For most saffas, the nanny is not staff. She is family. She has raised your kids, knows every routine, and arriving in the UAE without her is genuinely stressful. The lekker news: the UAE has a proper, well-run legal framework for domestic workers, and East and Southern African nationalities are on the approved list. Here is everything you need to bring her over legally, the right way.
The golden rule: Your nanny must be on a domestic worker visa, sponsored by you. Employing anyone on a tourist visa, visit visa or cancelled visa is illegal under UAE law and can result in heavy fines and deportation for both of you. Do not risk it.
Step one: are you eligible to sponsor?
Not every UAE resident can sponsor a domestic worker. Check all of these before you start.
- Must be married — Single or bachelor sponsors are not permitted under UAE domestic worker law.
- Minimum monthly salary — AED 25,000 for expatriate sponsors (combined household).
- Valid UAE residence visa — Both you and your spouse must have valid residency.
- Valid Emirates ID — Required for the sponsor file.
- Adequate accommodation — A two-bedroom residence is the general expectation.
- Ejari tenancy contract — Proof of registered UAE residence required.
- Attested marriage certificate — Required copy.
UAE nationals and Golden Visa holders have different (more relaxed) thresholds and can sponsor 2-year visas. Expatriate residents are issued 1-year domestic worker visas, renewable annually.
African nationalities: who can come?
Domestic workers can only be recruited from countries with active bilateral labour agreements with the UAE or approved by MOHRE.
- Kenya — Approved. Well-established recruitment channel, widely available via Tadbeer.
- Uganda — Approved. Active bilateral agreement, lower recruitment cost than some Asian nationalities.
- Tanzania — Approved. Available through MOHRE-licensed channels.
- Ethiopia — Approved. Large presence in UAE, well-established domestic worker pipeline.
- Zimbabwe — Approved. Available through licensed recruitment agencies.
- Malawi — Approved, though bilateral framework under ongoing review (Dec 2025).
- South Africa — Check with Tadbeer directly. SA passport holders are not typically in the standard domestic worker recruitment pool.
Always confirm your nanny's specific nationality is approved at the time of application by contacting a Tadbeer centre at tadbeer.ae or calling MOHRE on 800-60.
Scenario A: Your nanny is still in her home country
This is the standard recruitment route. Tadbeer handles the recruitment, pre-departure orientation and visa application from end to end.
- Visit a Tadbeer centre — Find your nearest at mohre.gov.ae or go directly to tadbeer.ae. 136 licensed centres across the UAE. Dubai flagship: EQUITI Metro (Exit 2), Sheikh Zayed Road, Umm Al Sheif.
- Open a sponsor file — Bring: passport copies, Emirates IDs, attested marriage certificate, salary certificate, Ejari tenancy contract. Approval typically within 24 hours via SMS.
- Select your worker and sign the service agreement — You can request your nanny by name and nationality. Pay the Tadbeer package fee: approximately AED 8,500. This covers entry permit, contract registration, medical test, insurance, Emirates ID and visa stamping. Recruitment fees (paid to the sending agency in her country) are separate: AED 5,000-10,000 for most African nationalities.
- Entry permit issued, nanny travels to UAE — She must arrive within 60 days of the entry permit being issued. She enters on the permit and receives a 30-day entry stamp on arrival.
- Medical fitness test — Mandatory within 30 days of arrival. Screens for HIV, tuberculosis, hepatitis and other communicable diseases. Results take 1-2 working days. Tadbeer coordinates this as part of the package.
- Emirates ID biometrics — She attends an ICP-approved centre for fingerprints and photo. Emirates ID issued within 5-10 working days by post.
- Residence visa stamped — Tadbeer applies once medical clearance and biometrics are done. Visa duration: 1 year for expat sponsors. She cannot leave the UAE until the residence visa is stamped.
Scenario B: Your nanny is already in the UAE on a visit visa
She can transfer her status without leaving the country. This is called a change of status application.
- Her current visa must be valid (not expired) when you apply.
- Bring her to the Tadbeer centre with her passport and current visa.
- She does not need to exit the UAE and re-enter.
- The same medical test, Emirates ID and visa stamping process then follows.
- You have until the change of status document expires (up to 60 days) to complete the residency visa.
If her visit visa has expired: She cannot do a status change. She will need to exit, re-enter on a new entry permit, and process the domestic worker visa from within the UAE. Do not let her visa expire while she is working for you informally. Fine: AED 200 day one, AED 100 per day after.
What it costs
- Tadbeer package (entry permit, medical, insurance, ID, visa) — AED 8,500 approx
- Recruitment fee (sending agency in her home country) — AED 5,000-10,000. Kenya and Uganda typically lower.
- Annual visa renewal (Year 2 onwards) — AED 3,000-5,000 per year
- Monthly salary — AED 1,500-3,000/month live-in, AED 2,500-3,500 live-out. No statutory minimum. Agree in writing.
- Return air ticket — Your expense every 2 years. UAE law requires this.
- Health insurance — Included in Tadbeer package for Year 1.
- Total first-year cost excluding salary — approximately AED 13,500-18,500
Her rights under UAE law
Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2022 (amended 2023). These are not optional.
- Written MOHRE contract — Mandatory. Verbal agreements have no legal standing.
- Salary paid on time — Within 10 days of the due date, via the Wage Protection System (WPS) from 2026.
- One paid weekly rest day — Guaranteed after the first 6 months.
- 12 hours daily rest — At least 8 of which must be continuous overnight rest.
- 30 days paid annual leave — After one year of service. Leave pay is paid before the leave starts.
- 30 days paid sick leave per year — First 15 days full pay, next 15 days half pay. Medical certificate required.
- Return air ticket — Round trip every 2 years at your expense. One-way on end of service.
- Health insurance — Mandatory throughout employment.
- Keep her own documents — You cannot hold her passport or Emirates ID. It is illegal. She keeps them at all times.
- 6-month probation — Either party can end the contract with 2 weeks' notice during probation.
- 30 days' notice — Required by either party to end the contract after probation.
- Dispute resolution — MOHRE handles complaints. Cases under AED 50,000 decided by MOHRE directly.
The MOHRE Unified Contract
All domestic worker employment must use MOHRE's Unified Standard Employment Contract. Tadbeer registers this as part of the package. It must specify: job title, monthly salary, working hours, daily rest, weekly rest day, annual leave, probation period, notice period, accommodation and meal arrangements, and air ticket terms.
If the arrangement ends
- Give 30 days' written notice after probation.
- Pay all outstanding salary and unused leave days.
- Provide a one-way return air ticket to her home country (legal obligation).
- Cancel her visa within 30 days via Tadbeer. Failure to cancel is an employer offence.
- Return her passport and Emirates ID immediately.
- Do not deduct recruitment fees from her salary. This is illegal.
Information correct as of June 2026. Always verify at tadbeer.ae, mohre.gov.ae and icp.gov.ae before applying.