Compare 10 employer of record providers in the UAE: fees from USD 299, real all-in cost USD 700 to 1,200, WPS and visa coverage. No signup needed.
An employer of record (EOR) in the UAE is a licensed local company that legally employs your staff on your behalf, so you can hire in Dubai, Abu Dhabi or any other emirate without setting up an entity. The EOR holds the employment contract. It sponsors the residence visa and work permit, runs payroll through the Wage Protection System (WPS) operated with the Central Bank of the UAE, provides the health insurance every private sector employee must now hold, and accrues end of service gratuity under Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021. You direct the work and set performance expectations. The EOR carries the legal employer obligations and the penalties that attach to getting them wrong.
All ten providers reviewed below deliver those core functions. They separate on four things: how fast they move a visa, whether they hold their own UAE entity or work through a local partner, which jurisdictions they are licensed for, and how much of the real cost they disclose before you sign. Published list prices run from USD 299 to USD 699 per employee per month. A realistic all-in budget for a visa-sponsored hire is USD 700 to 1,200 once government fees and insurance are counted.
New to the model? Start with our full guide to what an employer of record is and the benefits of partnering with an EOR. Weighing an EOR against co-employment instead? Our breakdown of EOR vs PEO covers where each model breaks down.
| Item | What applies in the UAE |
|---|---|
| Governing law (mainland) | Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Employment Relations |
| Regulator | Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) |
| Visa and residence authority | GDRFA-Dubai for Dubai hires, ICP for all other emirates |
| Payroll system | Wage Protection System (WPS), electronic salary transfer on fixed timelines |
| Contract format | Fixed-term, bilingual Arabic and English, in an approved MOHRE template |
| Probation | Maximum six months. 14 days’ written notice to terminate during probation. |
| Notice after probation | 30 to 90 days, set in the contract |
| Working week | 48 hours standard |
| Annual leave | 30 calendar days after one year of service |
| Sick leave | Up to 90 days per year on a tiered pay scale |
| Maternity leave | 60 days |
| Pension | GPSSA for Emirati and GCC nationals. 12.5% employer contribution under the legacy scheme, 15% for Emiratis who entered the workforce after October 2023. |
| Expatriate end of service | Gratuity (EOSB) at 21 days’ basic salary per year for the first five years, 30 days per year thereafter |
| Health insurance | Mandatory for every private-sector employee in all seven emirates since January 2025, and a precondition for work permit issuance and renewal |
| Emiratisation | Mainland companies with 50 or more employees work toward a 10% Emirati share of skilled roles by the end of 2026 under Nafis |
| Separate jurisdictions | DIFC and ADGM operate their own employment laws. Federal Decree-Law No. 33 does not apply there. |
| Typical EOR setup time | 2 to 4 weeks from signed agreement to start date |
| Published price range | USD 299 to USD 699 per employee per month |
| Realistic all-in cost | USD 700 to 1,200 per month for a visa-sponsored hire |
Peorient is an independent advisory platform. We do not operate as an EOR, and no provider can pay for placement or for a score. Every provider on this page is assessed against five weighted criteria, scored 1 to 5, and ranked on the weighted total.
| Criterion | Weight | What we assess |
|---|---|---|
| UAE compliance depth | 30% | Owned entity versus local partner, jurisdiction licensing, contract quality, gratuity and Emiratisation handling |
| Visa handling | 25% | Median turnaround by role type, rejection rate, and how the provider handles attestation and medical scheduling |
| Payroll and WPS accuracy | 20% | WPS file reconciliation, error rate, and who owns a fix when a transfer is flagged |
| Support responsiveness | 15% | Local presence versus ticket queue, escalation path for MOHRE and immigration issues |
| Pricing transparency | 10% | Whether list pricing is published, and whether government fees are quoted separately or hidden in the base fee |
| # | Provider | Compliance 30% | Visa 25% | Payroll 20% | Support 15% | Pricing 10% | Weighted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Remote | 5.0 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 4.5 |
| 2 | Deel | 4.0 | 5.0 | 4.5 | 3.5 | 5.0 | 4.4 |
| 3 | Velocity Global | 5.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 2.0 | 4.2 |
| 4 | Papaya Global | 4.0 | 3.5 | 5.0 | 3.5 | 4.5 | 4.1 |
| 5 | G-P | 5.0 | 3.5 | 4.5 | 3.5 | 2.0 | 4.0 |
| 6 | Oyster | 3.5 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 5.0 | 3.9 |
