |
|---|---|
| UAE Government portal | Colour photo, passport copy, qualification certificate (attested) |
| ICP service card | Passport copy (valid at least six months), colour photo, qualification certificate. Optional: rent contract or hotel booking (mandatory for residents only), health insurance for the stay, return ticket, certified account statement |
| GDRFA Dubai service card | Recent colour photo on a white background, certified passport copy including the outer cover (valid at least six months), university degree certificate, proof of accommodation, proof of financial solvency |
The portal asks for an attested qualification certificate but does not say where it must be attested. Check that with the authority handling your file.
Where to apply
- ICP. Apply on ICP Smart Services or the UAEICP app, signing in with UAE Pass, a username or a QR code. You can also use an ICP Customer Happiness Centre or an ICP-accredited typing centre. ICP lists two working days online or in the app, and one working day at a Customer Happiness Centre, which the card lists for exceptional cases.
- GDRFA Dubai. Apply on GDRFA's smart services with UAE Pass or a username, or at an AMER service centre. The GDRFA Dubai service card lists an expected completion time of 48 hours.
The portal links to both channels. GDRFA Dubai's card is the Dubai service; ICP runs the federal one. If you are unsure which applies to you, call the ICP contact centre on 600522222 before you pay.
How to apply, step by step
Both service cards list the same online order:
- Sign in to the smart services system: ICP Smart Services or the UAEICP app with UAE Pass, a username or a QR code, or GDRFA Dubai's smart services with UAE Pass or a username.
- Search for the job seeker service and pick the 60, 90 or 120-day option.
- Complete the application details. Have the documents for your channel ready, as listed in the table above.
- Pay the service fees and the deposit.
- Track the application until the visa is issued. If it comes back for missing information, complete it promptly (see the ICP rule below).
In person, the order is the same: hand the completed application and documents to the officer at the centre, then pay the fees.
One ICP rule worth knowing
ICP rejects an application automatically if the required data is not completed within 30 days of the application being returned to you, or if it is returned three times for missing information or documents.
What it costs
The UAE Government portal lists no fees. The fees sit on the service cards, and ICP and GDRFA Dubai itemise them differently. Do not mix the two lists.
ICP fees, as listed on the card
| Item | 60 days | 90 days | 120 days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Request fee | AED 100 | AED 100 | AED 100 |
| Issue fee | AED 200 | AED 300 | AED 400 |
| Security deposit | AED 1,025 | AED 1,025 | AED 1,025 |
| E-services fee | AED 28 | AED 28 | AED 28 |
| ICP fee | AED 22 | AED 22 | AED 22 |
| Smart services fee | AED 100 | AED 100 | AED 100 |
| Visa insurance fee | AED 80 | AED 100 | AED 120 |
| Sum of the listed lines | AED 1,555 | AED 1,675 | AED 1,795 |
Of each total, AED 1,025 is the refundable deposit. That leaves AED 530, AED 650 or AED 770 in fees. ICP's card says its terms and conditions can change at any time without notice, so check the live card on the day you apply.
GDRFA Dubai fees, as listed on the card
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Visa fee | AED 200 (60 days), AED 300 (90 days) or AED 400 (120 days), plus 5% VAT |
| Security amount | AED 1,000 |
| Warranty service fee | AED 20 |
| Fee for collecting and returning the guarantee | AED 40 |
| If you are already inside the UAE | An extra AED 500 fee inside the country, plus AED 10 Knowledge Dirham and AED 10 Innovation Dirham |
GDRFA Dubai says the total may vary with the applicant's circumstances. Check the live card on the day you apply, and ignore travel-site figures that do not match it.
The deposit is refundable, but you can lose it
The security deposit is not a fee. ICP's card sets these refund rules:
- The issuance fees and health insurance fees are refunded only if the application is rejected, together with the deposit. The request, e-services, ICP and smart services fees are not listed as refundable.
- Once the visa is issued, only the deposit comes back, when the visa is cancelled or expires.
