If you employ a domestic worker in Dubai — a housemaid, nanny, driver or cook — Tadbeer service centres are the official route for much of the paperwork, from recruitment and entry permits to the work contract, medical test, Emirates ID and renewals, all under the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE). Families get into trouble not over the big steps but over the small print: a missed renewal date, an unpaid fine, a contract that quietly expired. This guide sets out the fees, fines and deadlines to keep on your radar, with figures as guides only — confirm current amounts on the MOHRE or Tadbeer portal before you pay.
What Tadbeer Handles and What It Costs
Tadbeer centres were created to standardise domestic worker services and protect both families and workers. Through a centre, or its app and website, you can typically arrange:
- Recruitment of a worker, directly or through the centre’s packages
- Entry permit and change-of-status applications
- The official domestic worker contract and its registration
- Medical fitness test and Emirates ID appointments
- Residence visa issuance and renewal
- Cancellation of permits and end-of-service processing
Costs fall into two layers. Government fees cover the permit, visa, medical and ID steps; as a guide, the full government cost of bringing in and regularising a worker for a two-year cycle has typically run to several thousand dirhams in total across all the stages, with individual steps ranging from a few hundred dirhams upward. On top of that, Tadbeer centres charge service fees and, for recruitment packages, package prices that vary with the worker’s nationality, experience and whether the package is traditional recruitment or a flexible monthly arrangement. Because both layers are revised from time to time, ask the centre for an itemised quote in writing and compare it with the fee schedule on the official portal before committing.
The Deadlines That Matter Most
Domestic worker paperwork runs on the same residency clock as everyone else’s, and the dates are unforgiving. Keep these in your calendar from day one:
- Entry and status: after entry on a permit, the medical, contract and residence steps must be completed within the period stated on the permit — do not let the worker sit unprocessed.
- Contract and visa renewal: the residence and contract run for the term granted (commonly one or two years depending on arrangement) and renewal should be started before expiry, not after.
- Emirates ID: the ID follows the residence validity and must be renewed alongside it.
- Probation and notice: the contract sets probation and notice terms for either side ending the employment; follow them in writing.
- Cancellation at end of service: when a worker leaves for good, cancel the permit promptly so no further liability or fines build up in your name.
A simple system works: put the visa expiry, ID expiry and contract renewal dates in your phone with reminders at 60, 30 and 7 days, and keep copies of every Tadbeer receipt in one folder.
Fines: Where Families Get Caught
Fines in this area follow the general residency rules. Overstaying or late renewal of the worker’s residence attracts per-day fines once any applicable grace period ends — as a guide, the standard overstay fine has been around AED 50 per day, but always verify the current rate on the official portal. Employing a worker on the wrong status, failing to regularise a worker you brought in, or keeping a cancelled worker’s file open can draw separate penalties and, more seriously, legal liability if anything goes wrong while the paperwork is wrong.
The other financial trap is wage discipline. Domestic workers must be paid as agreed, and the UAE has been extending wage-protection and documentation expectations in this sector; keep bank or signed proof of salary payments. If a dispute reaches MOHRE or a Tadbeer centre, the family with clean payment records and an in-date contract is in a far stronger position.
Renewal Day: A Simple Checklist
- Book the renewal through Tadbeer or the official channels before the visa expiry date.
- Confirm the worker’s passport is valid well beyond the new visa period; renew it first if not.
- Complete the medical fitness test at the assigned centre.
- Sign and register the renewed contract, checking salary and rest terms match what you agreed.
- Apply for Emirates ID renewal and keep the application receipt.
- File every confirmation and diarise the next cycle’s dates immediately.
FAQ
Do I have to use Tadbeer, or can I sponsor a domestic worker directly? Families can sponsor directly through official channels, but Tadbeer centres exist to handle the whole process in one place, and recruitment routes are regulated — check the current options on the MOHRE portal.
What is the fine if my worker’s visa renewal is late? Overstay fines apply per day after any grace period; as a guide the standard rate has been around AED 50 per day, but confirm the current figure officially before paying.
Who pays the Tadbeer and government fees? The sponsoring family, as the employer, is responsible for the official recruitment and residency costs; these should not be passed to the worker.
For more practical guides to household paperwork in Dubai, visit DXB Talk and browse our Dubai coverage.
