Legally Sponsoring Nepali Domestic Workers in the UAE: 2026 Process Guide

The process for sponsoring domestic workers from Nepal has dramatically evolved. The heavily restricted paperwork, cash security deposits ($AED\ 5,000$), and embassy contract signings from 2011 are entirely obsolete.

Following a modernized bilateral labor agreement, the system integrates the UAE Domestic Workers Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2022) with a digital, paperless attestation process managed directly by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) and the UAE Embassy in Kathmandu.

📋 Sponsor Eligibility Requirements

Before initiating the process, individual sponsors must meet updated federal financial and residential criteria:

• Income Threshold:

• Expatriate Sponsors: Must have a minimum legal monthly household income of AED 25,000.

• UAE National Sponsors: Must have a minimum legal monthly income of AED 10,000.

• Golden Visa Holders: Exempt from the standard salary caps and numerical limits on the number of workers they can sponsor.

• Housing Mandate: The sponsor must reside in accommodation with a minimum of two bedrooms to ensure the worker's privacy and decent living conditions.

🛠️ Step-by-Step Hiring & Sponsoring Process

The old methodology of bringing bundles of physical paper to the Nepalese Embassy in Abu Dhabi has been replaced by a streamlined, digital sequence.

1.Hire via an Authorized Channel:Step 1.

Hiring must happen through an official UAE Tadbeer Center or via the government's centralized Work Bundle platform. Traditional "freelance" or undocumented agency sourcing triggers massive legal fines.

2.Issue MoHRE Standardized Contract:Step 2.

The standard contract is generated digitally by MoHRE. It enforces specific rights (leave, salary, rest hours). The previous 2011 basic wage guideline of AED 900 has been updated to reflect current bilateral minimum agreements and required market baselines.

3.Process Digital Attestation:Step 3.

The contract and required personal certificates (marriage/birth/identity) must be authenticated. Log into the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) portal using UAE Pass. The document is processed digitally via a single application that covers both the UAE Embassy in Kathmandu and the UAE MoFA.

4.Secure Foreign Employment Permit in Nepal:Step 4.

Once the digital attestation is complete, the verified contract is sent electronically to the worker in Nepal. The worker uses this to obtain an official Foreign Employment Permit from the Department of Foreign Employment in Kathmandu before crossing international borders.

5.WPS Enrollment & Medicals:Step 5.

Upon arrival in the UAE, the worker undergoes mandatory medical fitness checks. The sponsor must officially register the worker on the Wages Protection System (WPS) for automated monthly digital salary tracking. Cash payments are no longer legally compliant.

⚖️ Mandated Rights and Strict Prohibitions

The 2022/2023 legal updates firmly hold the sponsor accountable for the worker's well-being. All contracts must adhere to these absolute minimums:

Core Benefits & Rest Periods

• Weekly Rest: One fully paid day off per week. Working on this day requires a day in lieu or overtime payment.

• Daily Rest: A minimum of 12 hours of rest per day, which must include 8 consecutive hours.

• Paid Leave: 30 calendar days of paid annual leave, plus a return flight ticket home every two years paid entirely by the sponsor.

• Sick Leave: Up to 30 days per year (15 days full pay, 15 days unpaid).

• End-of-Service Gratuity: A mandatory severance payout calculated as 14 days' basic wage for every year of continuous service.

Major Legal Prohibitions

• No Recruitment Fee Deductions: The sponsor must cover 100% of the recruitment fees. Deducting any costs or charging the worker for their placement is strictly illegal.

• No Document Withholding: Confiscating a domestic worker’s passport or identity documents is completely banned. Workers must retain control of their personal documents.

• Age Limits: The worker must be at least 18 years old.

🚨 Penalties for Non-Compliance

The UAE government enforces intense enforcement actions and joint spot-checks. Violating the regulations carries heavy criminal and financial penalties:

• Hiring without a Permit / Under-the-Table: Hiring a domestic worker without a legal MoHRE permit carries a minimum fine of AED 200,000 up to AED 1,000,000 and prison time.

• Filing False Absconding Reports: Filing a fake "runaway" report to evade paying a worker their end-of-service gratuity results in an automatic AED 5,000 fine.

• Out-of-Scope Work: Forcing a worker to perform duties completely outside their contract designation carries fines up to AED 10,000.

💡 Exempt Legal Recourse: To guarantee that domestic workers are protected, all lawsuits filed by workers against employers for labor violations are 100% exempt from court fees at all stages of litigation.

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