Hiring a nanny in Dubai: a practical guide
What families in Dubai should know before hiring a nanny — the regulated UAE framework, documents, indicative costs, and how Ployer structures the workflow.
The short answer
Hiring a nanny in Dubai runs through the UAE's regulated framework: a MOHRE-regulated employment offer, a Tadbeer service centre or authorised route, then an ICP entry permit, medical fitness, residence visa and Emirates ID. Nannies are employed as domestic workers, so sponsorship, contracts and documents follow the same rules as other domestic staff. Confirm current requirements before starting.
The Dubai nanny hiring process at a glance
Define the nanny role
Live-in or live-out, hours, childcare duties, age ranges and accommodation.
Find and compare candidates
Review verified childcare experience, qualifications, languages and availability.
Verify and interview
Check key facts and interview the candidate, including childcare scenarios, before committing.
Register the employment offer
Register the contract through the MOHRE-regulated channel or a Tadbeer service centre.
Entry permit, medical and residence visa
Complete the ICP entry permit, the UAE medical fitness test and the residence visa steps.
Arrival and settling in
Welcome the nanny, complete Emirates ID formalities and agree routines and expectations.
Who is this guide for?
This guide is for parents and families in Dubai — Emirati families and expatriate residents — who want to hire a nanny lawfully and safely, and who want the role defined clearly before the official process starts.
- Families hiring a nanny for the first time
- Parents replacing a departing nanny
- Households comparing live-in and live-out arrangements
- Families sponsoring a nanny already present in the UAE
What does Ployer provide?
Ployer is the workflow layer around the official process. Families describe the nanny role once — hours, childcare duties, languages, live-in or live-out — compare verified candidate profiles, shortlist, interview, and then follow a Dubai-specific checklist that keeps contract registration, medical, visas, documents and arrival on track.
- Structured role intake for nanny roles, including hours and live-in preference
- Verified skills passports with childcare experience and language information
- Deterministic eligibility scoring against your requirements
- Document vault with statuses for passport, medical and contract files
- Onboarding journey tracking from offer to work start
- WhatsApp connection so nannies and sponsors can stay in touch
How does the process work for a nanny in Dubai?
A nanny is a domestic worker under the UAE's federal framework. The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) regulates the sector, contracts are registered through official channels or Tadbeer service centres, and ICP processes the entry permit, medical fitness, residence visa and Emirates ID. Because the route is the same as for other domestic staff, the documents and timeline follow the standard sequence.
- Confirm you are eligible to sponsor a domestic worker under the current MOHRE rules.
- Define the nanny role clearly — hours, duties, childcare responsibilities and live-in or live-out.
- Select the nanny and agree salary, accommodation and contract terms in writing.
- Register the employment offer and contract through the official MOHRE-regulated channel or a Tadbeer service centre.
- Apply for the UAE entry permit through ICP, then complete the medical fitness test after arrival.
- Complete the residence visa and Emirates ID steps, then settle the nanny in and keep documents on record.
Which documents are required?
The document set for a nanny is the standard UAE domestic worker set, with the contract describing childcare duties specifically.
| Document | Who provides it | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Passport (valid well beyond the contract period) | Nanny | Identity and visa processing |
| Registered employment offer / contract | Employer + nanny | Terms, duties, childcare scope, salary, accommodation |
| UAE entry permit | ICP | Legal entry into the UAE |
| Medical fitness certificate | Approved health centre | Required for the residence visa |
| Residence visa | ICP | Legal stay and work |
| Emirates ID | ICP | Official UAE identity card |
| Passport photos | Nanny | Visa and Emirates ID documents |
Core Dubai nanny document set. Additional documents may apply depending on source-country requirements.
How much can it cost?
Total cost splits into official government fees, medical charges, travel, and any service or recruitment fees. Figures below are indicative ranges in AED for planning; the current official fee schedule should be confirmed with MOHRE, Tadbeer and ICP before starting.
| Cost item | Indicative range (AED) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Offer registration / Tadbeer service fees | AED 100 – AED 2,000+ | Varies by route and service centre; confirm current schedule |
| Medical fitness test | AED 100 – AED 500 | Approved health centre in the UAE |
| Entry permit and residence visa | AED 100 – AED 500 | ICP official fees; confirm current schedule |
| Emirates ID | AED 100 – AED 200 | ICP issuance fee; confirm current schedule |
| Travel (airfare) | Varies by source country | Usually employer-funded |
| Monthly salary | AED 1,800 – AED 4,000 | Indicative; depends on experience, hours and live-in or live-out duties |
Indicative planning ranges in AED as of September 2026. Always confirm current official fees with MOHRE, Tadbeer and ICP.
