VoxxArrive · Emirate
Onboarding new hires in Fujairah: compliance checklist
Fujairah has no standalone immigration department of its own: residence visas and Emirates ID for employees here are issued federally by the ICP (Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security), not by Dubai's GDRFA. Health cover is regulated federally by MOHAP, and since 1 January 2025 employer-provided health insurance is a hard condition for issuing or renewing a Fujairah residence permit. Onboarding routes through the ICP customer-happiness centre in Fujairah plus MOHRE (Tas'heel) for the labour contract and work permit.
What's different
- Visa authority is federal ICP, not GDRFA. Unlike Dubai (GDRFA) or Abu Dhabi, Fujairah has no emirate-level immigration directorate. Residency, entry permits and Emirates ID are processed through ICP's Fujairah 'customer happiness' service centre in the Merashid District, Al Sharqi Street (next to Emirates Post) - covering visas, residency, establishment registration and violators' affairs.
- Health regulator is MOHAP, not DHA or DOH. Fujairah is one of the five Northern Emirates (with Sharjah, Ajman, RAK and Umm Al Quwain) governed federally by the Ministry of Health and Prevention - there is no separate emirate health authority running its own DHA/Malaffi-style scheme.
- Employer health insurance became mandatory for visas from 1 January 2025. Under the MOHAP/MOHRE Northern-Emirates rule, employers must hold a compliant policy as a prerequisite to issue or renew a residence permit. Historically Fujairah free zones allowed visa issuance without insurance; that gap has now closed. The requirement applies to new work permits from 1 January 2025; for permits issued before 1 January 2024 it becomes binding at the next residency renewal.
- A low-cost 'Basic' package exists for this exact scheme. MOHRE lists a Basic Health Insurance product for private-sector and domestic workers in the five Northern Emirates at an AED 320 annual premium on a two-year policy (with the second year's premium refundable if the visa is cancelled), covering inpatient/outpatient/medication with copays and no waiting period for chronic/pre-existing conditions. Employers can meet the mandate with this or any compliant policy.
- Free zones based in Fujairah are its distinctive setup route: Fujairah Free Zone (FFZ/FFZA) beside the Port of Fujairah for trading/industrial firms, and Creative City Fujairah (Creative City Free Zone, gov-owned, operating since 2007) for media, freelance and consultancy permits. Both sponsor residence visas via ICP.
- Labour contracts and work permits still run through federal MOHRE (Tas'heel) service centres for mainland Fujairah hires - the split is MOHRE for the employment relationship, ICP for residency/ID, with free-zone employees onboarded through their zone authority.
Which onboarding steps this affects
This affects 33 of the 57 onboarding tasks, concentrated in the Pre-boarding, Day 1, Week 1, Month 1, Month 3+ phases. Work through them in the live demo to see the compliance-readiness score respond as each is ticked off.
Your task slice
33 of the 57 onboarding tasks apply here.
Verify MOHRE establishment card is active and labour quota is available for the role
Establishment card / labour quota confirmation
Issue MOHRE-standard job offer letter and obtain the employee's signed copy
MOHRE job offer letter (signed)
Apply for the MOHRE work permit (labour card) via Tasheel/MOHRE portal
Work permit approval
Apply for entry permit (e-visa) or initiate in-country status change
Entry permit (60-day validity)
Collect and attest pre-boarding documents (passport, photos, degree/qualification attestation)
Attested document pack
Purchase mandatory health insurance policy (prerequisite for residency since 1 Jan 2025)
Health insurance policy certificate
Prepare fixed-term employment contract aligned to the signed offer
Employment contract (draft)
Set probation period in the contract (must not exceed 6 months, FDL 33/2021)
Define working hours, overtime, and weekly rest-day terms in the contract
Register the new joiner in payroll with a WPS-compliant salary structure
Confirm the employee holds a WPS-eligible UAE bank account or salary card
Employee signs the employment contract on Day 1
Signed employment contract
Collect original passport and entry permit for residence visa processing
Issue health insurance card and policy details to the employee
Health insurance card
Issue employee handbook and code of conduct; capture acknowledgement (incl. gross-misconduct grounds)
Handbook acknowledgement
Collect employee bank/IBAN details for WPS payroll set-up
Book and complete medical fitness test at an approved centre (communicable-disease screening)
Medical fitness certificate
Complete ICP Emirates ID biometrics (fingerprints, iris scan, photo)
Emirates ID application receipt
Submit residence visa application to GDRFA/ICP after medical and EID biometrics
Complete residence visa stamping / e-visa linking to the passport
Residence visa
Register the signed employment contract with MOHRE within the statutory deadline
MOHRE-registered labour contract
Activate WPS salary registration with MOHRE and the bank/agent
Confirm health insurance activation is linked to the residency file
Collect the issued Emirates ID card once produced by ICP
Emirates ID card
Verify residence visa and Emirates ID are fully issued (post-entry chain within 60 days)
Run the first WPS payroll and confirm on-time salary transfer
WPS SIF file
Review health insurance coverage adequacy and dependant options
Assemble audit-ready employee compliance file (contract, visa, EID, insurance)
Employee compliance file
File original Emirates ID and residence visa copies in the personnel record
Issue confirmation-of-employment letter on passing probation
Confirmation letter
Reset and communicate post-probation notice-period terms (30-90 days)
Verify ongoing WPS compliance across the first pay cycles
Confirm health insurance validity aligns with residency expiry
Some figures on this page vary by jurisdiction, zone or nationality, or could not be independently confirmed from a public source at time of writing - confirm the current figure with the regulator before relying on it.
Sources
Frequently asked
Which authority issues residence visas in Fujairah - GDRFA or ICP?
The federal ICP (Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security). GDRFA only handles Dubai. In Fujairah, visas, residency and Emirates ID go through ICP's service centre in the Merashid District on Al Sharqi Street.
Is health insurance mandatory to sponsor an employee in Fujairah?
Yes, since 1 January 2025. Fujairah falls under MOHAP's Northern-Emirates rule requiring employers to provide compliant health insurance as a condition for issuing or renewing a residence permit. A MOHRE-listed Basic package is available at an AED 320 annual premium (a two-year policy, second year refundable on visa cancellation), or any compliant policy can be used.
Which health regulator covers Fujairah - DHA, DOH or MOHAP?
MOHAP (Ministry of Health and Prevention), federally. DHA covers Dubai and DOH covers Abu Dhabi; Fujairah has no separate emirate health authority, so insurance must meet MOHAP/federal standards.
What free zones are based in Fujairah?
Mainly Fujairah Free Zone (FFZ/FFZA) next to the Port of Fujairah for trading and industrial companies, and Creative City Fujairah (Creative City Free Zone), a government media free zone operating since 2007 for media, freelance and consultancy licences. Both can sponsor residence visas.
Do I still deal with MOHRE for a Fujairah hire?
For mainland employees, yes - the labour contract and work permit go through federal MOHRE (Tas'heel) centres, while residency and Emirates ID go through ICP. Free-zone employees are onboarded via their free-zone authority, which then processes residency through ICP.