Dubai: The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) has issued a new guide clarifying the existing procedures for linking the issuance and renewal of certain work permits to valid health insurance coverage, stressing that no new obligations have been imposed on employers.
According to the ministry, the guide simply explains and streamlines procedures that are already in force by automatically integrating health insurance verification into the work permit issuance and renewal system.
The initiative forms part of the UAE’s efforts to strengthen the implementation of the health insurance system for private sector employees and domestic workers, while improving transparency, enhancing government service efficiency and safeguarding the rights of both employers and workers.
Through electronic integration, MoHRE’s digital systems will automatically verify whether a worker has valid health insurance before a work permit is issued or renewed. The ministry said this will simplify procedures, improve compliance, speed up transactions and ensure uninterrupted health insurance coverage.
The guide reiterates that work permits cannot be issued or renewed unless a valid health insurance policy is in place, in accordance with the ministry’s approved regulations.
It also outlines key requirements for employers, including:
Health insurance policies must meet the minimum approved coverage standards.
Coverage must remain valid throughout the duration of the work permit.
Workers cannot be charged for the cost of obtaining or renewing their health insurance.
Insurance policies must not be cancelled during the validity of the work permit if doing so would leave the worker without coverage.
MoHRE noted that the nationwide health insurance system for private sector and domestic workers was fully implemented at the beginning of 2025, following a Cabinet decision extending coverage to workers in the northern emirates. The system complements existing programmes in other emirates, ensuring health insurance coverage for workers across the UAE.