How long can it take?
A straightforward nanny case in Dubai can complete in roughly four to ten weeks from offer registration to arrival, depending on source-country processing, medical appointments and document readiness.
| Stage | Typical duration | Depends on |
|---|---|---|
| Offer registration decision | A few days to 2 weeks | Channel used, completeness of documents |
| Entry permit | A few days to 3 weeks | Source-country clearance, application completeness |
| Medical fitness test | 1 – 3 days | Health centre availability |
| Residence visa and Emirates ID | 1 – 3 weeks | ICP appointments, document readiness |
| Travel and arrival | 1 – 2 weeks | Flights and nanny availability |
Indicative planning durations. Delays most often come from missing documents and source-country steps.
What should employers check?
- Define the nanny role and childcare scope in writing before starting
- Confirm current MOHRE, Tadbeer and ICP requirements and fees
- Verify the nanny's identity, documents and childcare references before payment
- Put duties, hours, salary, accommodation, leave and notice in a written contract
- Keep the nanny's passport handling transparent — do not retain it without consent
- Record every document and its status in one place
- Avoid anyone promising visa or permit guarantees
What protections do nannies receive?
Nannies employed as domestic workers are protected by the UAE's regulated framework, which exists so domestic workers are employed through recorded, accountable arrangements. Ployer supports this by keeping the employment route explicit: written terms, tracked documents, clear responsibilities, and a guided process on both sides.
- Written contract with clear duties, hours and salary
- Recorded medical and visa processing
- Employer accountability through the regulated framework
- Clear communication channel between nanny and sponsor (including WhatsApp)
What happens after selection?
Once a nanny is selected and the official steps are complete, the relationship moves into management: arrival, settling in, routines, documents, leave, salary and any replacement needs. Ployer tracks this as an onboarding journey with eight steps, and supports replacement workflows if the arrangement does not last.
- Offer accepted → contract registered → entry permit applied
- Visa received → travel booked
- Arrival → medical fitness → residence visa → Emirates ID
- Settling in → routines agreed → replacement support if needed
Dubai nanny hiring checklist
Tick off each item as it is completed. Keep this list with your application folder.
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Common questions
Yes. Under the UAE's framework, a nanny employed by a private household is a domestic worker, so sponsorship, contract registration, visa and documents follow the same regulated route as other domestic staff.
Hiring is done through the UAE's regulated MOHRE framework — via authorised channels or a Tadbeer service centre. Confirm the current route that fits your situation with MOHRE or the nearest Tadbeer centre.
Duties, childcare scope, working hours, salary, accommodation, leave and notice terms, agreed in writing and registered through the official channel. Confirm the current standard contract requirements with MOHRE or Tadbeer.
Core documents include the nanny's passport, a registered employment contract, a UAE entry permit, a medical fitness certificate, a residence visa and an Emirates ID. Source-country requirements may add more.
UAE-side indicative ranges in AED are roughly AED 100 – AED 500 for entry permit and residence visa, AED 100 – AED 500 for medical fitness and AED 100 – AED 200 for Emirates ID, plus service fees that vary by route. Monthly salaries range indicatively from AED 1,800 to AED 4,000 depending on experience and hours.
Yes. Ployer supports structured interviews before commitment, so you can confirm childcare expectations, routines and fit before starting the official process.
Typically four to ten weeks from offer registration to arrival in a straightforward case, depending on source-country processing, medical appointments and document readiness.
No. Entry permits, visas and Emirates ID are issued by ICP and MOHRE under their own rules. Ployer structures and tracks the workflow but never guarantees an official decision.
Nanny documents are stored privately in an account-level vault and are only accessible to authorised parties. Public profiles never expose passport or sensitive personal information.
What we can evidence on this page
Ployer does not publish fabricated reviews or self-awarded star ratings. Where evidence exists it is shown with its source and date; where it does not exist yet, it is stated plainly.
- Official sources dated — All official UAE sources (MOHRE, ICP, u.ae) were referenced with a review date of 21 September 2026.
- Last checked 2026-09-21 — Facts, links and figures on this page were last reviewed on 21 September 2026.
- Named author/reviewer — Authored by the Ployer Editorial Team and reviewed by Ployer Compliance & Editorial Review.
- No fabricated ratings — No invented reviews, statistics or unsupported service claims appear on this page.
- Worker privacy — Worker documents are held in a private vault; public profiles never expose passports or sensitive data.
Related guides
Official sources and references
- MOHRE — domestic worker laws and resolutions
- Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) — official site
- ICP — Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Ports Security
- UAE official portal (u.ae)
Tell us who you need.
Describe the role once — Ployer structures the requirements, shows verified matches and tracks the UAE workflow.