Tadbeer centres are licensed by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation to recruit domestic workers and handle their visa, contract and insurance paperwork. A family chooses a worker, signs the standard contract and pays a package. Expect roughly AED 7,000 to 15,000 upfront at the time of writing, plus the worker's monthly salary.
Tadbeer or sponsoring directly
You have two ways in. Direct sponsorship means you are the employer on paper, you find the worker yourself, and you handle every step. Using a Tadbeer centre means the centre recruits and trains the worker and, depending on the package, can act as the visa sponsor or process the sponsorship for you.
Most families we speak to want the second. It costs more in year one, but it comes with a replacement guarantee, and you're dealing with a licensed office rather than a friend of a friend. Our maid visa service works alongside the centres, so you aren't running between counters.
The steps, honestly
The order is roughly this. You choose the worker and agree the contract, which uses the government's standard domestic worker form. The entry permit is applied for, or a status change if the worker is already in the country. The worker arrives and goes for a medical fitness test at an approved centre. Emirates ID biometrics follow, then visa stamping, then health insurance and a salary account so wages are paid on a traceable record.
A practical tip before any money moves: ask the centre for a line-by-line list of what the package includes. All-inclusive means different things at different centres. For some it covers insurance, the guarantee and the return ticket, and for others it covers little more than the visa.
Once the documents are complete, the process normally takes one to three weeks. The delays almost always come from the household side: a tenancy contract that doesn't match, a sponsor file that hasn't been opened, or a medical that has to be repeated.
What it costs
Costs depend heavily on the worker's nationality and the centre's package, and centres revise their fees about twice a year, so please read these as ranges. Recruitment packages through licensed centres commonly run from the high single thousands to around AED 15,000 or more, and they usually include a guarantee of three to six months. A two-year visa package on its own is often quoted from about AED 8,000 to 10,000. Health insurance for the worker is mandatory and is a separate yearly cost, typically from a few hundred to a couple of thousand dirhams depending on the plan.
Then there is the salary, which varies by nationality but generally falls between about AED 1,300 and 2,500 a month, along with food and accommodation, an annual leave ticket and a weekly day off. First-year totals for direct sponsorship tend to be lower on paper, but they hide your own time and the risk of paying for a worker who doesn't work out.
About the sponsor's income
You'll see figures online ranging from AED 6,000 to AED 25,000 a month for the household income needed to sponsor a worker. Which one applies depends on the route, your residence status and the household. Get the requirement confirmed in writing for your case before paying a deposit.
The first month at home
Paperwork is the easy part. The first few weeks decide whether the arrangement works. Prepare the room before the worker arrives, with a proper bed, a cupboard and a door that closes. Write down the duties in the contract and talk them through on day one, including working hours, rest time and the weekly day off. Most disputes we hear about start with unspoken expectations, such as extra work for relatives or hours that quietly stretch.
Pay on the agreed date through the approved salary system, every month. It protects the worker, and it protects you if there is ever a disagreement. If something isn't working, speak to the centre early. That's what the replacement guarantee is for, and it usually has a time limit.
The mistakes we see most
Paying cash to an unlicensed recruiter is the big one. A worker without a valid permit puts the employer at risk of heavy fines, and the money rarely comes back. Check any centre or agency on the Ministry's website first.
The second is the accommodation. Authorities expect proper housing for the worker, usually a separate room or space, and a tenancy contract that matches the sponsor's address. Families in a small flat often find this out late.
Third, skipping the guarantee terms. Ask exactly how long the guarantee lasts, what triggers a replacement and what is refunded. Fourth, forgetting the employer's duties after the visa, such as paying salary on time through the approved system, giving the weekly rest day and annual leave, and never holding the worker's passport. Keeping a passport is not a house rule; it is an offence.
Common questions
Do I have to use a Tadbeer centre?
No. Eligible residents can sponsor directly, but part-time and hourly workers have to be hired through a licensed agency. Many families choose Tadbeer for the replacement guarantee and for having the paperwork handled in one place.
How long does a maid visa take in Dubai?
Roughly one to three weeks once every document is complete. If the worker is arriving from abroad, add the time for recruitment and travel on top of that.
Can I keep my domestic worker's passport?
No. Holding a worker's passport is illegal in the UAE. The worker keeps it, and you can keep a copy for your records.