Anyone can make a website and call it a “Dubai recruitment agency”. Checking the licence takes a few minutes and can save you a lot of money. This guide only describes checks that use official UAE sources. Website menus change often, so if a step looks different, use the MoHRE call centre instead.
Why the licence matters
UAE law says nobody may carry out employment or mediation activity to recruit or employ workers without a licence from the Ministry. That is Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, Article 6(3). The Ministry is MoHRE, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation.
A licensed agency is answerable to MoHRE. If something goes wrong, you can complain. An unlicensed one is operating illegally and is much harder to trace.
What you need before you start
Ask the agency for these details by email:
- Full legal name, exactly as on its licence (for example ending in LLC or FZ-LLC)
- MoHRE licence details for recruitment or employment activity
- Trade licence number and the emirate or free zone that issued it
- Office address
A real agency gives these without fuss. If the agency refuses, or only sends a blurry photo, treat it as a warning.
Tip: Write down the name exactly. Scammers often use a name one letter different from a real agency.
Step 1: Check with MoHRE
The UAE government portal u.ae says job seekers “can refer to the ministry to check for licensed companies or raise a complaint, if needed.”
On the MoHRE website
MoHRE publishes information about licensed recruitment offices on its official website, mohre.gov.ae. In September 2026, Gulf News reported a MoHRE warning that told residents to “check the list of licensed domestic worker recruitment offices through MoHRE’s official website” before dealing with them.
Search the MoHRE website for the agency name. Only use the official site, mohre.gov.ae. Do not use a link sent by the agency.
We could not confirm a single, stable menu path for every type of agency list on the MoHRE site. If you cannot find the agency, do not assume it is fine. Use the call centre.
By phone
Find MoHRE’s contact details on its official website (mohre.gov.ae) or app. Ask the agent:
- “Is [full legal name] licensed by MoHRE as a recruitment or employment agency?”
- “Is the licence currently valid?”
MoHRE also takes reports. In September 2026, Gulf News reported that MoHRE asked people to report unlicensed or misleading recruitment ads through its official channels.
Step 2: Check the company in the National Economic Register
The National Economic Register is a federal database of UAE business licences. u.ae says you can search it by business name, licence number, economic register number or business activity. Open it from the u.ae page on the National Economic Register.
Check:
- The company exists with the exact name the agency gave you.
- The licence is active, not expired.
- The licensed activity relates to recruitment or employment services.
- The address matches what the agency told you.
Warning: A trade licence only shows that a business is registered. It does not prove the business has a MoHRE licence to recruit workers. A real trading or cleaning company can still run an illegal “recruitment” side business. Check both the trade licence and MoHRE.
Some free zones keep their own company registers. If the agency is in a free zone, also check the free zone authority’s official website.
Step 3: Check the agency’s own details
These are not official checks, but they help:
| Check | Good sign | Bad sign |
|---|---|---|
| Website | Own domain, real office address, named team | Free website builder, no address |
| Uses the company’s domain | Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook | |
| Phone | UAE landline as well as mobile | Only a foreign mobile or WhatsApp |
| Jobs | Specific, current job ads with real details | “Urgent 500 jobs, all nationalities, visa free” |
| Money | Never mentions candidate fees | Mentions any fee, deposit or “refundable” charge |
Step 4: Check any job offer they send
If the agency sends an offer, check the MoHRE job offer separately. Gulf News explains the steps: on the MoHRE website go to Services, Employee Services, Transactions Inquiry Service, then Enquiry for Job Offer, and enter the transaction number. Read what to check in a UAE job offer letter for the full list.
Agents in your home country
UAE tools only cover entities licensed in the UAE. If you are dealing with an agent in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, the Philippines, Egypt or another country, check the agent with your own government’s emigration or overseas employment authority. Many of these authorities publish lists of licensed agents and rules on fees.
A licence is not the whole answer
Even a licensed agency must follow the rules. The UAE government portal says: “Job seekers are not required to pay money to any recruitment agency as the onus to pay such fees lies with the employers.” If a licensed agency asks you for money, you can complain to MoHRE.
Also be careful of scammers who copy a real agency’s name, licence and logo. They then contact you from a different email or phone number. Always contact the agency through the details on the official register or its official website.
Quick checklist
- I have the agency’s full legal name and licence details in writing.
- I checked with MoHRE (website or app).
- I found the company in the National Economic Register (or its free zone register) with a matching name and address.
- The agency uses its own email domain.
- Nobody asked me for money.
If all five are ticked, you can work with the agency with more confidence. Start with our list of Dubai recruitment agencies, and read how recruitment agencies in Dubai work.
If something is wrong, read how to spot a fake job offer and visa fee job scams, and see our scam alerts.
