Employees of companies in free zones have different sponsorship options depending on the free zone. For example, in Jebel Ali you can either be sponsored by an individual company or by the free zone authority itself. Whether the Jebel Ali Free Zone, Dubai Internet City, Media City, Knowledge Village, Healthcare City or the Dubai Airport Free Zone, the respective authority will process your residency visa/permit directly through the Immigration Department, without having to get employment approval from the Ministry of Labour. This speeds up the process significantly, and residency permits can sometimes be granted in a matter of hours. Once Immigration has stamped your residence permit in your passport, the free zone will issue your labour card – this also acts as your security pass for entry to the free zone. A big advantage of working in a free zone is the lack of red tape encountered if you move jobs to another free zone company. This is because the free zone is actually your sponsor, so when you switch jobs to another employer you won’t be switching sponsors.

A free zone residency permit is valid for three years, and the labour card for either one or three years, depending on the free zone. Designed to encourage investment from overseas, free zones allow 100% foreign ownership and offer exemption from taxes and customs duties. An added attraction is the relative lack of red tape.

For more information, please visit the websites of the Dubai free zone in question