Recruitment across the seven emirates
Rotana recruits for employers in every emirate, from DIFC firms in Dubai to port operators in Fujairah. Each emirate has its own regulators, free zones and commuting patterns, and we run each search with those in mind.
Recruitment in each emirate of the UAE
Our work is UAE-wide. Employers in all seven emirates use us to hire locally, from Emirati nationals and UAE-resident expatriates to overseas candidates relocating, and to build full-time remote teams in the Philippines and South Africa.
The pages below cover what is particular to hiring in each emirate: the main free zones, the sectors that hire most, the licensing bodies that matter for regulated roles and where candidates tend to live. Pick the emirate where the role will be based.
Mainland and free zone hiring in the UAE
A mainland company hires under the federal labour law, Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, and applies for work permits through MOHRE. Salaries are paid through the Wage Protection System, and Emiratisation targets set by MOHRE apply to qualifying private companies.
A free zone company sponsors its staff through its own free zone authority, which handles the employment visa and ID card process. DIFC in Dubai and ADGM in Abu Dhabi go further and run their own employment laws, so employment terms, notice and end-of-service rules there follow those regulations.
In both cases the employer is the sponsor. Rotana prepares the candidate side, collects attested documents and works with your PRO so the permit and visa steps move without gaps.
- Mainland: MOHRE work permit, federal labour law, WPS payroll
- Free zone: permit and visa through the free zone authority
- DIFC and ADGM: separate employment regulations for employment terms and end of service
- All employers: confirm current rules with MOHRE or your free zone before an offer is signed
Questions employers ask
Do you recruit outside Dubai and Abu Dhabi?
Yes. We recruit for employers in all seven emirates, including Sharjah, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain. Many searches in the northern emirates also draw on candidates living in a neighbouring emirate.
Does a free zone change how you run a search?
The search itself is the same, though the paperwork differs. We check which authority will sponsor the hire and prepare the candidate's documents to suit that process, then coordinate with your PRO.
Tell us about the role you need to fill
One short form. A consultant replies within one working day.