Hiring a Maid From India: UAE Employer Rules, ECR Passport Requirements and Visa Process Explained

Hiring a domestic worker from India to work in the UAE involves requirements in both countries, from checking the worker’s passport status and completing the Indian government’s e-Migrate procedures to obtaining a UAE work permit, entry permit, insurance and residence documentation.

 

The employment of domestic workers in the UAE is governed principally by Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2022 Concerning Domestic Workers, which establishes the rights and obligations of domestic workers, employers and recruitment agencies. The law applies to domestic workers employed in occupations including housekeepers, cooks, private drivers, gardeners and other recognised domestic service roles.

 

For an expatriate resident wishing to recruit a domestic worker from outside the UAE, the process involves meeting MoHRE eligibility requirements as well as completing the necessary Indian emigration procedures.

 

Employer Obligations Under UAE Domestic Worker Law

 

The UAE Domestic Workers Law places a number of responsibilities on employers. These include providing suitable accommodation and the facilities necessary for the worker to perform the agreed duties, supplying appropriate food and clothing where required, paying wages on time and providing necessary medical care.

 

Employers must also treat domestic workers with respect and courtesy and must not subject them to violence or degrading treatment. The employer is generally responsible for the cost of returning the worker to the worker’s home country when the employment relationship ends in circumstances where repatriation is required under the law.

 

The law also regulates recruitment agencies and requires them to comply with approved contractual arrangements and recruitment procedures. Recruitment agencies are prohibited from charging domestic workers commissions or recruitment-related expenses and must ensure that workers receive information about the nature and conditions of the proposed employment before recruitment.

 

The employment relationship must be documented through the prescribed contract. The contract should clearly establish the nature of the work, remuneration and the respective rights and obligations of the employer and domestic worker.

 

Working Hours, Weekly Rest and Annual Leave

 

The law provides important protections concerning working time and leave. A domestic worker is entitled to a daily rest period of at least 12 hours, including at least eight consecutive hours of rest.

 

The worker is also entitled to a paid weekly rest day. Where the worker is required to work on the weekly rest day, an alternative day of rest or cash compensation must be provided in accordance with the applicable rules.

 

Annual leave is another statutory entitlement. Domestic workers are entitled to at least 30 days of paid annual leave for each completed year of service. The law also provides for leave entitlements where the period of employment is more than six months but less than one year.

 

The employer cannot treat a domestic worker simply as an informal household employee outside the protection of UAE law. The statutory rights provided by the Domestic Workers Law represent minimum protections, and a contract or other applicable arrangement may provide greater benefits.

 

Requirements For Recruiting a Domestic Worker From India

 

Indian nationals holding passports with ECR, or Emigration Check Required, status are subject to additional emigration procedures before travelling abroad for employment. The Indian Consulate in Dubai currently provides specific procedures for recruitment of Indian workers holding ECR passports through the e-Migrate system.

 

For domestic workers recruited from India, the UAE sponsor must complete the prescribed employment visa attestation process. The attested employment documents are then used for obtaining emigration clearance from the Protector of Emigrants in India.

 

The employer should therefore begin the Indian-side process before making arrangements for the worker to travel to the UAE. The employer must register through the e-Migrate system and provide the required information and documentation for foreign-employer registration. The registration process includes submitting the appropriate request to the Indian mission in the UAE.

 

Once the foreign-employer registration process is completed, the employer can proceed with the recruitment and UAE visa procedures. The Indian Consulate's current guidance states that recruitment of Indian female workers holding ECR passports and other eligible workers is to be processed through e-Migrate.

 

UAE Visa and MoHRE Requirements

 

The UAE-side application begins with obtaining a domestic worker work permit and entry permit through MoHRE's approved channels. The employer must satisfy the applicable eligibility requirements before the application can be approved.

 

For an expatriate employer or investor, the employer must hold a valid UAE residence permit. The proposed domestic worker must generally be at least 18 years old, while MoHRE's current work-permit service specifies an age limit of 60 for domestic workers, subject to stated exceptions.

