Hey Raha blog · Dubai school life

Maid and Nanny Visa Cost in Dubai, and What Helpers Earn in the UAE

By Marie Adly · 20 October 2026

There is no single government price for a maid or nanny visa in Dubai. Two-year packages through MOHRE-approved Tadbeer centres are commonly quoted at around AED 8,500 to AED 17,000, and sponsoring a helper yourself usually costs more and needs a household income of AED 25,000 a month. The UAE does not publish a minimum wage for domestic workers. The salary is whatever you both sign in the MOHRE contract, and some home countries set their own floor, such as US$400 a month for Filipino workers in the GCC.

Last updated: 20 October 2026. Prices change often, so treat every number here as a starting point and get an itemised quote in writing.

Hiring help is one of the biggest decisions a working family makes here, and the information is scattered across ministry pages, agency adverts and other parents' WhatsApp messages. This is what I could confirm from official sources, and where I couldn't, I've said so.

How much a maid or nanny visa costs in Dubai

The honest answer is "it depends who sponsors her". What we could confirm:

Centres advertise very different packages, some one-off and some with a monthly service fee on top, and they bundle different things: medical test, Emirates ID, health insurance, the MOHRE contract, WPS salary setup, and sometimes a replacement guarantee. A low headline price can leave items out, so compare like with like.

Before you pay anyone, ask for: an itemised breakdown, what is refundable if the visa isn't issued, who holds any deposit and when it comes back, and whether health insurance and the Emirates ID are included.

Tadbeer centre or your own sponsorship in the UAE

Domestic work in the UAE is governed by Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2022, amended by Federal Decree-Law No. 21 of 2023. Tadbeer centres are service centres authorised by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE), and MOHRE publishes the list of approved domestic worker service centres on its website.

There are two main routes:

• The centre sponsors your helper. The centre is the legal employer and visa sponsor, and your helper works for your family. Families like it because the paperwork, insurance and end-of-service side sit with the centre. Gulf News reports these are usually two-year visas.
• You sponsor her yourself. You become the legal employer, so the contract, wages, leave, accommodation, medical cover and end-of-service settlement are all on you. Gulf News reports that expatriate residents sponsoring privately can generally get a one-year visa, and Golden Visa holders a two-year one.

If you already know the person you want to hire, you go straight to sponsorship. If you don't, the centre can recruit for you as well.

Nanny visa requirements in Dubai if you sponsor yourself

From MOHRE's service page for a new domestic worker work permit:

• You must hold a valid UAE residence permit (or be a UAE or GCC national).
• Your helper must be at least 18. There is an upper age limit of 60, with a narrow exception for workers already in the UAE whose previous domestic visa was cancelled within the last three months.
• Her passport must be valid for at least three months.
• She must be covered by adequate insurance on your file.
• The job title has to be one of the 19 domestic occupations, which include housemaid, nanny or babysitter, cook, housekeeper and family driver.

The income rule. MOHRE set a household income threshold for sponsoring domestic workers in 2020, and the figure widely reported since then is AED 25,000 a month, counting the salaries and allowances of working family members. Gulf News' 2024 guide also lists the paperwork centres typically ask for: your passport, residence visa and Emirates ID, your Ejari or registered tenancy contract, a salary certificate or labour contract, and bank statements for the last six months.

Unconfirmed: we could not load MOHRE's original 2020 announcement while checking this page, so confirm the current threshold with MOHRE (600590000) before you apply.

Renewing a nanny visa in Dubai

If a centre sponsors your helper, the renewal runs through them, so ask for the renewal price when you first sign up, not two weeks before expiry. If you sponsor her yourself, you renew the work permit with MOHRE and the residence with the immigration side, including a fresh medical and Emirates ID.

Gap: we couldn't find an official, current fee list for a Dubai domestic worker renewal, so we haven't quoted one. Your centre or MOHRE will give you the figure.

Put the expiry date in your family calendar with a reminder six weeks ahead. Late renewals are stressful for her as much as for you.

Housemaid and nanny salary in the UAE: what the law says

People search for "minimum salary for housemaid in UAE" a lot, so to be clear about what is and isn't set:

• The UAE doesn't publish a domestic worker minimum wage. The salary is the amount written in the MOHRE standard contract. The law says the Cabinet sets the minimum income a resident needs to employ a worker, which is a rule about you, not her pay.
• Wages must be paid in dirhams within 10 days of the due date, and the worker is owed wages from the day she enters the UAE or her status is adjusted. MOHRE recognises the Wage Protection System (WPS) for domestic workers, and a 2022 ministerial resolution brought certain domestic professions under it.
• Some home countries set their own floor. The Philippines' Department of Migrant Workers announced a rise from US$400 to US$500 a month in August 2025, then did not enforce it for GCC countries, including the UAE. Gulf News reported in September 2025 that the US$400 floor stays for the GCC. Other embassies have their own rules, so check with the relevant embassy or your centre.

