Labor Recruitment and Brokerage Office License Registration Cost Mainland
Labour Recruitment & Manpower Brokerage Licence in Dubai 2026
The UAE runs on people. With construction, hospitality, healthcare, logistics and domestic services all hiring at scale, licensed recruitment and manpower agencies sit on one of the most consistent, high-margin revenue streams in the country. If you want to legally source, place or supply workers in Dubai, you need a recruitment or manpower licence issued by the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) and approved by the Ministry of Human Resources & Emiratisation (MOHRE). Dubai Business Services sets this up correctly the first time.
Recruitment Agency vs Manpower Supply — Which Licence Do You Need?
These two activities look similar but are regulated differently, and choosing the wrong one is the most common (and most expensive) mistake:
- Recruitment / brokerage office: you introduce and place workers with employer clients. The employer sponsors and pays the worker — you earn a placement fee. You do not hold the workers’ visas.
- Manpower supply company: your company sponsors the workers on its own visas and supplies them to client companies on contract. You are the legal employer, so MOHRE requirements and guarantees are heavier.
DBS helps you pick the model that matches your business plan and your budget before a single fee is paid.
Who Regulates It
Every recruitment or manpower operation requires MOHRE approval in addition to the DET trade licence. MOHRE enforces a clean compliance record, a refundable bank guarantee, and strict conduct rules that protect workers. Because this is a sensitive, worker-welfare activity, the exact structure — including whether a UAE national partner or a specific legal form is required — depends on the activity code. DBS confirms the current requirement for your case so there are no surprises at the approval stage.
Requirements & Documents
- Passport copies of the shareholder(s) and manager
- Proposed trade names (for reservation)
- MOHRE approval and the applicable refundable bank guarantee
- Ejari-registered office space (a physical office is expected for this activity)
- Good-conduct / no-labour-violation record
- Manager’s CV and, where requested, relevant experience
Step-by-Step Process
- Reserve the trade name and choose the legal form
- Obtain DET initial approval
- Secure MOHRE approval and lodge the bank guarantee
- Sign the tenancy contract and register Ejari
- Issue the DET trade licence
- Obtain the establishment card and open MOHRE / immigration files for worker visas
Cost — What Actually Drives the Price
A recruitment or manpower licence in Dubai is priced by several moving parts: the DET licence and activity fees, MOHRE approval, the refundable bank guarantee (held by the government, not a cost you lose), office rent and Ejari, immigration and establishment-card fees, and the number of visas you plan to run. Because the bank guarantee is refundable and the office cost varies widely, DBS gives you a line-by-line quote rather than a misleading “from AED X” headline.
Timeline
With documents ready and MOHRE approval clear, most recruitment and manpower licences are issued within a few working days to a couple of weeks — the MOHRE approval and bank-guarantee step is usually the pacing item.
Why DBS
Recruitment is one of the most heavily policed licence categories in the UAE, and a rejected MOHRE file wastes weeks. DBS’s PRO team liaises directly with DET and MOHRE, prepares and types every document, arranges the bank guarantee, and structures the ownership correctly — so your agency launches compliant and stays compliant.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need MOHRE approval as well as a DET licence? Yes. No recruitment or manpower activity can operate on the DET licence alone — MOHRE approval is mandatory.
Is the bank guarantee a cost I lose? No. It is a refundable security held by the authorities and returned when you close the file in good standing.
Can a foreigner own a recruitment agency? It depends on the exact activity. Some recruitment activities require a UAE national partner while others allow foreign ownership — DBS confirms the current rule for your chosen activity.
What is the difference from a domestic-worker (Tadbeer) centre? Domestic-worker services run through the regulated Tadbeer framework, which is a separate track. DBS advises which route fits your plan.