| 7 | Multiplier | 3.5 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 4.5 | 3.6 |
| 8 | Horizons | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.0 | 5.0 | 3.6 |
| 9 | Safeguard Global | 4.0 | 3.0 | 4.5 | 3.5 | 2.0 | 3.6 |
| 10 | Boundless | 3.0 | 2.0 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 2.0 | 2.8 |
| Provider | Base fee (USD/month) | Visa sponsorship | WPS payroll | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deel | From 599, published | Yes | Yes | Visa and immigration fees billed separately |
| Remote | From 599, published, annual billing | Yes | Yes | Higher monthly rate on flexible billing |
| Papaya Global | From 599, published | Yes | Yes | Enterprise payroll add-ons priced separately |
| Oyster | 699, published | Yes | Yes | Premium benefits packages cost extra |
| Velocity Global | Custom quote | Yes | Yes | Pricing reflects hands-on compliance support |
| G-P | Custom quote | Yes | Yes | Enterprise contracts and annual commitments |
| Safeguard Global | Custom quote | Yes | Yes | Quoted by workforce configuration |
| Boundless | Custom quote | Limited | Yes | Confirm UAE visa scope before contracting |
| Horizons | From 299, published | Yes | Yes | Regional plans for the Middle East and APAC |
| Multiplier | From 400, published | Yes | Yes | Non-standard scenarios need careful scoping |
The base fee is the smallest line in a UAE hire. Sponsorship, the Emirates ID, medical testing and mandatory insurance are all employer obligations and none of them are optional. Budget the stack, not the headline.
| Cost layer | Who pays | Typical monthly equivalent | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| EOR base fee | Employer | USD 299 to 699 | Published by six of the ten providers |
| Work permit and residence visa | Employer | USD 80 to 200 | Two-year cycle, amortised monthly. Cannot be recharged to the employee. |
| Emirates ID | Employer | USD 10 to 25 | Issued by ICP, validity matched to the residence visa |
| Medical fitness testing | Employer | USD 10 to 30 | Required before visa stamping |
| Mandatory health insurance | Employer | USD 30 to 200 | Varies sharply by emirate and plan tier |
| Gratuity accrual (EOSB) | Employer | Roughly 5.8% of basic salary | 21 days per year for the first five years works out near this figure |
| Realistic all-in | Employer | USD 700 to 1,200 | Per employee per month for a standard visa-sponsored hire |
The ranges above are indicative and move with salary band, emirate and plan tier. Two rules hold across every engagement we have advised on. First, the cheapest base fee is rarely the cheapest outcome, because a WPS error or a rejected visa costs more to unwind than compliance depth costs to buy. Second, ask for the government fee schedule in writing before signing, not after, because that is the line where quotes diverge most.
For how EOR payroll fees are structured across markets, see our guide to EOR payroll, and for the wider picture on running pay across countries, what global payroll actually covers.
Score: 4.5 / 5 Best for: Regulated and risk-averse teams
Remote takes the most conservative line on UAE compliance among the global platforms, and that is why it tops the scorecard. Legal review is thorough, documentation quality is consistent, and the contract templates hold up under scrutiny in regulated industries. The trade-off is speed. Timelines run slightly longer than Deel because Remote will not shortcut a review to hit a start date. For a financial services or healthcare hire in the UAE, that is the right instinct.
Pricing: From USD 599 per employee per month on annual billing. See our in-depth Remote review for the full breakdown.
Score: 4.4 / 5 Best for: Fast UAE market entry
Deel remains the default pick when the constraint is time. Onboarding is heavily automated, visa initiation starts quickly, and WPS payroll runs cleanly for standard employment setups. Published pricing removes a negotiation cycle. Flexibility drops once contracts, benefits or visa cases move past the templates, and senior or unusual roles take more back-and-forth than the marketing implies. Scope those cases before signing rather than after.
Pricing: From USD 599 per employee per month, published. Visa and immigration fees billed separately. See our Deel review and top alternatives for the full breakdown.
Score: 4.2 / 5 Best for: Regulated and high-liability sectors
Velocity Global is built around local oversight rather than software margin, which is why it is often chosen for financial services and healthcare hires. Compliance support is hands-on and the escalation path for MOHRE issues is short. Cost sits above the platform players and pricing is quote-only, which drags the transparency score. A strong fit when the cost of a compliance failure dwarfs the provider fee, and an expensive one when it does not.
Pricing: Custom quote.
