UAE employer costs are low: no income tax, no social security for expatriates, and an end-of-service gratuity that accrues on basic salary. What matters most is permission to work: every hire needs a MoHRE work permit, and foreign hires a residence visa sponsored by the employing company.
The best EOR for the UAE employs through a licensed UAE entity that can sponsor your hire's visa, itemises permit, visa and insurance costs, and is clear whether you're on the mainland or in a free zone.
- 1
Visa sponsorship through a licensed entity
Ask whose trade licence the hire is employed under (own entity or partner), whether it can sponsor the residence visa for your job title, and how long the permit takes.
- 2
Mainland or free zone
Mainland employment follows the UAE Labour Law; free zones, and the DIFC and ADGM in particular, have their own rules. Know which applies to your hire.
- 3
Itemised onboarding costs
Work permit fees alone range from AED 250 to AED 3,450 by company category; visa, Emirates ID, medical and health insurance come on top. Ask for each line.
- 4
Gratuity handling
Ask how the end-of-service gratuity is accrued and invoiced, on what basic salary, and whether the provider uses MoHRE's Savings Scheme.
Shortlist
EOR providers to consider in the UAE
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Remote
From US$599 / employee / month
States an owned-entity model and publishes a UAE country explorer; confirm visa sponsorship for your role.
Delivery model in the UAE: Owned entities (provider's stated model)
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Deel
From US$599 / employee / month
Publishes a UAE employment page and offers immigration support; confirm the entity and visa costs.
Delivery model in the UAE: Confirm entity and visa sponsorship
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Multiplier
From US$459 / employee / month
Publishes a Dubai EOR page; compare the UAE-specific quote against its global starting price.
Delivery model in the UAE: Confirm entity and visa sponsorship
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Playroll
From US$399 / employee / month
Lower published starting price (US$399); check what visa and insurance costs it adds.
Delivery model in the UAE: Confirm entity and visa sponsorship
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RemoFirst
From US$199 / employee / month
Lowest published starting price (US$199); ask what it includes in the UAE.
Delivery model in the UAE: Confirm entity and visa sponsorship
For a AED 240,000 salary, mandatory employer costs add about AED 17,992 a year. With an EOR fee of AED 2,200 a month, the total is roughly AED 284,392 a year (1.18× salary). Every employer contribution is broken down in cost to hire an employee in the UAE, and you can run your own numbers in the United Arab Emirates cost estimator.
Before you request quotes, read the full Employer of Record in the UAE guide for contribution rates, employment rules and official sources.
What is the best EOR for the UAE?
How much does an EOR cost in the UAE?
Can an EOR sponsor a UAE visa?
Related research
- EOR in the UAE: full guideCosts, rules, providers and official sources.
- Cost to hire in the UAEEmployer costs at four salary levels, explained line by line.
- Deel vs RemoteThe two best-known EOR platforms, with similar headline prices. The real differences are in how they employ people locally and how much of the wider HR stack you want from one vendor.
- Deel vs MultiplierA broad, established platform versus a lower published EOR price. Here's what the price gap does and doesn't tell you.
- How EOR pricing worksFees, deposits and hidden costs to check in every quote.