 

For resident employers, MoHRE currently requires proof of accommodation through a valid tenancy contract or title deed. The current service requirements also state that an expatriate employer must provide a recent salary certificate confirming family income of at least Dh25,000. An investor or self-employed sponsor may instead be required to provide a bank statement demonstrating the applicable monthly income.

 

Other documents can include the employer's passport and Emirates ID, the domestic worker's passport and photograph, proof of marital status and the spouse's residence documentation where applicable. The employer may also be required to provide other documents depending on the nature of the application and the service channel used.

 

The domestic worker's passport must have the required validity, and the worker must not already hold an incompatible UAE work permit. Adequate insurance coverage is also required as part of the domestic worker work-permit process.

 

Entry Permit, Attestation and Emigration Clearance

 

Once the UAE application has been approved, an entry permit is issued through the relevant immigration authority. For a worker travelling from India on an ECR passport, the employment documents must then go through the required Indian mission attestation process.

 

The Indian Consulate's current guidance states that an employment visa for a housemaid recruited from India must be duly attested by the Embassy or Consulate. The attested employment documents can then be used by the worker to approach the relevant Protector of Emigrants office in India for emigration clearance.

 

This stage is particularly important because an ECR passport holder cannot simply travel to the UAE for employment without completing the prescribed clearance process. Employers should therefore avoid making travel arrangements until the required documentation and clearance have been obtained.

 

After the Domestic Worker Arrives in The UAE

 

The process does not end when the worker arrives in the UAE. The employer must complete the remaining immigration, employment and health-related formalities.

 

The domestic worker is required to undergo the applicable medical fitness examination. The employer must also arrange the required health insurance and complete the Emirates ID and residence procedures.

 

The final MoHRE employment contract must be completed in the prescribed format and should reflect the agreed employment terms. MoHRE's current service requirements include a signed domestic worker employment contract and medical insurance documentation, with adequate medical insurance specifically required for domestic workers in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

 

Employers should also ensure that the worker's actual duties, salary, working arrangements and other conditions correspond with the terms agreed in the official employment documents. Recruitment arrangements should not be altered informally after arrival in a manner that undermines the worker's statutory rights.

 

Use Licensed Recruitment Channels

 

Employers who do not wish to undertake direct recruitment can use licensed domestic worker recruitment offices and approved service channels. The UAE has a regulated system for domestic worker recruitment, and MoHRE has taken enforcement action against unlicensed recruitment activities.

 

In February 2026, MoHRE said it had closed 230 social media accounts during 2025 for promoting domestic worker recruitment services without the required licences or affiliation with licensed recruitment offices. Employers should therefore be cautious about dealing with individuals or online agents offering to arrange domestic workers outside the authorised system.

 

Licensed recruitment channels can assist with recruitment, visa processing, medical examination, insurance and other procedures depending on the package and service arrangement. However, the employer remains responsible for complying with the legal obligations applicable to the employment relationship.

 

Compliance is Important For Both Employer and Worker

 

Hiring a domestic worker from India requires coordination between the UAE's domestic worker regulations and India's emigration requirements. An employer should not assume that obtaining a UAE entry permit alone is sufficient for an ECR passport holder to travel for employment.

 

The safer approach is to complete the e-Migrate registration and Indian mission requirements, obtain the appropriate UAE work permit and entry permit through the authorised channels, complete the required attestation and emigration clearance before travel, and then finish the medical, insurance, Emirates ID, residence and employment-contract formalities after arrival.

 

The UAE Domestic Workers Law is designed to establish a regulated employment relationship and protect the rights of domestic workers while setting clear responsibilities for employers and recruitment agencies. Employers who follow the prescribed procedures from the beginning can avoid delays in recruitment and visa processing while ensuring that the domestic worker's employment is properly documented and compliant with UAE law.