UAE Labour Card 2026: Check Status, Download and Renew

Roughly 85 percent of people living in the UAE today are expatriates, and almost every working expat needs exactly one document to be here legally: the labour card. The country’s private sector workforce kept growing through the first quarter of 2026 too, according to MOHRE’s own Labour Market Observatory data, which means more people than ever are going through this exact process right now, whether for the first time or their fifth renewal.

A UAE Labour Card is a digital work permit issued by MOHRE that confirms an employee is legally authorized to work in the UAE. Employees can check, download, renew, or track cancellation of this document through the official MOHRE enquiry portal or a Tasheel service center.

Your labour card sits at the center of almost every employment process, from opening a bank account to filing a gratuity claim when you leave your job. The sections below are ordered so you can jump straight to the task you need, status check, download, renewal, fees, or cancellation, before getting into the background details further down the page.

What Is a UAE Labour Card?

A UAE Labour Card, also called a work permit, labour permit, or digital labour card, is the document that confirms your employer has registered you correctly with MOHRE and that your employment is legally recognized. It typically shows your name, nationality, profession, employer details, and validity period.

Historically, this was a physical plastic card, but the system has moved almost entirely to digital records in recent years. Most employees today interact with this record electronically accessible through the MOHRE app or website, though a printed copy remains available whenever you need one for official purposes.

Labour Card, Work Permit and Employment Card: Same Thing, Different Names

These terms usually refer to the same official MOHRE record, just used differently across companies, older documents, and casual conversation.

Labour Card vs Emirates ID

Labour Card vs Labour Contract

If you need to check your labour contract details rather than just your card status, the same MOHRE enquiry channels above generally let you view both.

Documents Needed to Apply for a Labour Card

When your employer applies for this document, they typically need to submit a set of standard documents on your behalf. Keep in mind these two can run on different timelines. Your labour card’s expiry date reflects your work permit validity only, it does not automatically extend or override the actual term length written in your employment contract.

For skilled roles such as engineers, managers, and other professional categories, these academic certificates typically need attestation confirming they are recognized in the UAE, a process that runs through your home country’s authorities and the UAE embassy before the certificate is accepted here. This requirement varies by profession and by the country where the degree was issued, so confirm with HR early if your application or renewal is approaching and attestation has not been arranged yet. Most of this paperwork is handled by your employer’s HR or PRO team, so as an employee your main responsibility is usually just providing accurate documents on request.

Tasheel Login and Service Centers

Tasheel is a network of government approved service centers that handle labour related transactions on behalf of MOHRE, including work permit applications, labour card printing, and in person status checks. Many employees search for a Tasheel login expecting a separate portal, but Tasheel services are generally accessed either in person at a service center or through the main MOHRE digital channels, rather than a standalone public login system.

If you prefer face to face support, visiting a Tasheel center with your Emirates ID or work permit number lets a trained agent check your status, print your electronic work permit, or guide you through a renewal, usually for a small service fee.

What Tasheel Centers Can Help With

Tasheel centers are especially useful for employees who are less comfortable navigating the MOHRE app or website directly, or who need document verification alongside a status check.

Bring your Emirates ID, passport, and work permit number to speed up any Tasheel center visit, since staff will need at least one of these to locate your record.

How to Check Your Labour Card Status Online

There are three official ways to check your labour card status, and all three rely on the same underlying MOHRE records. Note that MOHRE’s own portal address uses the American spelling “inquiry” rather than “enquiry”, so a labour card inquiry search and a labour card enquiry search both lead to the same official tool.

1. MOHRE App: Download the official MOHRE app for Android or iOS, log in with your UAE Pass or registered account, and go to the services section to view your work permit and contract details
2. MOHRE Enquiry Portal: Visit the official MOHRE enquiry portal, select the relevant enquiry service, and enter your work permit number, Emirates ID, or passport details along with your date of birth. This portal is part of the broader www.mohre.gov.ae eservices website, which also handles complaints, permits, and other employment transactions.
3. Tasheel Service Center: Visit any authorized Tasheel center in person with your Emirates ID or work permit number, and a staff member can check your status directly in the MOHRE system

Each method draws from the same official database, so the result should match regardless of which one you use.

