Your visa is cancelled, and a clock starts. PROXPAT helps you use the grace period properly: a transfer to a new employer, a switch to another residence, or a clean exit with no fines.
Page last updated: . Requirements, government fees and processing times are set by the relevant UAE authority and can change.
After Employment Visa Cancellation in the UAE: Grace Period, Fines and Next Steps
An employment visa in the UAE is really two records: the work permit held with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE), and the residence permit held with the immigration authority. Cancellation closes both, in that order. What you can do next depends on the date the residence permit is cancelled, because that is when the grace period starts.
This guide covers the period after cancellation: how long you can stay, what overstaying costs, and the routes open to you. For the cancellation itself, see our employment visa cancellation services. If you are still deciding whether to leave a job early, see can I cancel my employment visa after 2 months.
Please note: figures below are taken from the GDRFA Dubai, MOHRE and ICP service pages. Residents sponsored in other emirates are processed by their own immigration authority, and rules can change, so confirm your own case before acting.
What Gets Cancelled, and in What Order
| Step | Authority | What the official service page says |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Work permit and employment contract | MOHRE | Applied for by the employer. Service completion: 2 working days. Free on the MOHRE website and app, apart from federal charges; business centre commission is capped at AED 72 |
| 2. Residence permit | GDRFA Dubai (for Dubai residents) | Needs the sponsor's passport, the employee's passport and the MOHRE work permit cancellation extract. Fee AED 100, plus AED 10 Knowledge Dirham and AED 10 Innovation Dirham. Expected completion: 48 hours |
The residence step cannot be completed until the MOHRE cancellation is done, because GDRFA Dubai lists the MOHRE cancellation as a condition. That is why the labour side always comes first.
Before You Sign: What MOHRE Requires
- An official statement from the establishment confirming that the worker's rights, dues and entitlements have been fully satisfied.
- The employee's signature agreeing to the cancellation and acknowledging receipt of all labour dues. MOHRE excludes employees who are overseas, deceased, suffering from contagious diseases or administratively cancelled.
- Payment of any fines for late issuance or non-renewal of work permits, if the company has any.
Because your signature confirms you received your dues, check the final settlement before you sign. The labour law timelines for final settlement, gratuity and notice are set out in our UAE labour law guide.
The Grace Period: 60 Days From Cancellation
| Permit | Grace period |
|---|---|
| Residence permits, after cancellation or expiry | 60 days during which you may remain in the country |
| Green residence permit for investors and partners | 180 days after expiry or cancellation |
The grace period runs from the date the residence permit is cancelled, not from your last working day. If the MOHRE and GDRFA steps are spread out, the clock starts later; if they are done quickly, it starts sooner. Check which permit you hold before planning around the longer period. See the investor and partner visa guide.
What Overstaying Costs
| Item | What ICP lists |
|---|---|
| Staying after the permitted period, or after cancellation or expiry of the residence permit | AED 50 per day |
| How it is paid | Through the ICP smart services (UAE Pass log-in), which lists a smart services fee of AED 100 |
| After paying | The status must be adjusted, or the person must leave the UAE |
Overstay fines build up daily, and they have to be settled before a new status can be issued or before you leave. The simplest way to avoid them is to decide your route early in the 60 days.
Your Options Inside the Grace Period
| Route | What happens | Where to start |
|---|---|---|
| Join a new employer in the UAE | The new employer applies to MOHRE for a transfer work permit (2 working days, fees by company category), then the residence is issued under the new sponsor | Employment visa services |
| Move under a family member's sponsorship | A spouse or parent with the required income sponsors your residence | Visa and residency support |
| Switch to a self-sponsored residence | For example a green visa for skilled employees or freelancers, or a remote work residence for employees of companies outside the UAE | Green visa |
| Leave the UAE | Exit before day 60 and no overstay fine arises | Keep your cancellation confirmation for your records |
A Realistic Timeline
| Stage | Official service time |
|---|---|
| MOHRE work permit cancellation | 2 working days |
| GDRFA Dubai residence cancellation | 48 hours |
| Grace period to stay after cancellation | 60 days (180 for green investor or partner permits) |
| New employer's transfer work permit | 2 working days |
These are the authorities' own service times for a complete application. Missing signatures, unpaid company fines or an expired establishment card are what usually add days. See establishment card.
Family Members You Sponsor
If you sponsor your spouse, children or parents, their residence permits sit under your sponsorship. Plan their status at the same time as your own: move them under your new visa, transfer them to another sponsor, or cancel them before you leave.
How PROXPAT Helps
Checking the settlement before you sign
Coordinating MOHRE and GDRFA cancellation
Tracking the 60-day grace period
Transfer to a new employer
Switching to family or self-sponsored residence
Clearing fines before exit or new status
Dependants' visa planning
Establishment card and company checks
Frequently Asked Questions
Plan the move before the clock runs out.
Explore connected PROXPAT services that support the same client journey.
More in Residency and Emirates ID
- Visa & Residency Support
- Emirates ID
- Medical & Biometrics
- Visa Cancellation
- After Visa Cancellation
Use Your Grace Period Well
PROXPAT checks your settlement, coordinates both cancellations and lines up your next residence so you do not pay a single day of overstay.