Gap: we didn't find an official salary table for nannies or housemaids in Dubai, so we haven't printed a "typical" range. What families pay depends on experience, live-in or live-out, nationality rules and duties. Anything you read online as "the going rate" is informal.

When you work out the real monthly cost, include more than salary: accommodation and food if she lives in, health insurance, the return ticket home every two years, and the end-of-service settlement.

Unconfirmed: the end-of-service gratuity calculation for domestic workers is set by a Cabinet decision under the 2022 law. We couldn't confirm the current formula from an official page, so ask MOHRE or your centre before you agree the contract.

What your helper is entitled to under UAE law

The UAE government portal lists these entitlements under the domestic workers law:

• wages as set in the standard contract, paid within 10 days of the due date
• one paid day of rest a week
• 12 hours of rest a day, including at least 8 hours in a row
• at least 30 days of paid annual leave
• a return ticket home every two years
• up to 30 days of sick leave a year
• keeping her own passport and ID

As the employer you must use MOHRE's approved contract and give her a copy, provide suitable accommodation, meals and clothing, provide medical care or health insurance, and you must not take any payment from her directly or indirectly.

The weekly bit nobody tells you about in Dubai homes

Once the visa is done, the real day-to-day is information. Which day is PE. That the bus is coming 20 minutes early on Thursday. That it's pyjama day and nobody told her. Most helpers find this out second-hand, after the parent has read the email at 11pm.

Our nanny briefing template and the guide on how to brief your nanny on the school week help with the weekly rhythm. If you'd like the daily part handled, Hey Raha reads the school emails and sends you and your helper the same short plan on WhatsApp. School fee details stay private to you and never go to your helper. Try it free for 14 days.

Also useful: what to pack for the UAE school day and Dubai school holidays for 2026-27, so you can plan her annual leave around the breaks. For her days off around Eid, see UAE public holidays 2027, and if she does the bus run, Dubai school bus rules.

Maid visa and helper salary FAQ for the UAE

How much does a maid visa cost in Dubai?
There is no single official price. Two-year visas through MOHRE-approved Tadbeer centres are commonly quoted at around AED 8,500 to AED 17,000, and private sponsorship is reported at around AED 17,000, sometimes with a refundable deposit. MOHRE's own application fee for a new domestic worker work permit is AED 50 plus a AED 50 service fee. Always ask for an itemised quote.

What salary do I need to sponsor a maid or nanny in Dubai?
The widely reported threshold for sponsoring a domestic worker yourself is a household income of AED 25,000 a month, including working family members' salaries and allowances. Confirm the current figure with MOHRE before applying. If a Tadbeer centre sponsors your helper instead, the centre is the sponsor.

Is there a minimum salary for a housemaid in the UAE?
The UAE does not publish a minimum wage for domestic workers. The salary is what is written in the MOHRE standard contract. Some home countries set a floor: for Filipino domestic workers in the GCC it remains US$400 a month, after the Philippines did not enforce its planned US$500 rise for GCC countries.

How much annual leave does a nanny get in the UAE?
At least 30 days of paid annual leave a year, plus one paid rest day a week, up to 30 days of sick leave a year and a return ticket home every two years, according to the UAE government portal.

Can I keep my helper's passport in the UAE?
No. Under UAE law domestic workers have the right to keep their own passport and ID documents.

How do I find an approved Tadbeer centre in the UAE?
MOHRE publishes the list of approved domestic worker service centres on its website, under its approved service centres section. You can also call MOHRE on 600590000.

Sources for this UAE guide

• UAE government portal, Domestic workers (entitlements, employer obligations, 19 occupations, law references): u.ae/en/information-and-services/jobs/workplace-regulations/domestic-helpers
• MOHRE, Issuance of a New Work Permit, Domestic Workers (conditions, age limits, call centre): mohre.gov.ae/en/services/issuance-of-a-new-work-permit-domestic-workers-2022
• MOHRE e-services, Domestic Workers (AED 50 federal plus AED 50 service fee): eservices.mohre.gov.ae
• MOHRE news, new residency standards for support service workers, 15 January 2020 (income threshold; page did not load on 20 Oct 2026): mohre.gov.ae news, 15 January 2020
• Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2022 on Domestic Workers (wages within 10 days, Cabinet sets resident income rule): uaelegislation.gov.ae/en/legislations/1593/download
• Gulf News, How to apply for a maid's, nanny's visa in the UAE (2024 guide), 4 December 2024: gulfnews.com
• Reach by Gulf News (sponsored content), How to hire a maid in the UAE legally in 2026, 25 March 2026: gulfnews.com
• Gulf News, Hiring a Filipina helper? It now costs $500/month, but it stays at $400/month for GCC, 16 September 2025: gulfnews.com

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