Many Dubai families rely on a nanny, housekeeper, cook or driver, but the way you hire that person changes your legal duties completely. You can sponsor a domestic worker directly under your own name, or hire through a licensed agency or Tadbeer centre, where the agency remains the sponsor. Both routes are common, and both carry costs beyond a monthly salary. Comparing the visa and contract responsibilities will help you choose.
Option One: Sponsoring a Worker Directly
When you sponsor directly, you are the legal sponsor and, in effect, the employer for immigration purposes. That typically means arranging the entry permit, medical fitness test, Emirates ID, residence visa and a domestic worker contract under the framework overseen by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE). You are responsible for renewing the visa β usually every one or two years depending on the arrangement β paying government fees, and cancelling the visa properly when employment ends.
Direct sponsorship gives you continuity and control. The same person lives or works in your home long term, you agree terms together within the law, and you are not paying an ongoing agency margin. The trade-off is responsibility. You must meet the current eligibility rules for sponsors, which typically include a minimum salary threshold and suitable circumstances, provide proper accommodation, food and healthcare where required, respect rest days and working hours, pay wages on time through approved channels, and fund the worker’s return travel at the end of service as the contract requires. Fees and salary expectations vary by nationality and role, so confirm current figures with MOHRE or a Tadbeer centre rather than relying on figures shared in community groups.
Option Two: Hiring Through an Agency or Tadbeer Centre
Licensed agencies and Tadbeer service centres β the government-recognised centres for domestic worker services β can supply a worker who stays on the agency’s sponsorship. In that model the agency typically handles:
- Recruitment, entry permits, medical testing, Emirates ID and visa renewal.
- The formal contract, wage processing and replacement if the worker leaves or the match does not work out during a trial period.
- Insurance and end-of-service administration, depending on the package you sign.
You pay the agency a monthly or package fee that is higher than the worker’s salary alone, because it covers those services and the agency’s legal risk. In return, your paperwork burden is much lighter, cover for holidays or sickness may be easier to arrange, and ending the arrangement is usually a matter of notice to the agency rather than a visa cancellation you must manage yourself. Read the package carefully: check who pays if a replacement is needed, what happens during the worker’s annual leave, and whether live-in or live-out work is actually permitted under that package.
Key Duties Compared
However you hire, the worker’s basic rights under the UAE domestic workers law apply β agreed wages paid on time, rest, leave, decent treatment and a safe home environment are not optional extras that depend on the route. The difference is who carries the administrative and financial consequences when something changes. With direct sponsorship, a resignation, a dispute or a medical emergency lands on your desk first. With agency hiring, the agency should step in, but you still have a duty to treat the person in your home fairly and to report problems through proper channels rather than withholding documents or wages, which is never permitted.
Costs also behave differently over time. Direct sponsorship often works out cheaper over several years if the match lasts, despite upfront visa and medical costs. Agency hiring is usually more predictable month to month and easier to stop, which suits families who are new to Dubai, here for a shorter assignment, or unsure how much help they need.
Making the Right Choice for Your Family
Ask yourselves three honest questions. How long do we expect to need help? Do we have the time and confidence to manage renewals, contracts and cancellations correctly? And would we value a replacement guarantee if the first match fails? Families settling for years often prefer direct sponsorship; families who need flexibility often start with Tadbeer and review later.
Whichever route you choose, use only licensed channels, keep copies of contracts and payment records, and confirm current rules, fees and eligibility with MOHRE or a Tadbeer centre before committing. A clear, lawful arrangement protects your family β and the person who helps your household run.