Who can work as a real estate broker in the UAE

The good news: the UAE is open to brokers of every background. The Dubai Land Department (DLD) pages on the broker card do not list a nationality condition. What matters is that you live and work in the country legally, and that you work for a licensed agency.

The three things you need

1. Legal residency. UAE and GCC nationals apart, you need a valid UAE residency visa. Engel & Völkers lists it as a condition for the Dubai broker licence.
2. An Emirates ID. The DLD asks for a copy when you apply for the broker card.
3. A work permit. Under Article 6 of the UAE Labour Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021), nobody can be employed without a work permit from the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE).

Engel & Völkers also lists a minimum age of 21 and a high school diploma or equivalent, plus a certificate of good conduct.

The main work permit routes

MoHRE lists 12 types of work permit. These are the ones most brokers meet:

• Recruitment from abroad. The agency hires you from your home country and sponsors your visa.
• Transfer. You already work in the UAE and move from one employer to another.
• Family sponsorship. You live in the UAE on a dependent visa, for example sponsored by a spouse, and get a permit to work, if you meet the criteria and MoHRE approves.
• Part-time. Reduced hours, sometimes for more than one employer with approval.
• Golden Residency holders. A permit lets a company employ someone who already holds a Golden Visa.
• UAE nationals and GCC citizens. A dedicated permit type exists for them.

Visas themselves are issued by GDRFA Dubai for Dubai and by ICP for the other emirates.

You always work under a licensed brokerage

The DLD states that the validity of your broker card is linked to the trade licence of the office you work for. You apply for the card through your agency. Engel & Völkers states it clearly: freelance agents are not possible in Dubai, and agents must work for a registered brokerage.

Before you join, check the agency’s ORN in the Dubai REST app. See how to check an ORN or a BRN.

Each emirate licenses its own brokers

Your Dubai card covers Dubai. To work in Abu Dhabi, you need an Abu Dhabi broker licence from the Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre (ADREC), issued through its DARI platform. Sharjah, Ajman and Umm Al Quwain issue their own cards too. Lesson 3 explains each route.

Who pays for the visa

Article 6 of the Labour Law also says that an employer shall not charge a worker recruitment and employment costs, directly or indirectly. In real life, offers vary: some agencies pay everything, others ask you to cover the broker training or the card. Ask for every answer in writing. Read visa and hiring costs.

What is NOT allowed

• Working on a tourist or visit visa. MoHRE is clear that a visit visa does not give you the right to work.
• Practising without a broker card. Showing homes or negotiating deals before your card is issued puts you and your agency at risk.
• Working for one agency while your card sits with another. Your card follows the office licence.
• Paying someone to get a job or a visa. MoHRE reminds job seekers that employers are responsible for recruitment costs. Read how to spot a fake job offer.
• Assuming property gives you work rights. Buying a home worth at least AED 2 million can open a Golden Visa (u.ae), but the visa is not a broker licence. You still need a permit, an agency and a card.

A quick self-check

Your situation	What to do
Abroad, no UAE visa	Find a licensed agency that will sponsor you, and check the offer on MoHRE
In the UAE on a spouse’s visa	Ask the agency to apply for a family sponsorship work permit
In the UAE on a visit visa	Do not start working. Get a job offer and a proper visa first
Already a Dubai broker, moving to Abu Dhabi	Follow the ADREC course and register on DARI

Before the next lesson

• Write down your visa route.
• List three licensed agencies you could join. Browse agencies and jobs for beginners.

Next, we go through the licence itself, step by step.

Visa and work permit rules change often. Check the official source (MoHRE, GDRFA or ICP) before you act. This lesson is general information, not legal advice.