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Recruitment Agency and HR Consultancy Licence in DMCC

What a DMCC company can do, when you need a MOHRE agency licence, and the AED 300,000 and AED 1,000,000 guarantees.

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You can build a recruitment or HR business from DMCC, but the UAE treats advising employers and acting as an employment agency as two different things. Placing workers with UAE employers, or supplying temporary staff, needs a licence from the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE), backed by a bank guarantee of AED 300,000 or AED 1,000,000. Getting this split right before you apply saves months.

Which route fits your business model?

What you plan to doTypical route
HR consultancy: policies, salary benchmarking, org design, trainingA DMCC service licence with an HR consultancy activity, where available on DMCC’s activity list
Executive search or recruitment advice for companies outside the UAEA DMCC service licence; confirm the exact activity wording with us first
Matching job seekers with UAE employers for a fee (mediation)MOHRE mediation agency licence, AED 300,000 guarantee
Supplying your own staff to work at client companies (temporary employment / outsourcing)MOHRE temporary employment licence, AED 1,000,000 guarantee
Hiring staff for your own DMCC companyYour DMCC licence and visa quota; no agency licence needed

The difference that matters: if the client pays you to find, place or supply workers in the UAE, MOHRE regards you as an employment agency. If the client pays you for advice and remains the employer, it is consultancy.

MOHRE employment agency licence: official requirements

Licence typeBank guarantee (minimum)MOHRE fee (AED)
Mediation agencyAED 300,00025,000
Temporary employment and outsourcingAED 1,000,00050,000
Combined (temporary employment, outsourcing and mediation)AED 1,000,00075,000

MOHRE allows an insurance scheme instead of the bank guarantee, which must renew automatically. Processing time: 10 working days. Fees exclude tax and collection charges.

What MOHRE asks for

  • Initial approval from the Department of Economy and a valid trade licence
  • A location diagram and a clearly identifiable address used only for the business (MOHRE may permit electronic recruitment instead)
  • Passport and Emirates ID copies, a police clearance certificate, credit reports and a certificate of financial solvency
  • A signed acknowledgement of the rules governing employment agencies

MOHRE also bars applicants who are MOHRE employees or close relatives of one, owners of establishments closed for labour-law violations, and people convicted of offences such as human trafficking or breach of trust. Because MOHRE’s document list starts with Department of Economy approval, agency licensing usually runs through a mainland licence; ask us before assuming a free zone company can hold it.

Setting up the DMCC side

  1. Define the service in writing: advice only, or placement and supply.
  2. Match the activity on DMCC’s activity list; we check the exact wording before the name is reserved (see DMCC name rules).
  3. Choose a package: DMCC’s Basic Biz package starts at AED 35,484 with a flexi desk (DMCC cost).
  4. Plan the agency licence separately if any part of the business is placement or staff supply.
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What will your DMCC company cost?

Answer four questions. You will see the official DMCC package that fits, then get a written quote from us on WhatsApp.

Likely DMCC route
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Prices are DMCC’s official packages and Schedule of Charges (checked October 2026). Your final quote confirms the live fee. Pro24 is based in Platinum Tower, JLT.

Consultancy or agency? Get it right first time

Tell us how you will earn money from recruitment. We will tell you whether a DMCC licence is enough or you also need a MOHRE agency licence.

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Recruitment and HR licences: FAQs

Can I open a recruitment agency in DMCC?
You can run HR consultancy and advisory work from a DMCC company, subject to DMCC’s activity list. Placing workers with UAE employers or supplying temporary staff needs a MOHRE employment agency licence, with a bank guarantee of AED 300,000 or AED 1,000,000.
What bank guarantee does a recruitment agency need in the UAE?
At least AED 300,000 for a mediation agency, and at least AED 1,000,000 for temporary employment and outsourcing or a combined licence, under MOHRE’s rules. MOHRE allows an insurance scheme instead.
How much is the MOHRE recruitment agency licence fee?
AED 25,000 for mediation, AED 50,000 for temporary employment and outsourcing, and AED 75,000 for the combined licence, excluding tax and collection charges.
Do I need a MOHRE licence to hire staff for my own DMCC company?
No. Hiring your own employees runs through your DMCC licence and visa quota. See hiring employees in a DMCC company.

Related DMCC guides

Sources & review. MOHRE service “Issuance of a new license for temporary employment and mediation agency” (mohre.gov.ae) for the guarantees, fees, documents, conditions and 10-day processing time, under Cabinet Resolution No. 51 of 2022 on employment agencies. DMCC package price from DMCC’s official packages. Checked 29 October 2026 and reviewed by the Pro24 Advisory Team. General guidance, not legal advice.