Meydan Free Zone Visa Cost: What to Budget for Your First Hire

Meydan Free Zone currently lists an employment/residency visa at AED 3,500, valid for two years. But that is not the only visa-related cost to consider. 

There is also a visa allocation fee of AED 1,850 per allocation. Meydan also lists medical and Emirates ID assistance at AED 2,250 (optional service; government fees alone are approximately AED 620–1,220 if handled independently). That means a founder looking only at the AED 3,500 employment visa figure could underestimate the actual amount needed for the employee's visa process. 

That means a founder looking only at the AED 3,500 employment visa figure could underestimate the actual amount needed for the employee's visa process. 

Meydan’s published figures give a clearer idea of what you may need to budget for: 

• Visa allocation: AED 1,850 per allocation 

• Employment visa: AED 3,500 

• Medical and Emirates ID assistance: AED 2,250 

Together, these come to an indicative AED 7,600 in visa-related costs for an employee. 

These figures are indicative and the final amount may vary depending on the company’s setup and the services required. 

There is also an AED 2,000 establishment/immigration card fee listed by Meydan. This is a company-level cost, so it should not simply be multiplied by the number of employees you plan to hire. 

Keeping these costs separate is important when working out what your first hire will actually cost. 

Knowing the visa-related costs is useful, but it still doesn’t tell you what the employee will cost your business in the first year. 

For example, if you hire someone at AED 8,000 a month, their annual salary alone comes to: 

AED 8,000 × 12 = AED 96,000 

Now add the visa-related costs and other expenses that may come with the role, such as health insurance, recruitment, equipment and onboarding. 

The actual first-year cost will therefore be higher than the annual salary. 

This is why it helps to look at the total cost of employment, rather than treating the visa as a standalone expense. Some costs are one-time, while others will continue throughout the employee’s time with the business. 

A little planning upfront can give you a much more realistic figure to work with before you make the hire. 

Let’s put the numbers into perspective. 

If you hire an employee at AED 8,000 a month, the annual salary comes to AED 96,000. Add the indicative AED 7,600 in visa-related costs, and you are already at around AED 103,600. 

This is before expenses such as health insurance, recruitment, equipment or onboarding. 

The exact cost will vary depending on the role and the business, but the example gives you a useful starting point when planning your first-year hiring budget. 

 If you are planning to build a team, it is important to understand which costs apply to each employee and which apply to the company. 

For example, visa allocation is an employee-related cost, while the establishment/immigration card is a company-level cost. So, if you plan to hire three employees, you should not simply multiply every setup cost by three. 

Breaking the costs down this way can help you estimate your total hiring expenses more accurately as your team grows. 

Before making a hire, consider the main costs involved: 

• Salary: Your employee's annual compensation. 

• Visa and immigration: Applicable visa, allocation and processing costs. 

• Health insurance: Required employment-related coverage. 

• Recruitment: Any fees associated with finding and hiring the employee. 

• Equipment and onboarding: Laptop, software, workspace and other role-specific requirements. 

Not every business will have the same expenses, but accounting for these categories can give you a more realistic figure before you commit to the hire. 

 Hiring is one of the first signs that your business is moving forward. But as the business grows, so do the financial and compliance responsibilities that come with it. 

From company formation and accounting to tax, compliance and ongoing financial management, Kitaab helps you keep these moving parts organized in one place. 

If you’re planning your first hire in the UAE, start with a clear view of the numbers and build your budget around the full cost of bringing someone on board. 

Meydan currently lists the employment/residence visa at AED 3,500. However, this is not necessarily the total visa-related cost, as visa allocation, medical and Emirates ID assistance, and other applicable charges may also need to be considered. 

Based on Meydan’s published figures, visa allocation at AED 1,850, employment visa at AED 3,500, and medical and Emirates ID assistance at AED 2,250 come to an indicative AED 7,600. The final amount can vary depending on the company's setup and services required. 

 No. The establishment/immigration card is a company-level cost, rather than an individual employee cost. It should therefore not simply be multiplied by the number of employees you plan to hire. 

Along with visa and immigration costs, you may need to budget for salary, health insurance, recruitment, equipment, onboarding and other role-specific expenses. 

No. Salary and visa costs are only part of the calculation. A realistic first-year budget should also account for other employment and onboarding expenses that apply to the role and business.