Leaving a job in Dubai: work permit and residence cancellation in the right order

When a private-sector job ends in Dubai, two files are closed one after the other: the work permit with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE), then the residence with GDRFA Dubai. Doing them in the wrong order, or before the final settlement, is a frequent cause of delays. This guide gives the order, the documents and the deadlines.

Steps in order

1. Final settlement: the employer pays the final salary, leave and end-of-service gratuity. Article 53 of the Labour Law gives 14 days from the end of the contract.
2. MOHRE work permit cancellation: the cancellation form is signed by both the employer and the worker; the employer also confirms that all dues were paid. MOHRE states 2 working days.
3. Family members: residences sponsored by the worker are cancelled or transferred first. ICP lists an AED 5,000 guarantee to cancel the sponsor while keeping the family's residences.
4. Residence cancellation with GDRFA Dubai, submitted after the MOHRE cancellation; GDRFA states 48 hours.
5. The cancellation paper is issued and the grace period starts on that date.

Documents

• Worker's passport and the sponsor's or company representative's passport.
• MOHRE cancellation form signed by both parties, and the employer's statement that all dues were paid.
• Extract of the MOHRE work permit cancellation, for the residence cancellation.
• Emirates ID, which helps identify the file.

Official fees

MOHRE's cancellation is free on its website and app apart from federal charges, and a business service centre may add a commission of at most AED 72. GDRFA Dubai lists AED 120 for the residence cancellation (AED 100 plus the Knowledge and Innovation Dirhams of AED 10 each). Any unpaid fines on the work permit are paid first. These figures were checked on 8 October 2026; the current MARIO E.G.S.H price is on each service page.

After cancellation: the grace period

GDRFA Dubai's cancellation page states 60 days to leave the UAE, take a new visa or change status. ICP's federal page gives longer periods to some groups, for example 180 days for Golden, Green and Blue residence holders and 90 days for skilled workers at levels 1 to 3. The deadline in the official system is the one that counts; keep the cancellation paper, because the period runs from its date. After the grace period, a fine of AED 50 per day applies. Our free grace-period and overstay-fine tools on the Tools page calculate both dates.

Your options during the grace period

• A new job: the new employer applies for a MOHRE work permit and a work visa with status change inside the country. MOHRE's transfer permit must be applied for within 90 days of the old work permit's cancellation.
• Another residence: for example a family residence through a spouse or parent, or an investor residence.
• Leaving the UAE before the grace period ends, so that no fine is charged.

Common problems

• The worker has not signed, or disputes the final settlement.
• Unpaid fines on the work permit.
• Family members still on the worker's file.
• An absconding report or a labour ban on the file, which needs separate handling.