The UAE has introduced both an unemployment insurance scheme and a dedicated Job Seeker Visa to support residents between employment. Here is how both work.
UAE Mandatory Unemployment Insurance (ILOE)
Since January 2023, UAE employees (public and private sector) are required by law to subscribe to the ILOE (Involuntary Loss of Employment) insurance scheme. Premium: AED 5/month for employees earning less than AED 16,000/month. AED 10/month for employees earning AED 16,000+/month. Benefit: 60% of average basic salary for up to 3 months if involuntarily made redundant. Eligibility for claim: you must have paid into the scheme for 12 consecutive months before claiming, and the unemployment must be involuntary (you cannot claim if you resigned). How to subscribe: iloe.ae or through the app, linked to your Emirates ID. Deadline: if you did not subscribe by June 2023, a penalty of AED 400 applies — subscribe now to avoid the fine plus missed premium.
UAE Job Seeker Visa
The UAE Job Seeker Visa (officially UAE Job Search Visa) allows former UAE residents and qualified international professionals to stay in the UAE for 6 months to look for employment without requiring a UAE employer sponsor. Eligibility: a university degree or equivalent professional qualification, and either a prior UAE residence visa OR a valid reason for seeking UAE employment. Applications: through UAE Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship (ICA) portal — icp.gov.ae. Fee: AED 1,000–1,500. Work: you cannot work on a Job Seeker Visa — only attend interviews and complete the hiring process. Once you receive a job offer, your employer converts the Job Seeker Visa to a standard employment visa via status change.