A message arrives on WhatsApp: a well-known company in Dubai wants you, the salary is high, and all you need to do is pay a small amount for the visa. Thousands of job seekers each year receive offers like this. Some are real jobs. Many are not. The difference is usually visible if you know which official checks to run before you pay anything or book a flight.
This guide is for job seekers and new hires, inside or outside the UAE. It explains how a genuine private-sector offer works, how to verify it with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE), the red flags of recruitment scams, what an employer may and may not charge you, and what to do if you have already paid. It relies on Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Employment Relationships, MOHRE and UAE Government guidance, and Dubai Police warnings. Where a point comes from a news report of an official statement rather than the text of the law, we say so.
Published: 23 October 2026
Quick Answer
A genuine UAE private-sector job starts with an official offer issued through MOHRE, signed by the employer’s authorised representative, which you can check online by its offer number. Under Article 6 of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, an employer may not recruit a worker without a work permit from MOHRE and may not charge the worker the fees and costs of recruitment and employment, directly or indirectly. A tourist or visit visa does not give the right to work. If someone asks you to pay for a visa, a “deposit” or a “processing fee”, offers a job on a visit visa, or cannot give an offer number you can verify, treat it as a scam until proven otherwise.
How a Genuine UAE Job Offer Works
The process is built around MOHRE’s systems, not around WhatsApp messages or PDF letters made in a word processor.
- The employer applies through MOHRE. The employer must be an establishment registered with MOHRE with a valid trade licence. The law prohibits recruiting or employing any worker except after obtaining a work permit from MOHRE (Article 6(1)).
- A job offer is issued on the official template. Ministerial Resolution No. 46 of 2022 and the related administrative guidance set out approved forms for work permits, job offers and employment contracts. As summarised by the Gulf Labour Markets and Migration programme, the job seeker should receive an official offer before the employment relationship starts, and the contract must match the offer when the work permit is applied for.
- You review and sign the offer. MOHRE’s public advice, reported by Gulf News in October 2025, is that a legitimate offer must be issued by MOHRE and signed by the authorised manager. The approved offer used for the work permit application carries the signatures of both employer and employee.
- The work permit and entry permit follow. After you sign, the employer should send you an electronic work entry permit. Residency visa processing cannot be completed while you are outside the UAE; you enter with the valid work entry permit.
- An employment contract is concluded. Article 8(1) of the Decree-Law requires the employer to conclude a contract with the worker in two copies, one for each party, on the forms specified in the Implementing Regulation.
If your experience skips these steps, for example a “visa” arrives before you signed any offer registered with MOHRE, something is wrong. For what the contract must contain once the job is real, see our guide to UAE employment contract rules and the different contract types.
Step by Step: How to Verify a Job Offer with MOHRE
Run these checks in order. They are free.
1. Look at the offer itself
- Is it on the MOHRE offer form, with an offer (transaction) number and a barcode or serial number?
- Is it signed by an authorised signatory of the employer, with the company name and licence details?
- Does it match the job, salary and location you were told about?
Reports of MOHRE’s guidance describe the official offer as carrying a unique serial number that allows it to be checked. A plain letter with a logo and no number is not enough.
2. Check the offer number on the MOHRE website
MOHRE’s advice is to verify the job offer number through the application status inquiry on its website. The inquiry service for job offers asks for details such as the transaction number and company details, and an authentic offer displays the approved letter. An offer that does not appear in the system should not be trusted until MOHRE confirms it.
Keep your screen capture or a PDF of the result. If the offer does not appear, do not assume it is fake without asking MOHRE, because typing errors are common. Call the MOHRE call centre on 600590000 to confirm.
3. Check the company exists
MOHRE’s guidance tells job seekers to search the company name in the National Economic Register. Compare the trade name, licence number and activity with the offer. A company that does not exist, or whose licensed activity has nothing to do with the job on offer, is a red flag. Scammers often copy the name of a real, well-known company, so also confirm that the person contacting you really works there by calling the company on a number you find yourself, not one in the message.
4. Confirm any visa or permit through the right system
- Dubai-issued visas can be verified on the GDRFA website.
- Visas issued in other emirates can be verified through the ICP eChannels platform.
Our guide to checking your UAE visa status online shows the usual routes.
5. Ask MOHRE directly
You can contact MOHRE through its call centre on 600590000, its website and smart application, and its live chat. If anything is unclear, ask before you pay or travel.
