In a detailed legal column published on 28 June, Dubai-based law firm Ashish Mehta & Associates unpacked the practicalities of the UAE’s new “freelance permit”, a work-authorisation category created under Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022. The firm notes that the permit allows individuals to work without an employer sponsor or a fixed employment contract, earning income by delivering services to multiple clients. Crucially, the analysis explains the difference between a freelance permit (issued by the Ministry of Human Resources & Emiratisation for the mainland) and a freelance licence (issued by free-zone authorities such as Dubai Media City or twofour54); both can support residence visas but require separate applications and fees. For globally mobile professionals the biggest takeaway is that the freelance visa can, subject to income thresholds, be used to sponsor immediate family members. The column confirms that the salary requirement mirrors the general family-sponsorship rule—AED 3,000 per month with employer-provided accommodation or AED 4,000 without.
At this juncture it is worth noting that VisaHQ’s dedicated UAE portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/) can steer would-be freelancers through each step of the permit or licence application, assemble the supporting documents, and send timely alerts on renewals so applicants can avoid the overstay penalties discussed below.
That clarification matters to expatriates who have lost traditional employment in the wake of the February–April conflict but wish to remain in the UAE and keep dependants in school. The article also stresses compliance pitfalls. Freelancers must still obtain a separate work permit for each project that formally constitutes “employment” under the labour law; failure to do so may expose both the individual and the end-client to fines of up to AED 50,000. Corporate travel managers should therefore vet suppliers who claim to be “freelance-visa holders” to ensure they also carry any project-specific permits required by the Ministry. Finally, the piece reminds readers that holding a freelance visa does not exempt them from the UAE’s recently unified overstay penalty of AED 50 per day. If a permit or Emirates ID is not renewed on time, fines accrue automatically and are payable at the airport or via the ICP app before departure. Companies using freelancers for last-minute projects should build this cost exposure into budgets.
At this juncture it is worth noting that VisaHQ’s dedicated UAE portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/) can steer would-be freelancers through each step of the permit or licence application, assemble the supporting documents, and send timely alerts on renewals so applicants can avoid the overstay penalties discussed below.
That clarification matters to expatriates who have lost traditional employment in the wake of the February–April conflict but wish to remain in the UAE and keep dependants in school. The article also stresses compliance pitfalls. Freelancers must still obtain a separate work permit for each project that formally constitutes “employment” under the labour law; failure to do so may expose both the individual and the end-client to fines of up to AED 50,000. Corporate travel managers should therefore vet suppliers who claim to be “freelance-visa holders” to ensure they also carry any project-specific permits required by the Ministry. Finally, the piece reminds readers that holding a freelance visa does not exempt them from the UAE’s recently unified overstay penalty of AED 50 per day. If a permit or Emirates ID is not renewed on time, fines accrue automatically and are payable at the airport or via the ICP app before departure. Companies using freelancers for last-minute projects should build this cost exposure into budgets.
