Employee Visa Quotas Explained

Last verified: 2026-10-06

Summary

An employee visa quota is the number of employee visas or work permits a company is allowed to obtain. In free zones, the free zone authority sets it and it commonly depends on the package or premises. On the mainland, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) manages electronic quotas, and a company needs an available quota to recruit a worker from overseas.

Free zones

u.ae says you apply for the work permit and residence visa for your employee with the respective free zone authority, and that the number of visas a business can get depends on various factors such as the package it signed up for. Each zone sets its own rules, so the figures below are examples, not general rules.

Example: DMCC

DMCC states that the visa quota depends on the office type and size:

• Flexi desk: up to 3 visas.
• Serviced office: 4 or 5 visas, depending on the size of the office.
• Physical space: 1 visa for every 9 square metres.

DMCC adds that companies may be eligible for an increase in some circumstances, without detailing the conditions on the page reviewed.

Example: Jafza

Jafza ties its quota to the type of leased property:

• Office space: the quota depends on the size of the office.
• Workstation: 2 visas per workstation.
• Showroom: a limit of 5 visas regardless of the size of the facility.
• Plot of land: an initial quota of 20 visas, which can be increased after approval.
• Warehouse or LIU: the quota depends on the area of the property.

Jafza’s listed steps are to complete business setup (licence and property settlement agreement), obtain a Computer Immigration Card, determine the visa quota from the leased property type, verify availability, submit documents and apply. These figures are from the authorities’ pages as of 2026-10-06.

Mainland

MOHRE describes work permit quotas as a procedure linked to opening and updating the establishment file, which allows the employer to obtain electronic quotas. Its page lists these conditions:

• A valid trade licence.
• Private status without restrictions.
• A valid Taq’eem report.
• A profession compatible with the establishment’s business activities.

The page states that a quota can be awarded proactively, without submitting an application or documents to the Ministry, and that the electronic quota is issued following the Taq’eem evaluation and a committee decision. Service completion is listed as 2 working days, with the steps being UAE Pass login, entering information and attaching documents, paying fees, and issuance.

For recruiting from overseas, MOHRE lists these conditions:

• The establishment must have an electronic quota available.
• The establishment must hold a valid licence with no registered violations.
• The application must be submitted by the establishment’s authorised signatory.
• The employee must be 18 or older and must not hold an active work permit.

The work permit is listed as valid for two years. MOHRE’s overseas work permit page does not itself describe how the quota size is calculated, and this guide does not state a formula.

How quota relates to office, lease and licence

1. Licence: on the mainland, a valid trade licence and activity-compatible professions are quota conditions. In free zones, u.ae says the number depends on factors such as the package signed up for.
2. Premises: some free zones link the quota to the type and area of leased space, as DMCC and Jafza do above. Check the zone’s own table.
3. Changes: DMCC says an increase may be available in some circumstances, and Jafza says the plot-of-land quota can be increased after approval. Ask the authority how to request one.

What it costs

Fees for quotas, work permits, visas and leased space differ by authority and package. Use the comparison tool on this site to see the cost items, and confirm current fees on the MOHRE or free zone authority site. MOHRE’s page lists Taq’eem fees and a business-centre commission cap, which should be confirmed with MOHRE.

Common pitfalls

• Applying a quota figure from one free zone to another.
• Expecting a quota before the licence and, in free zones, the package or premises agreement are in place (Jafza lists completing setup first).
• Assuming a free zone quota carries over to mainland operations, or the reverse.
• Starting an overseas recruitment without an available electronic quota on the mainland.

Check the authority

Figures and rules change. Confirm the current quota rules with MOHRE or your free zone authority before committing to a package or lease.

Figures and details in this guide are as stated on the cited official pages as of 6 October 2026.

Sources

• https://u.ae/en/information-and-services/business/Doing-business/doing-business-in-free-zones/recruiting-in-free-zones
• https://www.mohre.gov.ae/en/services/work-permit-quotas-for-establishments-2022
• https://www.mohre.gov.ae/en/services/recruiting-a-worker-from-overseas-2022
• https://www.jafza.ae/resource-centre/guides/issuing-a-visa-for-an-employee-for-jafza-companies/
• https://dmcc.ae/blog/the-4-types-of-dubai-free-zone-visas-at-dmcc

This information is general; rules and fees can change. Check current details with the relevant authority.

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