Tadweer, Tadbeer — however you have heard it said, Tadbeer centres are the official, government-licensed service centres in Dubai where you hire and manage domestic workers legally. If you employ a maid, nanny, driver, cook, or other household worker, Tadbeer is the channel the UAE wants you to use: the centre recruits the worker, arranges the visa, handles the medical test and Emirates ID, and gives both you and the worker a proper contract with clear rights. For a first-time employer, it removes most of the guesswork from a process that used to involve informal agents and a lot of risk.
What Tadbeer Actually Does
Tadbeer centres operate under the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE). In plain terms, the centre acts as the licensed middleman between your household and the domestic worker. It sources candidates from approved recruitment channels, processes entry permits and residence visas, books the medical fitness test and Emirates ID appointment, and issues the standard employment contract. Crucially, it also gives the worker a direct line for complaints and gives you a replacement guarantee in many packages if the arrangement breaks down early.
Since the UAE’s domestic workers law came into force, employers are expected to hire through licensed channels rather than bringing someone in informally. Using Tadbeer keeps you on the right side of that law and creates a paper trail that protects you if there is ever a dispute about salary, working hours, or end-of-service benefits.
The Two Main Ways to Hire Through Tadbeer
Centres typically offer two models, and choosing between them is the first real decision you will make:
- Sponsorship model: The worker is sponsored by your household, lives with you or in accommodation you provide, and is employed by you directly. You handle the monthly salary and renewals, with Tadbeer processing the paperwork.
- Centre-sponsored (outsourced) model: The worker stays on the centre’s sponsorship and is assigned to your home for a set period. You pay the centre a monthly package fee instead of a salary directly. This suits people who want flexibility or cannot sponsor a worker themselves.
The outsourced model costs more each month but involves far less administration. The sponsorship model has higher upfront visa costs but a lower monthly outlay once the worker is settled. As a guide, monthly package prices and visa fees vary by nationality, experience, and package — typically running into a few thousand dirhams — so ask two or three centres for written quotes and always check the MOHRE channels for current official fees before you commit.
How the Process Works, Step by Step
- Visit a Tadbeer centre (or its app/website) with your Emirates ID and choose the hiring model.
- Review candidate profiles, interview shortlisted workers — many centres offer video interviews — and select your worker.
- Sign the contract and pay the applicable fees; the centre starts the entry permit.
- The worker arrives (or, if already in the UAE, completes a status change), then does the medical fitness test and Emirates ID biometrics.
- The residence visa is issued and the worker starts. Keep copies of the contract, passport, and visa in a safe place.
Your Responsibilities as the Employer
Hiring legally comes with duties, and Tadbeer will spell them out, but the headlines are these: pay the agreed salary on time, ideally through the Wage Protection System where applicable; provide suitable accommodation and food (or an allowance) for live-in workers; respect weekly rest days and reasonable working hours as set out in the domestic workers law; and cover the worker’s medical insurance. You may not hold the worker’s passport as a rule of good practice, and you should never charge the worker any recruitment costs — those are the employer’s to bear.
End-of-service matters too. When the contract ends, the worker is entitled to the benefits set out in the law and contract, and Tadbeer can calculate what is due. Renewals are straightforward while the relationship is working: the centre processes the new contract, medical, and visa each cycle.
Common Beginner Questions, Answered Briefly
Can you hire someone you already know through Tadbeer? Usually yes — if you have a candidate in mind, most centres will process her or his paperwork for a service fee, which is far safer than informal arrangements. What if it does not work out? Contracts normally include a probation period and replacement options; read those clauses before signing, because they differ between packages. And if a problem arises mid-contract — unpaid salary disputes, a worker who wants to leave, an employer complaint — Tadbeer and MOHRE have formal channels, which is exactly the protection the informal route never offered.
FAQ
Is Tadbeer the only legal way to hire a domestic worker in Dubai?
Hiring must go through licensed channels, and Tadbeer centres are the standard, MOHRE-licensed route for households. Traditional agencies also operate under licence, but you should verify any provider’s licence before paying anything.
How much does it cost to hire through Tadbeer?
Costs vary by model, nationality, and experience. Expect an upfront recruitment and visa cost under the sponsorship model, or a higher all-in monthly fee under the outsourced model — typically a few thousand dirhams as a guide. Get written quotes and check official MOHRE fee information.
Who sponsors the worker?
It depends on the model you choose: either your household sponsors the worker directly, or the Tadbeer centre keeps the sponsorship and assigns the worker to you under a package arrangement.
Done properly, hiring household help in Dubai is a clear, documented process rather than a leap of faith, and Tadbeer is where that process starts. For more plain-English explainers on everyday systems in the city, visit DXB Talk and browse the Dubai category for guides on visas, transport, housing, and more.
