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Visa Transfer Checker (coming soon)
Can you hire a candidate on their current visa? What to ask first.
Coming soon
UAE visa transfer rules are still being verified.
We only publish an answer once each rule is checked against the official source, so this tool doesn't say yet whether a transfer is allowed or what it costs. Collect the facts below now and confirm with the official portal or your PRO.
Ask the candidate now
- What type of residence does the candidate hold in UAE today, and who is the sponsor?
- When does their Emirates ID and residence visa expire?
- Are they still employed, and if so when will they resign and what notice does their contract require?
- What job title is on their current work permit? Your PRO will compare it with the role you're hiring for.
- Is their highest degree or diploma certificate attested? Your PRO will tell you whether the new permit needs it.
- Is there any open dispute or complaint with the current employer that could delay a new permit?
- Will any family members' residence depend on the candidate's new visa?
Confirm on the official portal
How this checker works today
Pick the country you are hiring in and the candidate's current type of residence. The checker lists the questions that decide how long a move will take and what your PRO needs, and links to the official portal where the rules are published. It does not yet say whether a transfer is allowed, what it costs or how long it takes, because those rules aren't in our verified labour-law library.
- Sponsor
- The employer or family member whose file the residence visa is issued under.
- Work permit
- Permission to work for a specific employer, separate from the residence visa in most GCC countries.
- PRO
- Public relations officer — the person or firm that handles government transactions for a company.
Until the rules are live
- Don't promise a start date before your PRO has confirmed the permit route.
- Rules differ between mainland and free-zone employers.
- Confirm any fee or timeline on the official portal on the day you apply.
Plan the start date
Work out the candidate's last working day with the notice period & joining date checker and ask about visa status at application time with the knockout questions builder.
Frequently asked questions
Why doesn't the checker tell me if the visa can be transferred?
Because we haven't verified those rules against official sources yet, and a wrong answer could cost you a hire or a fine. Until each country's rules are checked, the tool gives you the questions to ask the candidate and links to the official portal where you can confirm.
What should I ask a candidate about their visa?
What residence they hold today and who sponsors it, when it expires, whether they are still employed and their notice period, the job title on their current permit, whether their certificates are attested, and whether anything could delay a new permit. Ask every candidate the same questions and don't ask about nationality to screen people out.
Who confirms whether a transfer is possible?
The labour and immigration authorities: MOHRE and ICP or GDRFA in the UAE, Qiwa in Saudi Arabia, the Ministry of Labour in Qatar and Oman, PAM in Kuwait and LMRA in Bahrain. Your PRO or government-relations provider can check a specific case.
Will this tool be updated?
Yes. Rules are added country by country once they are checked against official sources, each with a source link and review date, the same way our labour-law calculators work.
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