How to Hire a Maid in the UAE: Tadbeer, MOHRE & Costs 2026

Full sponsorship (kafala). You are the legal employer. You handle the visa, Emirates ID, medical, residence permit, and salary. The worker lives with you and works exclusively in your home. Most flexibility, lowest monthly cost, but you carry full legal responsibility.

Tadbeer-centre sponsorship. A licensed Tadbeer centre is the legal employer. You pay the centre a monthly or annual service fee that covers salary, visa, accommodation backup, and replacement guarantees. The centre handles disputes, runs the contract, and provides a substitute if the worker leaves. Lower personal liability, higher monthly cost.

You need to be a UAE resident with a valid Emirates ID, a minimum monthly salary of AED 6,000 (AED 25,000 in some emirates for high-end nationalities like Filipina), and proof of suitable accommodation (a separate room for the worker is required). Single male sponsors must have dependents in the country.

Tadbeer-centre sponsorship has lower entry barriers — most centres accept any resident with a valid Emirates ID and the monthly fee. This is why Tadbeer dominates for short-stay residents and expats who are not yet settled.

Full sponsorship of a Filipina (2-year visa cycle): one-off recruitment and visa AED 8,000–14,000, then monthly salary AED 1,500–2,500. African nationalities: recruitment AED 4,000–7,000, monthly salary AED 1,200–1,800. Annual renewals (medical, insurance, visa) add ~AED 2,500/year.

Tadbeer live-in service: AED 4,000–6,500/month all-in, salary and benefits included. Tadbeer hourly service: AED 35–55/hour, minimum 4 hours per visit. Annual hiring through Tadbeer with no live-in: AED 30,000–45,000 paid upfront for the year.

1) Apply for the work permit on the MOHRE portal (mohre.gov.ae). 2) Pay the recruitment-office fees if hiring from abroad, or the transfer fees if hiring a worker already in the UAE. 3) Worker undergoes medical fitness at a DHA/SEHA-approved clinic on arrival. 4) Apply for residence permit (visa stamping) at GDRFA. 5) Issue the Emirates ID. 6) Sign the standard contract with MOHRE. The full cycle takes 4–8 weeks for overseas hires, 2–4 weeks for in-country transfers.

Hiring a "freelance" maid who is sponsored by Tadbeer but moonlights privately is illegal — both for her and for you. If she has an accident in your home, your homeowner insurance won’t cover it and you can face fines up to AED 50,000 plus deportation costs. Always check that any worker you hire either has her own visa transferred to you, or is officially deployed by her Tadbeer centre to your address.