Score: 4.1 / 5 Best for: Global finance and payroll teams
Papaya suits companies whose real problem is payroll consolidation rather than a single UAE hire. UAE payroll data feeds cleanly into multi-country financial reporting, and the payroll accuracy score is the highest on this list. Local employment practice sometimes needs closer coordination, so pair it with a named internal owner for UAE specifics rather than assuming the platform will surface every local nuance.
Pricing: From USD 599 per employee per month, published.
Score: 4.0 / 5 Best for: Large enterprises
G-P is built for audit readiness. Documentation depth, formal governance around every employment event, and enterprise controls are the selling points, and the compliance score reflects that. Visa handling is competent rather than fast. Contracting is heavier than a team of fewer than fifty people will want, and pricing is quote-only on annual commitments. If procurement is going to review the agreement line by line, G-P is designed for that conversation.
Pricing: Custom quote.
Score: 3.9 / 5 Best for: First one to five UAE hires
Oyster fits early-stage teams making their first UAE hires. Employment flows stay simple, the employee experience is polished, support is responsive, and published pricing removes negotiation friction entirely. Operational limits appear as role structures get more complex, at which point a migration conversation becomes realistic. Plan for that rather than being surprised by it.
Pricing: USD 699 per employee per month, published. See our roundup of EOR services for startups for the full breakdown.
Score: 3.6 / 5 Best for: Budget-led teams
Multiplier covers the core UAE requirements reliably, including WPS payroll and gratuity accrual, at one of the lowest published price points on this list. Support is thinner than the higher scorers and non-standard employment scenarios, such as split roles or unusual benefit structures, need careful scoping before you commit. For a straightforward mid-salary hire it is a sound value choice.
Pricing: From USD 400 per employee per month, published.
Score: 3.6 / 5 Best for: Middle East and APAC hubs
Horizons carries the lowest published entry price on this list and is positioned around regional expansion rather than single-country depth. If UAE headcount is one node in a wider Middle East or Asia plan, that framing works in your favour. If the hiring plan is UAE only, weigh it against Deel and Multiplier, because single-country optimisation is not where Horizons concentrates.
Pricing: From USD 299 per employee per month, published.
Score: 3.6 / 5 Best for: Multi-region workforces
Safeguard handles complex, multi-region workforce setups well and scores strongly on payroll accuracy. Coordination across regions is the strength. Speed is not, and pricing is quote-only. It makes most sense when UAE headcount sits inside a wider Middle East or global footprint that someone already needs to hold together.
Pricing: Custom quote.
Score: 2.8 / 5 Best for: Short-term hires and market tests
Boundless provides straightforward core EOR services and simplicity is the honest selling point. UAE visa scope is narrower than the global platforms, which is the main reason it sits at the bottom of this scorecard rather than any failing on the basics. Confirm sponsorship coverage in writing for each intended role before contracting, and treat it as a market-test option rather than a scaling one.
Pricing: Custom quote. Visa scope limited.
Global platforms are not the only route. Several regional and UAE-licensed firms handle EOR and visa sponsorship locally, sometimes at lower cost and usually with closer government relationships. What varies is tooling, reporting and multi-country scale, so due diligence matters more here, not less. These five appear consistently in UAE hiring shortlists and are worth a quote if the brief is UAE-only.
| Provider | Regional focus | Consider when |
|---|---|---|
| Links International | Asia and the Middle East, UAE-registered | You want a single provider across UAE and Asian markets with regional HR outsourcing attached |
| TopSource Worldwide | UAE country operation plus wider international payroll | Payroll accuracy matters more than platform polish |
| Mercans | Multi-country payroll technology with UAE delivery | You need UAE alongside a large multi-country payroll footprint |
| ManpowerGroup Middle East | UAE and Saudi Arabia, PRO and visa services | Visa and PRO handling is the bottleneck rather than the employment contract |
| Free zone specialists | Single free zone or emirate | Your hire sits in one specific free zone and you want a licensed local operator rather than a platform |
Regional firms are not scored on the matrix above because our five criteria assume comparable disclosure, and most local operators do not publish pricing or turnaround data. We assess them individually inside our advisory service where a specific brief makes the comparison meaningful.
Dubai is where most UAE hiring starts, and it is also where the process diverges most from the rest of the country. Residence visas for Dubai are handled by the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA-Dubai), not by the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) that covers the other emirates. A provider with strong ICP experience in Abu Dhabi or Sharjah is not automatically strong in Dubai, and this is one of the few questions worth asking before you shortlist rather than after.
