If you get a tech job in the UAE or Saudi Arabia, your employer normally arranges your work visa. You don’t apply for it alone. But there are also long-term options that don’t need a sponsor: the UAE Green Visa and Golden Visa, and Saudi Premium Residency.
This guide explains each route step by step, with costs, timelines and links to the official sources. Rules change often, so always check the official page before you act.
The options at a glance
| Route | Country | How long | Needs an employer sponsor? | Key conditions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard work visa | UAE | 2 years, renewable | Yes | Job offer and MOHRE work permit |
| Green Visa (skilled employees) | UAE | 5 years | No | MOHRE skill level 1–3, bachelor’s degree, AED 15,000 a month |
| Golden Visa (skilled professionals) | UAE | 10 years | No | MOHRE skill level 1–2, bachelor’s degree, AED 30,000 a month |
| Work visa and iqama | Saudi Arabia | Linked to your job | Yes | Job offer from a Saudi employer |
| Premium Residency (Special Talent) | Saudi Arabia | 5 years, renewable once; can lead to permanent | No | Job at an approved employer, salary SAR 14,000–80,000 a month depending on track |
Sources for each row are in the sections below.
UAE: the standard work visa
Most people start here. The official UAE portal says a foreign employee “can get a normal employment visa, valid for two years and renewable”, and that “the employer must apply for the standard work visa” (u.ae).
Step by step (mainland companies)
These steps come from the UAE government’s guide to recruiting on the mainland and to job offers and employment contracts.
- You receive a job offer. It must be in Arabic and English. Workers at MOHRE professional levels 1, 2 or 3 sign it. You can sign it from your home country.
- Your employer applies for a work permit from the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE). The employer needs your passport (valid for at least six months), a photo, and your qualifications, attested by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The initial permit is valid for 60 days.
- Your employer gets your entry permit through the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA). It is valid for two months. You use it to travel to the UAE.
- You arrive and complete the checks. Within the two months, you take a medical fitness test, apply for your Emirates ID (including biometrics), and your employer gets your labour card.
- Your contract is registered. Your signed job offer becomes your employment contract. It must be submitted to MOHRE within 14 days of your arrival.
- You receive your residence visa, based on your work permit.
If you’re already in the UAE, the same steps apply, and your employer changes your visa status inside the country (u.ae).
Since 1 January 2025, employers must buy health insurance for private-sector employees before they can apply for or renew a residence permit (u.ae).
Free zone companies
Some tech companies are based in free zones. There, you are “sponsored by the respective free zone authority and not by their employer”, and each free zone has its own employment rules (u.ae). The process is similar, but the free zone handles your permit. Ask your employer which authority will sponsor you.
Costs: who pays?
Your employer does. The UAE government says the costs of recruitment and travel, and of getting your residence permit, “shall be borne by the employer”, and that charging recruitment fees to job seekers is illegal (u.ae).
For reference, the employer’s costs include:
- Work permit fee: AED 250 to AED 3,450, depending on how MOHRE classifies the company (u.ae).
- Bank guarantee: AED 3,000 per employee, which may be refunded when your service ends (u.ae).
- Entry permit, medical test, Emirates ID and residence visa fees. Check current fees with ICP or, in Dubai, GDRFA.
Timeline
MOHRE’s Work Bundle platform combines work permits, residency, Emirates ID and medical tests in one process. The government says it cut processing time from 30 working days to 5 working days (u.ae). Your own timeline also depends on document attestation, travel and appointments, so plan for extra time.
UAE Green Visa for skilled employees
The Green Visa is a five-year residence visa. Holders don’t need a sponsor and can sponsor their family (u.ae).
For skilled employees, the Abu Dhabi Residents Office lists these conditions (ADRO):
- a valid employment contract and work permit in the UAE
- a job at MOHRE skill level 1, 2 or 3
- a bachelor’s degree or equivalent
- a monthly salary of at least AED 15,000
UAE Golden Visa for tech professionals
The Golden Visa is a long-term residence visa of 5 or 10 years. According to the official UAE portal, holders (u.ae):
- don’t need a sponsor
- can stay outside the UAE for more than the usual six months without losing their visa
- can sponsor family members, including spouses and children
Who qualifies as a skilled professional
The skilled professionals route gives a 10-year visa. The conditions are (Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development):
- you are employed in the UAE
- your job is classified by MOHRE as level 1 (managers and business executives) or level 2 (professionals in fields including engineering and information technology)
- you have at least a bachelor’s degree or equivalent
- your monthly salary is at least AED 30,000
MOHRE classifies jobs into nine professional levels based on the International Standard Classification of Occupations (u.ae). Most software engineering roles are professional roles, but your level depends on how your employer registers your job. Ask HR.
Documents
The Abu Dhabi Residents Office lists (ADRO):
- an employment contract approved in the UAE, and proof your role is MOHRE level 1 or 2
- an attested bachelor’s degree or equivalent
- UAE bank statements for the last six months showing a monthly salary of at least AED 30,000
- a recent salary certificate from your employer
How to apply
Apply through ICP, which also has an eligibility check, or through GDRFA if you live in Dubai. Abu Dhabi residents can also use the TAMM platform (ADRO). Check the current fee on the ICP or GDRFA service page before you apply.
Because you need six months of UAE bank statements, plan to apply once you have six months of salary history in a UAE bank account. An employer who hires a Golden Visa holder still needs a MOHRE work permit for that person; MOHRE has a specific “Golden visa holder work permit”, valid for two years (u.ae).
Saudi Arabia: work visa and iqama
In Saudi Arabia, your employer sponsors your work visa and then your residence permit, called the iqama. The main official platforms are:
- Qiwa, the electronic services platform of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (MHRSD), used by employers for labour services
- the Ministry of Foreign Affairs visa platform (visa.mofa.gov.sa)
- Absher and Muqeem, the platforms for residency services such as issuing and renewing the iqama
Step by step
- You accept a job offer from a Saudi employer.
