UAE updates jobseeker visa eligibility, requirements for foreigners

The United Arab Emirates Government has updated the eligibility criteria and required documents for foreigners seeking to enter the country on a visit visa to search for jobs without a host or sponsor.

The UAE Government disclosed this in a notice released on Thursday and sighted by PUNCH Online on Sunday.

Jobseeker visiting visa, or job exploration visa, is one of the ten visa types in the Arab country. Unlike a work visa, the jobseeker visa allows eligible foreigners to enter the UAE to look for employment without first securing a job or a sponsor.

It does not authorise the holder to work in the UAE, as a separate work visa or permit is required once employment is secured.

According to the notice, eligible applicants can now obtain a jobseeker visit visa valid for 60, 90 or 120 days for a single trip.

“Foreigners are granted a visit visa to search for a job without requiring a host/sponsor in the country, for one trip. You can apply for a job-seeker visa with a validity of either 60, 90 or 120 days,” the UAE Government said.

It said applicants seeking the visa must meet specific eligibility requirements, including professional qualifications or recent graduation from a top-ranked university.

“To get a visit visa for the purpose of exploring job opportunities, the applicant must fulfil the following conditions,” the notice stated.

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According to the UAE Government, applicants must either be in the first, second or third skill level as classified by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation or be graduates of one of the world’s top 500 universities under the classification approved by the Ministry of Education.

It added that applicants who qualify through the university route must have graduated within the previous two years.

The notice also requires applicants to hold a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent and fulfil the prescribed financial guarantee.

The UAE Government said applicants must submit a coloured photograph, a copy of their passport and an attested qualification certificate.

It stated that applications for the visa could be made through the relevant online services provided by the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs, Dubai, or the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security.