Dubai has mandated employer-provided health insurance since Law No. 11 of 2013, administered by the Dubai Health Authority (DHA). Employers must cover every employee from day one, including staff based in free zones, at or above the DHA Essential Benefits Plan minimum. The premium is an employer cost and cannot be deducted from salary. GDRFA checks for an active policy at both visa issuance and renewal, which means an insurance lapse becomes an immigration problem rather than a benefits problem.
Dubai runs three distinct employment environments and a provider needs the right licence for each. Mainland hires under a DED licence sit under federal labour law and MOHRE. Free zone hires in DMCC, Dubai Internet City, Dubai Silicon Oasis, JAFZA and the rest sit under federal law with free zone variations in permits and process. DIFC is a separate legal jurisdiction entirely with its own employment law. Mainland coverage does not extend into DIFC, and a provider that says it “covers Dubai” has not answered the question.
| Ask the provider | What a good answer sounds like |
|---|---|
| Do you hold your own UAE entity, or work through a partner? | A named entity with a licence number, not a vague partnership reference |
| Which Dubai jurisdictions are you licensed for? | Mainland, named free zones, and DIFC stated separately rather than bundled |
| What is your median GDRFA visa turnaround for this salary band? | A number with a range, not “typically fast” |
| Who handles the medical fitness and Emirates ID scheduling? | The provider, with named responsibility rather than a handoff to the employee |
| What DHA plan tier do you provide by default? | A named tier, and a clear statement that the employee is not charged |
| Who owns the fix when a WPS transfer is flagged? | A named team with a stated response time |
On the ten providers scored above, Deel and Remote have the most consistent Dubai track record among the platforms. Multiplier and Horizons are the value options for a standard mainland hire. Boundless is the one to check hardest, because its UAE visa scope is narrower than the rest.
Abu Dhabi hiring runs through ICP rather than GDRFA-Dubai, and health insurance is regulated by the Abu Dhabi Department of Health (DoH) rather than the DHA. DoH requires Thiqa-compliant coverage for UAE nationals and Basic or Enhanced plans for expatriate employees. The practical effect is that a policy written to a Dubai specification may not satisfy Abu Dhabi requirements, so confirm which emirate the plan is written for, not just that a plan exists.
Abu Dhabi also hosts ADGM, which operates its own employment framework under the ADGM Employment Regulations 2024. Those regulations replaced the 2019 version with effect from 1 April 2025 and differ from federal law on several points that matter to an employer, including gratuity treatment. Federal Emiratisation requirements do not apply to ADGM-registered entities. If your hire sits in ADGM, mainland coverage is not sufficient and you need a provider licensed for it.
For government-adjacent, energy and sovereign fund work, which is a large share of Abu Dhabi hiring, compliance depth outweighs speed. Velocity Global and G-P score highest on that axis. Remote is the strongest of the self-serve platforms for the same reason.
This is the question that decides which providers are even eligible, and most buyers reach it after they have shortlisted rather than before. The UAE runs four employment environments. Two sit under federal labour law with procedural differences. Two are separate legal jurisdictions with their own employment statutes.
| Item | Mainland | Standard free zone | DIFC | ADGM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governing law | Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 | Federal law with free zone variations | DIFC Employment Law No. 2 of 2019 | ADGM Employment Regulations 2024 |
| Regulator | MOHRE | Free zone authority plus MOHRE | DIFC Authority | ADGM Registration Authority |
| Visa route | GDRFA-Dubai or ICP | Free zone authority | DIFC Government Services | ADGM Employment Affairs Office |
| WPS payroll | Mandatory | Mandatory in most zones | Not the federal WPS | Not the federal WPS |
| Gratuity | 21 then 30 days per year, capped at two years’ pay | As mainland | Core benefits scheme applies | Two-year cap removed under Employment Regulations 2024 |
| Emiratisation | Applies at 50+ employees | Generally does not apply | Does not apply | Does not apply |
| Mainland EOR licence sufficient? | Yes | Usually, confirm per zone | No | No |
Very few UAE hiring plans stay in the UAE. Saudi Arabia is usually the next market, followed by Qatar, and the compliance model changes at each border. Nationalisation quotas run under different names and different thresholds. Wage protection systems exist in several GCC states but are administered separately. A provider that handles the UAE cleanly may hold no entity at all in Riyadh or Doha.