- Your employer starts the work visa process. They will tell you which documents to prepare and where to submit them.
- You travel to Saudi Arabia on your work visa.
- Your employer issues your work permit and iqama. According to the Ministry of Investment’s service guide, a new residence permit needs an electronic work permit from MHRSD, a medical report sent electronically to the General Directorate of Passports, and an electronic health insurance certificate. The request goes through Absher or Muqeem (MISA Investor Guide).
- You set up your Absher account to manage your own residency services. See our relocation checklist.
Travelling in and out
To travel abroad and return, iqama holders get an exit and re-entry visa, a service handled through Absher or Muqeem (MISA Investor Guide). Premium Residency holders don’t need one (see below).
Costs and timeline
Saudi Arabia charges fees on expatriate workers and their dependants. Premium Residency holders are exempt from them (Premium Residency Center). Ask your employer, before you sign, which fees they pay for you and for your family. We couldn’t confirm current fee amounts or standard processing times from an official source, so check with your employer and on Qiwa.
Saudi Premium Residency
Premium Residency is designed “to attract and retain talents, professionals, investors, and entrepreneurs” (Ministry of Communications and Information Technology). There are several products, including Special Talent, Gifted, Investor, Entrepreneur and Real Estate Owner residency, plus limited and unlimited duration residency. For tech professionals, Special Talent Residency is the most relevant.
Special Talent Residency: conditions
The Premium Residency Center lists three tracks (pr.gov.sa). All tracks need a job contract with an approved employer.
| Track | Monthly salary (total) | Other conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Researchers | at least SAR 14,000 | Priority specialisation, bachelor’s degree or higher, more than 3 years’ relevant experience, minimum points score, employer recommendation letter, 3 research papers in a related field |
| Health and scientific talent | at least SAR 35,000 | Priority specialisation, bachelor’s degree or higher, more than 3 years’ relevant experience, minimum points score, employer recommendation letter |
| Executives | at least SAR 80,000 | A leadership role at level 1 or 2, employer recommendation letter |
The Center notes that all conditions can change. Use the official points simulator to check your eligibility. Whether a software or data role counts as a “priority specialisation” depends on your employer and role, so ask your employer before you apply.
Duration and fee
- Fee: SAR 4,000.
- Duration: five years, renewable once while you still meet the conditions.
- Permanent residency: possible if you keep meeting the conditions and have lived in Saudi Arabia for 30 months within five years.
Benefits
According to the Premium Residency Center, holders can (pr.gov.sa):
- live in Saudi Arabia with their family, including parents, spouse and children under 25
- move from one employer to another freely
- skip the fees charged on expatriates and their dependants
- leave and return to Saudi Arabia without a visa
- own and use real estate, and do business under the investment rules
The main Special Talent holder is also exempt from Nitaqat, Saudi Arabia’s Saudization programme. That can make you easier to hire. Our guide on tech jobs without Arabic explains Nitaqat.
Bringing your family
- UAE: Golden Visa and Green Visa holders can sponsor their spouse and children. On a standard work visa, you can also sponsor dependants, but their visa can’t last longer than yours (u.ae). You’ll typically need a tenancy contract, your employment contract and health insurance for them.
- Saudi Arabia: Premium Residency covers family members, including children under 25. On a standard iqama, ask your employer about family visas and dependant fees.
Documents to prepare early
- A passport valid for at least six months (longer is safer).
- Your degree certificate. For UAE work permits, qualifications must be attested by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This often needs steps in your home country first, so start early.
- Passport photos with a white background.
- For your family: marriage and birth certificates, which may also need attestation.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to get a UAE work visa?
The UAE government says its Work Bundle platform cut processing from 30 working days to 5 working days. Your own timeline also depends on attesting your degree, travel and appointments, so plan for extra time. The entry permit is valid for two months, and you take the medical test and apply for your Emirates ID within that window.
Do I have to pay for my own UAE work visa?
No. The UAE government says recruitment costs and the cost of getting your residence permit are borne by the employer, and charging job seekers recruitment fees is illegal. The employer’s costs include a work permit fee of AED 250 to AED 3,450 and a bank guarantee of AED 3,000 per employee.
Can a software engineer get a UAE Golden Visa?
Yes, if you meet the skilled professional conditions: a UAE job at MOHRE level 1 or 2, which covers professionals in fields including engineering and information technology, a bachelor’s degree, and at least AED 30,000 a month. You need six months of UAE bank statements, so plan to apply once you have six months of UAE salary history.
What is the difference between the UAE Green Visa and Golden Visa?
The Green Visa for skilled employees lasts five years and needs MOHRE skill level 1 to 3 and at least AED 15,000 a month. The skilled professionals Golden Visa lasts ten years and needs level 1 or 2 and AED 30,000 a month. Both need a bachelor’s degree and no sponsor, and both let you sponsor family.
Can I change employers in Saudi Arabia with Premium Residency?
Yes. The Premium Residency Center says Special Talent holders can move from one employer to another freely, leave and return without a visa, and skip the fees charged on expatriates and their dependants. It costs SAR 4,000, lasts five years, is renewable once, and can lead to permanent residency after 30 months within five years.
Can I bring my family on a standard UAE work visa?
Yes. On a standard work visa you can sponsor dependants, but their visas can’t last longer than yours. You’ll typically need a tenancy contract, your employment contract and health insurance for them. Family documents such as marriage and birth certificates may need attestation, so start on those early, before you move.
Official links
- UAE: u.ae visa and Emirates ID, ICP, GDRFA Dubai
- Saudi Arabia: Premium Residency Center, MOFA visa platform