- The deposit is "directly executed" if you do not comply with the regulations on entry and residence.
Overstaying and working without a permit both break those regulations. Treat either one as putting your deposit at risk.
Stay limits, extensions and the no-work rule
How long you can stay
You choose 60, 90 or 120 days when you apply. The portal and ICP describe the visa as single entry. GDRFA Dubai's card refers to single or multiple entry, so check the entry type printed on your issued visa.
Extensions
GDRFA Dubai allows extensions. Its card says each extension is for 30 days and the total stay may not exceed 180 days. ICP's job seeker cards (60, 90 and 120 days) do not say whether the visa can be extended. If your visa is ICP-issued, confirm with ICP on 600522222. See our guide to visa extensions in the UAE.
Leave or change status before the visa ends. Article 6 of the Resolution requires a foreigner to leave the UAE when the authorised stay ends. The UAE Government portal sets the overstay fine for visit, tourist and residence visas at AED 50 per day. See how to check and pay an overstay fine.
No work until the permit is issued
The visa does not allow work. Article 6 of Cabinet Resolution No. 65 of 2022 says a foreigner may not work, with or without pay, without a licence from the competent authority. That rule covers unpaid trial shifts, short freelance jobs and any "start now, visa later" arrangement.
The risk falls on the employer too. Article 25(1) of Federal Decree-Law No. 29 of 2021 imposes a fine of AED 50,000 on anyone who employs a foreigner in breach of the law. Separately, Article 60 of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, the labour law, fines anyone who employs a worker without a work permit between AED 100,000 and AED 1,000,000.
When you get an offer
The UAE Government portal says the employer must apply for the standard work visa, which is valid for two years and renewable. In outline:
- The employer makes a written offer. See the MOHRE offer letter.
- The employer applies for your work permit and work visa.
- You complete the steps that follow, including a change of status from visitor to resident if you are still in the UAE.
The work permit guide sets out each step and its requirements. Do not start work until your work permit is issued.
Already in the UAE after your visa was cancelled?
The official sources do not answer this question directly.
What the sources show: GDRFA Dubai's fee list adds an AED 500 in-country fee plus two AED 10 fees if the applicant is already inside the UAE. The card does not say who inside the country qualifies.
What they do not show: no official card says that a person whose residence was just cancelled qualifies to move onto this visa. That depends on your status and is decided by GDRFA Dubai or ICP. You still need to meet every condition in Article 21.
Act early. The UAE Government portal says residents get grace periods of up to six months after a residence permit is cancelled or expires, depending on the resident category. Read how the grace period works after cancellation, and confirm your options with ICP or GDRFA Dubai before it ends. Keep your cancellation papers. Our short answer on switching to a job seeker visa makes the same point.
Other routes may fit better. A new employer can apply for your work visa. A family member may be able to sponsor you. A self-sponsored residence may also be open to you, so check green visa eligibility.
Common mistakes
- Treating it as a work permit. Any work, paid or unpaid, needs a licence first.
- Assuming any graduate qualifies. You need a bachelor's degree and either skill level 1 to 3 or a top-500 degree from the last two years.
- Budgeting for the issue fee only. The deposit is the largest line: AED 1,025 with ICP, or AED 1,000 plus handling fees with GDRFA Dubai.
- Waiting for an employer until the last day. Overstay fines run at AED 50 a day, and non-compliance puts the deposit at risk.
- Leaving a returned ICP application unattended. It is rejected after 30 days, or after three returns.
Next step
Check three things before you pay: your MOHRE skill level or your university's standing, a degree certificate that meets the attestation requirement, and the funds for the deposit. Then apply through the channel that covers your emirate.
If your case is not routine, for example a recent cancellation, an open labour complaint or a gap between visas, speak to a licensed immigration lawyer before you apply. You can find an immigration lawyer on LEXAI and contact them directly.
This is general legal information, not legal advice. Confirm current procedure with the relevant authority or a licensed UAE lawyer.
Last updated 5 October 2026
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