How to Check Labour Card Status Using Passport Number

If you do not have your Emirates ID on hand, or you are checking status from outside the UAE, most MOHRE enquiry services accept your passport number as an alternative identifier, usually alongside your date of birth and nationality. This method works through the same enquiry portal and app used for Emirates ID based checks, so no separate process is needed.

How to Find Your Labour Card Number

If you do not know your work permit number, you can usually locate it through the same MOHRE enquiry service using your passport number, transaction number, or Emirates ID instead. Your employer’s HR or PRO team can also confirm this number directly from your company’s official account, which is often the fastest option if you need it urgently.

How to Download Your Labour Card PDF

Since most of these are now digital records rather than physical cards, downloading your own copy is straightforward.

Keep a saved copy on your phone or email, since you may need to show it quickly for visa renewals, bank applications, or salary disputes.

How to Renew Your Labour Card

Renewal is generally initiated by your employer, but knowing the steps helps you follow up if it stalls.

The Process From Start to Finish

A Real Example

Ahmed joins a logistics company in Dubai on a new employment contract. His employer submits the work permit application to MOHRE along with his passport, photo, and medical fitness result. Once the ministry approves the application and the employer pays the fee, Ahmed logs into the MOHRE app and downloads his electronic work permit as a PDF. His work permit is valid for 2 years from that date, and his employer will need to start the renewal process again before it expires.

Renewing vs Applying for a New Labour Card

If your renewal has not started and your expiry date is approaching, raise it directly with HR rather than waiting, since delays on the employer’s side can still affect your legal status.

Labour Card Validity and Fees

Standard validity for this document is 2 years for private sector employees and 3 years for those in the government sector. Free zone employees may see shorter validity periods, typically ranging from 1 to 3 years depending on the specific free zone authority. Employees above the age of 60 are generally issued a labour card valid for only 1 year at a time, regardless of sector, and must renew annually. Once your card approaches expiry, your employer should begin the renewal process before the deadline to avoid a gap in your legal work status.

Sources differ on the exact grace period allowed after expiry before fines apply, with figures of both 50 and 60 days appearing across various guides. Rather than relying on either number, confirm your specific renewal deadline directly through the portal or with your employer’s HR team.

Cancellation vs Expiry

Labour Card Fees

Issuance and renewal fees for this document are not fixed at a single amount. Reported figures across official and unofficial sources range roughly from AED 250 to AED 3,450, depending on your company’s activity, sector, and the specific service package your employer selects. Your employer or PRO can confirm the exact fee that applies to your role before you budget for a renewal.

Labour Card Fines

If a work permit is not renewed within the allowed grace period, a fine applies, commonly cited as around AED 500 for a first delay, though your exact figure should be confirmed through the MOHRE app or portal rather than assumed. Fines can also apply if an employer fails to issue this document within the required window after an employee’s arrival in the country.

There is no separate public labour card fine calculator tool, since fines depend on the specific violation and how long it has gone unresolved. Checking through the same MOHRE app and portal used for status checks is the accurate way to see any fines actually registered against your file.

Common Labour Card Problems

A few recurring issues come up often enough that they are worth understanding before you panic over a strange result.

Checking Labour Card Cancellation Status

When your job ends, whether through resignation, termination, or contract expiry, your labour card is cancelled through MOHRE as part of your exit process. You can check this record’s cancellation status through the same MOHRE app or enquiry portal used for a standard status check.

This record’s cancellation and residence visa cancellation are two separate steps handled by different authorities. MOHRE cancels this record first, and the residence visa is then cancelled separately through ICP or GDRFA depending on your emirate. For mainland employees, the grace period to leave the UAE or change status generally begins from this record’s cancellation date, not the residence visa cancellation date, so confirm both dates rather than assuming they match.

