How many types of recruitment agency to dubai for foreigners?

Last Updated on December 26, 2024

Dubai is home to numerous local, regional, and international recruitment firms. To operate, most of these agencies are required to obtain a staffing activities license from the government. Additionally, the types of recruitment agency to dubai is often determined by the specific license they hold.

Although recruitment agencies primarily function to connect job seekers with employers, they are limited in offering additional services, such as consulting, workplace management, recruiting on behalf of other agencies, or hiring international candidates, unless they possess the proper license from the government.

The registration process for employment agencies in the UAE is similar to that of other business sectors. Agencies must first register with the Department of Economic Development (DED) before starting their operations in the UAE.

Recruitment agencies in Dubai generate substantial annual income due to their deep involvement in the UAE job market. Their services range from client consultation and HR planning to recruitment activities, including interviews, staffing, outsourcing, market research, and more.

Types of recruitment agency licenses in UAE;

In the UAE, there are two types of recruitment agency licenses: permanent licenses, which allow ongoing recruitment activities, and temporary licenses, which are issued for specific recruitment events.

1. Brokerage License

A brokerage license is granted to recruitment agencies whose primary business is staffing for clients. These agencies are fully engaged in the UAE job market and can mediate or manage employment relationships between:

1. Foreign nationals and UAE companies.
2. UAE residents and foreign companies.

Key Activities of Brokerage-Licensed Recruitment Firms:

• Application Processing: Handling applications from both foreign and UAE nationals seeking employment.
• Employer Requests: Managing hiring requests from companies within the UAE or overseas.
• Job Listings: Creating and publishing databases of job openings online or in newspapers.
• Database Management: Maintaining and exchanging information between candidate and employer databases as required.

2. Temporary Recruitment License

This license is required for companies looking to hire foreign nationals or UAE residents temporarily, either for themselves or on behalf of their clients. The license will be end after the recruitment event.

Key Activities Under a Temporary Recruitment License:

• Conducting advertising campaigns to attract candidates.
• Shortlisting and interviewing candidates.

Important Note:

If a company regularly hires employees, it must obtain a brokerage recruiting license to make more efficient the recruitment process. Without this license, the company would need to apply for a temporary license each time it conducts recruitment activities.

In the UAE, it is common for large corporations with multiple subsidiaries to establish a sister company solely for recruitment activities. This setup streamlines staffing across all the group’s companies.

Types of recruitment agency to Dubai

1. Traditional Recruitment Firms

• These agencies hire workers with general skills and executive roles to fill positions for their clients and themself.
• The majority of UAE recruitment agencies fall into this category.

2. Executive Search Agencies

• Most international recruitment firms in the UAE belong to this category.
• These agencies focus exclusively on recruiting leadership and executive-level roles.
• They often provide additional consultation services to their clients, assisting with strategic talent acquisition.

3. Niche or Specialist Agencies

• These agencies specialize in a specific industry and offer expert recruitment services based on their focused database.
• Examples include organizations hiring software developers, app developers, engineers, and professionals in other specialized fields.

4. Large-Scale Labor Recruiters

• These agencies recruit a high volume of workers and supply them directly to their clients.
• They are ideal for industries requiring a large workforce, such as construction or manufacturing.

5. Temporary Recruitment Agencies

• These agencies cater to temporary staffing needs.
• In many cases, the employer company itself acts as the recruitment agency, with its HR department handling the selection and placement process for short-term roles.

A brokerage license is a long-term that can be valid for the company’s whole life. However, a temporary license is only valid for a limited time or a specific recruitment event.

A brokerage-licensed organization plays the most significant role in the UAE job market, therefore, there are many international recruitment agencies in the UAE that have opened their branches in Dubai.

Although there are dozens of recruitment firms in the United Arab Emirates, from an employee’s perspective, working with a top agency that operates with a fully authorized license is the best choice. For more insights, we have written another post about the top recruitment agencies in Dubai for foreigners. Click here.