VoxxArrive · Origin country
Onboarding an employee from Philippines in the UAE (2026 employer guide)
The Philippines is a Hague Apostille member (since 2019), so the home-side step is a DFA apostille rather than a chain of ministry stamps - but the UAE still requires UAE Embassy Manila legalisation on top, because an apostille alone is not accepted in the UAE. Filipino hires also sit inside an active labour-export framework, so employer/contract verification through the Migrant Workers Office is a genuine extra layer versus most other origins.
What's different
- Home-side authentication is a single DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs) apostille of the underlying document (PSA civil documents, CHED/school-verified educational documents), followed by UAE Embassy Manila attestation - the apostille does not replace embassy legalisation for UAE use.
- Police clearance is the NBI Clearance (National Bureau of Investigation), which is the Philippine-specific equivalent of a PCC and is commonly requested for UAE employment visas.
- Outbound Filipino workers fall under the Department of Migrant Workers / Migrant Workers Office (MWO, formerly POLO) regime - employment contract verification and exit-clearance requirements on the Philippine side are a differentiator that does not exist for, say, a UK or Indian hire.
- Because requirements for deploying overseas Filipino workers change frequently, the Manila-side documentation set should be confirmed against the UAE Embassy Manila and MWO before each mobilisation.
Which onboarding steps this affects
This affects 21 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
21 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
Prepare fixed-term employment contract aligned to the signed offer
Employment contract (draft)
Define working hours, overtime, and weekly rest-day terms in the contract
Employee signs the employment contract on Day 1
Signed employment contract
Collect original passport and entry permit for residence visa processing
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
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)
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
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
The Philippines issues apostilles - is that enough for a UAE work visa?
No. A DFA apostille authenticates the document for Hague member states, but the UAE is not a member. The apostilled document must then be attested by the UAE Embassy in Manila and recognised by MOFAIC before it is valid in the UAE.
What counts as a police clearance for a Filipino hire?
The NBI Clearance issued by the National Bureau of Investigation is the standard Philippine police clearance and is what UAE employers and authorities generally accept once it has been apostilled and UAE-legalised.
Is there anything extra on the Philippine side before the worker can leave?
Yes - overseas Filipino workers are processed through the Department of Migrant Workers / Migrant Workers Office framework, which can include employment contract verification and exit clearance. This is a Philippine domestic requirement separate from UAE attestation.
Who authenticates a Philippine degree for UAE use?
The educational record is first verified/apostilled through the DFA (with school or CHED verification behind it), then attested by the UAE Embassy in Manila. Separate UAE Ministry of Education recognition applies mainly for licensed professions.