| Provider | UAE | Saudi Arabia | Qatar | Wider GCC | Regional strength |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deel | Yes | Yes | Yes | Broad | Speed and self-serve onboarding |
| Remote | Yes | Yes | Yes | Broad | Compliance depth and documentation |
| G-P | Yes | Yes | Yes | Broad | Enterprise governance |
| Papaya Global | Yes | Yes | Yes | Broad | Consolidated multi-country payroll |
| Velocity Global | Yes | Yes | Confirm | Selective | Hands-on local oversight |
| Safeguard Global | Yes | Yes | Confirm | Selective | Multi-region coordination |
| Mercans | Yes | Yes | Yes | Broad | Payroll technology across MENA |
| Horizons | Yes | Confirm | Confirm | Selective | Middle East and APAC hubs |
| Multiplier | Yes | Confirm | Confirm | Selective | Value pricing |
| Oyster | Yes | Confirm | Confirm | Limited | Small-team experience |
Rows marked Confirm mean coverage is either partner-delivered or not clearly published, which is not the same as unavailable. Ask for the entity structure per country in writing. The distinction between an owned entity and a local partner matters more in Saudi Arabia and Qatar than it does in the UAE, because the partner carries the licence and you inherit its risk.
If your plan spans two or more GCC markets, the shortlist narrows to providers with owned entities in each. On the scorecard above that means Remote, Deel, G-P and Papaya Global first, with Velocity Global and Safeguard Global on a per-country check.
Private sector employment on the mainland is governed by Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, administered by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE). Free zones apply variations. The financial free zones DIFC and ADGM run their own employment frameworks entirely. The essentials:
| Cost item | Applies to | Employer obligation |
|---|---|---|
| GPSSA pension | Emirati and GCC nationals | 12.5% of salary under the legacy scheme, 15% for Emiratis entering work after October 2023 |
| End of service gratuity | Expatriate employees | 21 days’ basic salary per year for the first five years, 30 days per year after, capped at two years’ pay on the mainland |
| Health insurance | All employees in all emirates | Mandatory since January 2025. DHA in Dubai, DOH in Abu Dhabi, MOHAP in the northern emirates. Required for permit issuance and renewal. |
| Visa and permits | Expatriate employees | Employer-sponsored work visa, Emirates ID, medical testing and renewals. GDRFA-Dubai for Dubai, ICP elsewhere. |
| Annual leave | All employees | 30 calendar days after one year of service |
| WPS compliance | Mainland employers | Electronic salary transfer on fixed timelines, with penalties for late or off-system payment |
| Emiratisation | Mainland employers with 50+ staff | Progress toward a 10% Emirati share of skilled roles by the end of 2026, with monthly fines per unmet position |
Compliance failures in the UAE rarely announce themselves. They compound in a predictable sequence.
An employer of record absorbs that entire risk layer from day one: sponsorship before the start date, WPS registration before the first payroll run, and insurance before permit issuance. That is why the model has become the default entry path for companies that want speed without long-term entity commitments.
The two terms are used interchangeably in UAE marketing copy and they are not interchangeable in practice. The difference decides whether you need a local entity at all.
| Comparison point | Employer of Record | Professional Employer Organization |
|---|---|---|
| Legal employer | The EOR, solely | Co-employment with your entity |
| Local entity required? | No | Yes |
| Visa sponsorship | EOR sponsors | Your entity sponsors |
| WPS registration | Under the EOR | Under your entity |
| Emiratisation quota sits with | The EOR licence, usually | Your entity |
| Best for | Market entry with no UAE presence | Existing UAE entity wanting HR and payroll support |
In the UAE the practical answer is usually straightforward. If you have no local entity, an EOR is the only compliant route, because someone has to hold the trade licence that sponsors the visa. A PEO becomes relevant once you already have an entity and want to hand off payroll, benefits and HR administration without giving up the employment relationship. Our guide to international PEO services maps the trade-offs in more detail, and the wider guide to professional employer organizations covers how the co-employment model works. If you are still deciding whether you need either, five signs your business should consider a PEO partnership is a shorter read.
