How to cancel your UAE work permit when you leave a job

How to cancel a UAE work permit when leaving a job, including the documents, sign-off and visa steps to check.

Leaving a job in the UAE means more than handing in your notice. According to Gulf News, citing guidance from the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE), your work permit needs to be formally cancelled through MOHRE, and there are specific steps, documents, and conditions involved.

MOHRE outlines four key stages for cancelling a work permit in the private sector.

The four steps

First, you submit a cancellation request through MOHRE's website or smart application using UAE Pass. Second, you provide the required supporting documents. Third, MOHRE reviews the application — if anything is missing, you will be asked to complete it. Fourth, approval is issued electronically and both the permit and employment contract are cancelled.

The process is generally completed within two working days once all requirements are in order. The service is free through MOHRE's official channels. If you go through a business service centre, fees of up to 72 dirhams may apply, excluding VAT.

What you need before you apply

Three conditions must be met before MOHRE will approve a cancellation.

The employer must settle any outstanding fines related to delayed issuance or renewal of work permits. The employer must also provide a written declaration confirming that all employee entitlements have been paid — including end-of-service gratuity where applicable. Finally, the employee must sign the cancellation form and acknowledge receipt of those entitlements.

There are two exceptions where the employee's signature is not required: if the employee has been confirmed to have a contagious disease, or if their status has already been administratively cancelled through the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP).

What can delay or block approval

Several situations can hold up a cancellation.

If the employer refuses to declare that entitlements have been paid, or the employee refuses to sign because they have not received what they are owed, MOHRE will not process the cancellation through the standard route. The matter is typically referred to the labour complaints process first.

An active labour complaint does not automatically block cancellation, but it can change the procedure. If the dispute is still at the settlement stage, cancellation is generally suspended while MOHRE attempts to resolve it. If the complaint has already been referred to court, a separate service — the cancellation request for an employee involved in a labour case — applies, provided no absconding complaint has been filed against the employee.

MOHRE can also refuse cancellation if the employer has submitted false documents, is not carrying out genuine business activity, or is non-compliant with the Wage Protection System.

Residency is a separate step

Cancelling your work permit does not automatically cancel your residency visa. These are two distinct processes.

After the work permit is cancelled through MOHRE, you use that cancellation document to complete residency cancellation separately — either through ICP or through the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) in your emirate. If you are planning to leave the UAE or switch employers, make sure both steps are completed.

Practical takeaway

Begin cancellation through MOHRE as soon as your last working day is agreed. Confirm your employer has settled any permit-related fines and is ready to declare that entitlements are paid. Sign only when you have received what you are owed. Then treat residency cancellation as a second, separate task through ICP or GDRFA.

💬 Have you been through the work permit cancellation process in the UAE — was it straightforward or did you run into delays?