For those planning to hire a domestic worker from India, there are specific legal requirements. According to Federal Decree No. 9 of 2022 on Domestic Workers (UAE Domestic Worker Law), the potential worker must have an ECR (Emigration Check Required) stamp in her passport.
The law establishes obligations for both the employer and the worker. In accordance with Article 11 of the Law, the employer is obliged to provide adequate housing, working conditions, food, and clothing, pay salary on time, ensure medical care, show respect and courtesy to the worker, and cover repatriation expenses.
The worker's obligations are described in Article 12 of the same Law. Furthermore, the law regulates the duties of recruitment agencies (Article 5), employment contract terms (Articles 6 and 7), working hours (Article 9), and payment of severance pay (Article 22).
If intending to hire a worker from India, one must first register on the Indian Government's E-Migrant web portal (www.emigrate.gov.in). After filling in the necessary information and providing documents from the employer and the prospective worker, and sending a request to the Consulate General of India in Dubai via E-Migrant, the applicant will receive an account at the registered email address.
After registering on the E-Migrant portal, one should approach the Consulate General in the Emirate of Dubai or a third-party service provider appointed by the Consulate of India in Dubai to attest the documents of the employer who is a resident of the UAE. As the sponsor of the worker's work visa, you must sign an affidavit confirming no familial relationship with this worker; this affidavit must also be attested by the Consulate of India in Dubai. When visiting the third-party service provider's center, you must bring all documents required to apply for the work visa.
After completing the above procedures, an application for the work visa (entry permit) for the prospective worker can be submitted through accredited third-party service providers in the Emirate of Dubai, approved by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE). The individual employer in the UAE must fulfill several requirements, including providing a copy of their passport, visa page, original Emirates ID, a copy of the prospective employee's passport and photograph, as well as a copy of the spouse's passport, visa page, and Emirates ID. A copy of the marriage certificate, attested in both India and the UAE, a rental agreement and Ejari apartment (minimum two bedrooms) or a copy of the title deed for owned property (minimum two bedrooms), a DEWA utility bill, a copy of the bank statement, and a copy of the employment contract with a salary certificate from the employer are also required.
If the employer is self-employed or a business owner, a copy of their organization/company license must be provided along with the listed documents, excluding the employment contract. Additionally, there is a minimum salary criterion that qualifies a person for hiring a domestic worker in the UAE. All these documents must be submitted to an approved third-party service provider in Dubai and the MOHRE fee must be paid.
Upon receiving the offer letter in the format approved by MOHRE and the entry permit from the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs - Dubai (GDRFA), these documents and all others can be handed over to the third-party service provider center. After the worker's entry permit is attested by the third-party service provider center, a contract will be generated via E-Migrant and sent to the prospective worker. Then, the contract with the attested entry permit is sent to the Protector of Emigrants (POE) in India to obtain emigration clearances so the worker can travel to the UAE.
Finally, after completing all steps, the prospective worker can arrive in the UAE using the entry permit issued by GDRFA. Upon arrival, the employer must accompany the worker to the Consulate General of India in Dubai within two weeks for an interview. Subsequently, the MOHRE employment contract must be signed, which must comply with the previously issued offer letter. The worker must undergo a medical examination and obtain medical insurance and an Emirates ID.
For further clarification, one can contact MOHRE, GDRFA, the TADBEER center, or the Consulate General of India in Dubai. Alternatively, for information on hiring domestic workers from India, one can contact the Pravasi Bharatiya Sahayata Kendra (PBSK), a welfare center established by the Government of India for Indian expatriates in the UAE, at the toll-free number 800-46342.