The choice is not control versus cost. It is reversibility versus commitment. An entity gives full operational authority and creates fixed obligations from day one: trade licence, registrations, office requirements, audits and renewals. An EOR keeps the structure light while you validate the market.
| Factor | Employer of Record | Legal entity |
|---|---|---|
| Setup timeline | 2 to 4 weeks | 2 to 4 months or longer |
| Upfront cost | Low and predictable | High: licensing, office and capital requirements |
| Compliance ownership | Carried by the EOR | Fully owned by the company |
| Payroll and WPS | Handled by the EOR | Managed internally or through vendors |
| Visa sponsorship | Included | Requires internal PRO capability |
| Emiratisation exposure | Usually sits on the EOR licence | Direct quota obligations at 50+ employees |
| Exit flexibility | High | Low: formal liquidation process |
| Best suited for | Entry, pilots and uncertain growth | Long-term, large-scale operations |
Many companies run both in sequence: enter through an EOR, then transition to an entity once headcount and revenue justify the fixed costs. The same pattern holds in other markets. See how it plays out in our India EOR guide, where the entity threshold sits at a different point.
Seven steps, roughly two to four weeks end to end for a standard role.
One thing to settle early: whether the person should be an employee at all. If the engagement is genuinely project-based and independent, a contractor arrangement may be simpler, though UAE misclassification risk is real and the visa question does not disappear. Our guide to employee versus contractor walks through where the line sits.
The UAE is one of the world’s leading destinations for foreign investment, ranking second globally for announced greenfield projects in UNCTAD’s World Investment Report 2024. Four things make it attractive as a hiring market.
The catch is enforcement. UAE compliance is strict and predictable, and it applies from day one. That gap between a business-friendly reputation and tightly enforced employment rules is exactly where an EOR earns its fee.
Provider differences in visa handling, WPS accuracy and jurisdiction coverage usually surface only after hiring starts, when switching is expensive. Peorient closes that gap up front. We compare providers against your actual hiring plan, flag the trade-offs, and shortlist the two or three that fit, for a flat USD 199. We do not deliver EOR services ourselves and our recommendations are not tied to commissions. Here is how our advisory works.
Get a free initial consultation, or start with our provider reviews and decide at your own pace. Expanding into India as well? Our India EOR comparison is the companion piece to this guide, and our hiring intelligence archive covers the rest.
Yes. Licensed EORs employ staff through registered UAE entities in full compliance with Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 and MOHRE regulations. The key check is that the provider holds the correct licence for the jurisdiction where your employee will work, because mainland licensing does not extend to DIFC or ADGM.
Published base fees run from USD 299 to USD 699 per employee per month, and four of the ten providers on this page quote custom rates only. A realistic all-in budget for a visa-sponsored hire is USD 700 to 1,200 per month once sponsorship, Emirates ID, medical testing and mandatory health insurance are included.
Budget USD 700 to 1,200 per month all-in for a standard mainland Dubai hire. That covers the provider base fee from USD 299 to 699, work permit and residence visa costs amortised across the two-year cycle, Emirates ID, medical fitness testing, and a DHA-compliant health insurance policy that the employer must pay in full and cannot deduct from salary.
Yes. The EOR acts as the visa sponsor and manages applications, medical checks, Emirates ID processing, renewals and cancellations. Dubai applications go through GDRFA-Dubai and all other emirates through ICP. Employees cannot legally work in the UAE without active sponsorship, so this is a core function rather than an add-on.
Yes. Salaries are processed through the Wage Protection System on fixed timelines with correct statutory deductions, and end of service gratuity is accrued at 21 days basic salary per year for the first five years and 30 days per year thereafter. Ask specifically who owns the fix when a WPS transfer is flagged, because that is where providers differ.
An EOR is the sole legal employer, which is what allows hiring without a local entity. A PEO co-employs staff alongside your own registered entity, so it assumes you already have one. If you have no UAE entity, an EOR is the only compliant route.
Typically two to four weeks from signed agreement to start date, driven mostly by visa processing. Timelines shorten when the candidate's education certificates are already attested, and lengthen for senior roles that face additional scrutiny. Do not let a start date land before sponsorship is active.
Normally the employees sit on the EOR's trade licence, so quota obligations attach to the EOR rather than to you. Confirm this in writing, especially if you plan to scale past 50 people or later migrate staff to your own entity. Emiratisation does not apply in DIFC or ADGM.
Only through providers licensed for those jurisdictions. DIFC operates under Employment Law No. 2 of 2019 and ADGM under the Employment Regulations 2024, effective 1 April 2025. Neither is governed by Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, so mainland coverage does not automatically extend there. Ask the provider to confirm in writing.
Some can. Deel, Remote, G-P, Papaya Global and Mercans hold entities across multiple GCC markets. Others deliver Saudi Arabia or Qatar through local partners, which is workable but changes who carries the licence and the risk. Ask for the entity structure country by country, because Saudi Nitaqat quotas and Qatari sponsorship rules differ materially from UAE requirements.
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