Red Flags of a Fake Job Offer
| Red flag | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| You are asked to pay a “visa fee”, “deposit”, “medical fee” or “processing fee” | Article 6(4) prohibits the employer from charging the worker for recruitment and employment fees and costs, directly or indirectly. Dubai Police has also said legitimate employers do not ask candidates to pay fees or transfer money during recruitment |
| The job is offered on a tourist or visit visa | MOHRE states that a tourist or visit visa does not grant the right to work. Working on one can lead to fines and legal action |
| The offer is not on the MOHRE form, or the offer number does not check | Only offers issued through MOHRE can be verified. An unverifiable offer has no standing |
| A “visa” or “work permit” arrives before you signed any offer | The work entry permit follows the signed offer, not the other way round |
| Contact comes unsolicited through WhatsApp, Telegram or a free email address | Official recruiters use company domains and can be checked through their licence |
| Pressure to pay today or lose the job | Genuine offers allow time for verification |
| The recruiter will not meet, video call or provide company details | Real employers and licensed agencies can be identified |
| Payment requested to a personal account or by gift cards or crypto | Government fees are paid through official channels |
| You are asked to receive and move money through your bank account | Dubai Police has warned of fake “part-time jobs” used to launder stolen funds |
| Residency processing offered while you are still abroad | The residency visa is completed after entering the UAE with the work entry permit |
What an Employer or Agency May and May Not Charge
This is the point scammers rely on most, so it is worth being precise.
- The employer pays the costs of recruitment and employment. Article 6(4) of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021: “The employer is prohibited from charging the worker for the fees and costs of recruitment and employment or collecting them from him, whether directly or indirectly.”
- Recruitment agencies must be licensed. Article 6(3) states that no one may undertake the activity of employment or mediation to recruit or employ workers except with a licence from MOHRE. Check that any agency holds one.
- Government work permit fees are set officially and are paid by the establishment. UAE Government guidance states that work permit issuance and renewal fees range from AED 250 to AED 3,450 depending on the company’s classification (A, B or C). Those fees are an employer cost, not a charge to you.
- Your own costs are things like your passport, personal documents and, in some cases, attested certificates. These are normal, but they are paid to the issuing authority or attestation office, not to a recruiter as a “visa fee”. Our guide to UAE employment visa costs explains what the government charges the employer.
If a recruiter calls a payment a “refundable deposit” or a “guarantee”, it is still a payment the employer is not allowed to collect from you.
Scam Patterns to Know
The visa deposit scam. You receive a convincing offer and are told a deposit secures your visa. After payment, the visa never arrives, or you are sent a forged document. Dubai Police has repeatedly warned about fraudulent ads and messages offering jobs, residency or visit visas for money, usually spread through social media and messaging apps.
The visit-visa trap. You are told to enter on a tourist visa and “convert” it after arrival. Under MOHRE’s guidance, a tourist or visit visa does not allow you to work, and you can be left in the UAE with no job, rising costs and the risk of overstay fines. Our guide on visa renewal, grace periods and overstay fines explains the cost of overstaying.
The fake tourist entry permit. MOHRE advises that tourist entry permits are issued only through licensed airlines, hotels or registered travel agencies. A permit supplied by a stranger should be checked on the official system before you rely on it.
The cloned company. Fraudsters use the name, logo and address of a real company with a different phone number and email. Always verify the offer number and call the company yourself.
The money-moving “job”. A part-time role asks you to receive payments into your account and forward them. This is a common route for laundering stolen funds. Do not accept it.
What to Do If You Already Paid
- Stop paying. Do not send “one last fee”, even if the recruiter promises the visa after payment.
- Keep every record. Save the offer, chat messages, voice notes, phone numbers, payment receipts, transfer references and the recruiter’s account details. Take screenshots before the account is deleted.
- Contact your bank at once if you paid by card or bank transfer and ask whether the payment can be stopped or flagged.
- Report it to Dubai Police. Dubai Police tells residents to report suspected fraud through the Dubai Police app, the eCrime platform at ecrime.ae, or by calling 901. In other emirates, use the local police channels. If you are outside the UAE, report to the police in your own country as well.
- Report the offer to MOHRE. Call 600590000 or use the MOHRE website, smart app or live chat to report the fake offer or the establishment.
