How to hire a maid or nanny in Dubai with a Visa

If you’re moving to the UAE (either Dubai or Abu Dhabi) with your family, you may want to consider hiring a Nanny or a Maid. Although it is not something you normally see in European or north American countries, you’ll soon find that hiring a full time Maid in Dubai is very common.

Hiring nannies and maids in the UAE is common because of a combination of practical needs, cultural norms, and lifestyle preferences. The availability of affordable domestic help (aka nannies and maids), coupled with the demands of typical Expat families, makes this a vital part of many families’ lives in the UAE.

Some examples of work done by nannies and maids include:

• Taking care of children
• School drop off and pick up when needed
• House cleaning
• Cooking
• Grocery shopping

Overall, these are tasks that can take some time off families, and many choose to get help.

There are quite a few different costs that come with hiring domestic help in Dubai, including the nanny's salary, visa sponsorship fees, visa costs, medical expenses, insurance, and other potential expenses that may come up in the process. Here's a breakdown of the most typical costs associated with hiring house help in Dubai.

Firstly, you have their salary. Depending on whether they live with you or not, the average salary in Dubai varies:

• Average live-in nanny salary: AED 2,000 to AED 4,000 per month - If you offer your them accommodation, their monthly salary can be negotiated down.
• Average live-out nanny salary: AED 3,000 to AED 5,000 per month - If you don’t offer them accommodation, this is an extra cost for your nanny, and consequently, their salary will need to be higher than if they are living with you.

In addition to their salaries, you need to factor in all the costs that come with sponsoring an Employee, including:

• Visa Fee: AED 5,000 to AED 6,000 (one-time, renewable every two years)
• Emirates ID Fee: AED 170 to AED 370 (depending on the duration of the ID)
• Medical Fitness Test: AED 300 to AED 500
• Basic Health Insurance: AED 700 to AED 1,500 per year
• Return Flight Home: AED 1,500 to AED 3,000 per year (depending on the nanny’s home country)
• Food: AED 500 to AED 1,000 per month (depending on the arrangement)
• Deposit: Typically AED 2,000 and is refundable under certain circumstances

Additional potential costs may include: Agency Fees, Uniforms, Transportation and Gratuity/End-of-Service Benefit. All of these depend on the arrangement you have with your nanny (or agency you’re working with).

In total, your first year of hiring a (live-in) Nanny can cost you approximately between AED 43k to AED 70k, depending on specific arrangements and the agreed salary based on your maid’s experience and qualifications.

If there is one, Matutto knows about it! The short answer is yes.

There are many companies in the UAE who offer support with finding and hiring nannies, and providing them with the necessary visas, work permits and health insurance. If you work with one, you don’t have to go through the fuss of setting all that up yourself.

At Matutto we always recommend Maids.cc, one of the most reputable companies. Why, you ask? Well, it’s simple, all families hiring a maid via Maids.cc get the following benefits:

• 0 paperwork from day 1 - They provide you with the Visa & all required permits
• Live-in and live-out maids available
• Get a replacement maid if you wish to
• Ability to cancel your maid contract anytime
• 24/7 support from the team
• Company doctor and psychologist is offered to the maid
• Access to a personalized app for all your needs

If you already have a maid or nanny you want to hire, Maids.cc can also take of their paperwork on your behalf.

We have partnered with Maids.cc to offer our users AED 1,000 discount when you hire a nanny. Simply sign up, contact us via the webchat, and claim your exclusive discount!