This timing matters more than many employees realize. This cancellation date often affects the sequencing of your final settlement and gratuity payment. If you are preparing to resign, it is worth understanding your full gratuity and final settlement calculation alongside this document’s cancellation timeline, not as two separate, unrelated steps.

Who Issues Your Labour Card?

Several parties play a role in getting your labour card, sometimes called a MOHRE work permit or employment authorization document, issued and kept up to date. Understanding each one helps you know who to contact when something needs fixing.

As an employee, your main responsibility is usually providing accurate documents when asked, while your employer and their PRO handle the submission itself.

MOHRE vs Tasheel: What Is the Difference?

Labour Cards for Domestic Workers

Domestic workers, including maids, nannies, drivers, and similar household roles, are registered under a separate legal framework from standard private sector employees, Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2022. While the underlying registration concept with this authority is similar, the application process and standard contract format differ, and domestic worker registrations are often processed through Tadbeer centers rather than a standard company PRO. If you employ or work as a domestic worker, confirm with the authority or your Tadbeer center which specific registration category applies.

Labour Card When Changing Jobs

When you move from one employer to another in the UAE, your old registration is cancelled and a new one is issued under your new employer once your new work permit is approved. There is generally a gap between these two steps, so confirm with both your outgoing and incoming employer exactly when each part of the process happens.

This gap is largely shaped by how you leave your current job. Serving your full notice period or being released early both affect the timing, so it helps to understand your notice period and resignation rights under UAE labour law before you start the process with a new employer.

Your new employer cannot usually process your new card until your previous one shows a cancelled status in the MOHRE system, which is another reason checking your cancellation status promptly after leaving a job matters.

You generally cannot hold two active labour cards at the same time under two different employers. If you want to legally work for a second employer alongside your main job, the correct route is a part-time work permit, applied for separately by the second employer, rather than a second full labour card.

How Your Labour Card Connects to Wage Protection

This registration also links to the Wage Protection System, the mandatory system MOHRE uses to confirm salaries are paid on time through approved banks or exchange houses. If your registration status is inactive or delayed, it can sometimes affect whether your salary transfers process smoothly.

Labour Card for Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Other Emirates

The labour card system works the same way regardless of which emirate you work in. A Dubai permit and an Abu Dhabi work permit follow identical federal rules for status checks, renewal, and fines, since this is a single federal authority. Free zone employees generally follow the same core process too, though some free zones add their own internal steps for company file updates alongside the standard MOHRE registration.

For free zone employees specifically, status checks can work differently. Some free zone authorities, such as JAFZA, DMCC, or DIFC, maintain their own separate system for employment records, meaning your details may not appear on the standard MOHRE app or enquiry portal at all. If a MOHRE search comes back empty and you work in a free zone, check with your free zone authority’s own portal or your HR team before assuming something is wrong with your registration.

Understanding Your Person Code

Your Person Code is a unique identifier MOHRE assigns to you as an individual, separate from your card number, work permit number, or Emirates ID. Some enquiry services ask for your Person Code specifically rather than your labour card number, so check your previous official correspondence or ask your HR team if you cannot locate it.

Quick Check Before You Renew

Before submitting a renewal application, running through this checklist can prevent the most common delays.

Filing a Labour Complaint with MOHRE

If you believe your employer has not registered this document correctly, has delayed your renewal, or owes you unpaid wages, gratuity, or other entitlements, you can file a free labour complaint directly through the MOHRE enquiry portal or app. This same complaint channel handles a wide range of employment disputes, not just labour card issues. If you prefer speaking to someone directly, MOHRE’s call center can also be reached at 600 590000, or through the toll-free number 80060.

The ministry will generally attempt mediation between you and your employer first, and you can track your complaint status online using the same reference number.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Most labour card problems come from simple timing and documentation gaps rather than anything complicated in the rules themselves.

Frequently Asked Questions