- Do not travel on the strength of the offer. If the offer cannot be verified, do not board the flight.
If you are already in the UAE, working, and your employer is refusing to follow the contract, our guide to filing a MOHRE labour complaint covers the next steps.
If You Are Already in the UAE Looking for Work
You do not have to accept a job offer from an unknown contact. If you are in the UAE and searching for work, see our guides to the Dubai job seeker visa and the different work permit categories. Verify any employer before you hand over your passport or original documents, and treat a recruiter who asks for them before a verified offer exists as a warning sign. Business owners who buy a company and take over its staff may also want Qaspro Global’s guide to UAE Corporate Tax on goodwill and intangible assets.
Checklist Before You Accept or Travel
- The offer is on the MOHRE form, signed by an authorised signatory.
- The offer number verifies on the MOHRE inquiry service.
- The company is found in the National Economic Register, with matching activity and licence.
- Nobody has asked you for money.
- You are not being asked to travel on a tourist or visit visa to work.
- You have the offer and the contract in writing, and they match.
- The work entry permit comes after you sign, and you have checked it on the official system.
- You have told a family member or friend the company name, address and your travel plans.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I check if a UAE job offer is real?
Check the offer number on the MOHRE website through the application status or job offer inquiry service, confirm the company in the National Economic Register, and call MOHRE on 600590000 if the offer does not appear. A genuine offer is issued through MOHRE and signed by the employer’s authorised representative.
Can an employer in the UAE charge me a visa or recruitment fee?
No. Article 6(4) of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 prohibits the employer from charging the worker for the fees and costs of recruitment and employment or collecting them from the worker, directly or indirectly.
Can I work in the UAE on a tourist or visit visa?
No. MOHRE states that a tourist or visit visa does not grant the right to work in the UAE. Working on one can lead to fines and legal action.
What is the MOHRE phone number for checking a job offer?
The MOHRE call centre is 600590000. You can also use the MOHRE website, smart application and live chat.
What comes first, the work permit or my signature on the offer?
You review and sign the offer first. After you sign, the employer should send the electronic work entry permit. A visa that arrives before you have signed any registered offer is a warning sign.
Can a recruitment agency charge me for finding a job?
Article 6(4) prohibits collecting recruitment and employment costs from the worker, and Article 6(3) requires anyone who operates as an employment or recruitment intermediary to hold a MOHRE licence. If an agency asks you for payment, do not pay until you have checked its licence with MOHRE.
Where do I report a fake job offer in Dubai?
Report to Dubai Police through the Dubai Police app, ecrime.ae, or by calling 901, and report the offer to MOHRE on 600590000 or through its website and smart application.
What should my employment contract match?
The contract must match the job offer when the work permit is applied for under Ministerial Resolution No. 46 of 2022. Check the job title, salary and work location in both documents. See our guide to employment contract rules.
Is a job offer on a company letterhead enough?
No. A letterhead can be copied in minutes. The proof is an offer number that verifies through MOHRE’s systems and a company that exists in the official register.
What if I paid a recruiter and the visa never came?
Stop paying, keep every record, contact your bank, and report to Dubai Police through the app, ecrime.ae or 901, and to MOHRE on 600590000. Do not travel on an unverified offer.
Related Reading
- UAE Corporate Tax on Goodwill and Intangible Assets 2026 (Qaspro Global)
- UAE employment contract rules 2026
- UAE employment contract types 2026
- UAE work permit categories 2026
- Dubai job seeker visa 2026
- MOHRE labour complaint guide
- UAE visa status check online
- UAE employment visa cost 2026
- UAE labour ban: causes, duration and removal
Need Help With UAE Visa and Work Permit Paperwork?
If you have a job offer and want help understanding the visa and work permit steps, message Yalah Dubai on WhatsApp: https://wa.me/971525802100.
Sources: Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Employment Relationships (Articles 6 and 8), MOHRE; UAE Government portal (u.ae) page on work permits; MOHRE guidance on verifying job offers as reported by Gulf News (October 2025); Dubai Police warnings on fake visa and job offers (2026); Ministerial Resolution No. 46 of 2022 on work permits, job offers and employment contract forms, as summarised by the Gulf Labour Markets and Migration programme. Procedures and channels can change, so confirm them with MOHRE before you act. This article is general information, not legal advice.