Labour Card vs Work Permit in the UAE
These are the same document. The MOHRE work permit is what most people call the labour card, and searching for a difference between them produces confusion because there is not one. The genuine distinctions are with the establishment card and the residence visa, which are different things entirely.
Why people think they are different
The terminology changed. What was issued as a physical "labour card" became a digital work permit record held by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation. Both names stayed in circulation, employers use them interchangeably, and published guides rarely say outright that they are one thing.
There is one genuinely separate item worth knowing: an entry work permit, issued to someone arriving from abroad, is a pre-entry approval valid for a limited window. That is not the permit you hold while employed, and it is a real source of the confusion.
The three documents that actually differ
| Work permit / labour card | Establishment card | Residence visa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belongs to | The employee | The company | The individual |
| Issued by | MOHRE | GDRFA or ICP | ICP or GDRFA |
| Permits | Working for one specific employer | The company to sponsor anyone at all | Living in the UAE |
| Needed by | Every mainland employee | Every sponsoring company | Every resident |
| Free zones | Zone issues its own equivalent, not MOHRE | Still required | Still required |
An employee needs both a work permit and a residence visa. The permit lets them work; the visa lets them live here. Cancelling one does not cancel the other, which is the most expensive misunderstanding in this area.
Free zone employees do not get a MOHRE card
MOHRE governs mainland employment. If your company is in a free zone, the zone authority issues its own work permit and registers the employment relationship, and your staff will never hold a MOHRE labour card. The protection and the obligations are broadly equivalent, but the issuing body, the portal and the process are different — which matters when you are searching for guidance, because mainland instructions will not match what you see.
The order these come in
- Company gets its establishment card — nothing can be sponsored before this
- Employee receives an entry permit if coming from abroad, or a status change if already here
- Work permit issued and the labour contract registered
- Medical test and Emirates ID
- Residence visa stamped
See immigration card vs establishment card for step one, which has its own pair of commonly confused documents.
Keeping it clean
- Details on the permit must match the registered labour contract. A discrepancy is a compliance violation in itself.
- Status can be checked through the MOHRE app or website using the work permit number or Emirates ID.
- A permit is tied to one employer. Moving jobs means cancelling and issuing a new one, not transferring a card.
- An expired company establishment card blocks every permit action for every employee, not just new hires.
Labour Card vs Work Permit — FAQs
What is the difference between a labour card and a work permit in the UAE?
There is no difference. They are the same MOHRE document. What was once a physical labour card is now a digital work permit record, and both names remained in use. The genuine distinctions are with the establishment card, which belongs to the company, and the residence visa, which lets a person live in the UAE.
Do I need both a work permit and a residence visa?
Yes, if you are an employee. The work permit authorises you to work for one specific employer and is issued by MOHRE on the mainland. The residence visa authorises you to live in the UAE and is issued by ICP or GDRFA. They are separate documents and cancelling one does not cancel the other.
Do free zone employees get a MOHRE labour card?
No. MOHRE governs mainland employment. A free zone issues its own work permit and registers the employment relationship through its own portal. The obligations are broadly equivalent but the issuing body and process differ, so mainland guidance will not match what you see as a free zone employer.
What is the difference between a labour card and an establishment card?
The labour card or work permit belongs to the employee and allows that person to work for a specific employer. The establishment card belongs to the company and is what allows the company to sponsor anyone at all. A company needs its establishment card before any employee document can be issued.
Can a work permit be transferred to a new employer?
Not as a transfer of the card itself. A permit is tied to one employer, so changing jobs means the existing permit is cancelled and the new employer issues a fresh one. The residence visa is handled separately alongside it.
What is an entry work permit?
A pre-entry approval allowing someone to enter the UAE for employment, valid for a limited window from issue. It is not the permit you hold while employed, and confusing the two is a common source of the labour card versus work permit question.
Related
General information, not legal advice. Employment rules and processes are set by MOHRE, ICP, GDRFA and each free zone authority, and change. Confirm current requirements before acting.
Last updated: October 2026 · Maintained by the My Business Setup editorial team
Not sure what applies to you?
Get a free, personalised breakdown emailed to you. Information only, no obligation.
Get my free breakdown →