In this guide 6 sections
Find out who is offering the job
Ask for the name of the household or organisation making the offer and the name of any recruitment office involved. If an office is arranging the job, ask it to explain who will appear on the employment contract, who will pay you and whom you can contact if the job changes. Use the UAE Government’s service-centre directory to find MoHRE’s list of approved domestic worker service centres. Check that the office name and contact details match what you have been given. If the office does not appear on the list, ask MoHRE whether it is licensed before going any further. If an agency in the country you are applying from is involved, check its licence with the labour or overseas employment authority there as well.
A nanny working in a private household and someone applying for a job at a nursery may be offered different arrangements. This guide covers the household offer. If the recruiter cannot explain who is hiring you or where you would work, pause and ask for written clarification. Read our guide to spotting a UAE job scam if you are being rushed to pay or share documents.
Write down who does what
Make a short list of the people or organisations involved. Put the household, the recruiting office, any overseas agency and the person handling the paperwork on separate lines. For each, note their name, the contact you independently verified and what they say they are responsible for. Use the same list when you speak to the family and the recruiter. If they give different answers, you can point to the exact point that needs clearing up.
Ask whether you will work for one household, across more than one address, or under an arrangement where an agency places you with a family. If the answer changes after the interview, ask which details will appear on the contract. Also ask who can explain the paperwork if the person who recruited you is unavailable. You should know whom to contact about the job before handing over documents or booking travel.
Use the interview to understand the work
Ask the family to talk you through a typical day from the time you start until you finish. You may hear about school runs, meal preparation or supporting a child with homework. Ask which tasks are yours and which another person handles. If there are pets, family errands or household cleaning in the role, ask how often they come up and how the family expects you to fit them around childcare.
Ask separately about weekends, school holidays and days when a parent is away. A normal day can be clear while the rest of the week is still vague. If you are considering a live-in position, ask when you can leave the home on your time off and how the family handles requests outside your agreed hours.
Compare the written offer and contract
Ask for a copy of the contract in a language you understand, with time to read it before you agree. MoHRE’s domestic worker materials refer to a standard employment contract. Ask the recruiter or ministry to confirm which approved form applies to your arrangement. Keep your own copy and compare it with the offer before signing.
| Check | What to ask for in writing |
|---|---|
| Job and workplace | The household address, number and ages of the children, and agreed duties. Ask about school runs, cooking, cleaning and travel with the family. |
| Pay | The agreed amount and currency, when it is paid, and which benefits are separate from the wage. |
| Hours and time off | Your usual start and finish, breaks, regular time off and how overnight or weekend duties are handled. |
| Accommodation | Whether you live in, where you sleep, who shares facilities and what happens to your accommodation if the job ends. |
| Travel and paperwork | Who handles each step, what document confirms it and when you should expect a confirmed start date. |
| Changes or end of the job | Who to contact if the agreed duties or work address change, and what the contract says about notice and travel home. |
A message saying “live-in, all included” leaves important details open. Ask to see your room and shared areas on a video call. If the household travels regularly, ask whether you will travel with them, what work is expected on those trips and where you will stay. The staff accommodation checklist can help you frame housing questions.
Compare pay and the costs you would cover
Put the cash wage on one line and the benefits on separate lines. Ask when you would receive the first payment and how you would get a record of each payment. If a recruiter gives the figure in the currency you use at home, confirm the contract amount in UAE dirhams. This makes it easier to spot whether a difference comes from an exchange rate or a change to the offer.
Next, list the regular costs you expect to pay yourself. Ask what food and transport the offer includes and what you would pay for on your time off. If the offer says you would live away from the household, ask how the employer will provide suitable accommodation and check the arrangement with MoHRE. Add any one-off costs to a separate list, so you can see what you would need to have available before your first pay date.
Suppose two hypothetical offers both include suitable accommodation at no separate charge. The first pays AED 4,000 per month and covers your commute. The second pays AED 4,800 per month. If the written offer leaves travel costs to you and you estimate AED 1,200 for the commute, that leaves AED 3,600 after travel under the second offer. These figures are for comparison practice. Use your own verified costs and compare the room, hours and time off before deciding which arrangement suits you.
Check how working time fits into the week
If the family says the hours are flexible, ask what flexibility means in practice. Does a later finish shift your start time the next morning? If a parent is late, who takes over and what happens to your evening plans? If someone asks you to stay with the children overnight, ask whether that is a regular duty and how it changes the next day.
A simple way to check is to take one day from the family’s example and mark four points: when you start, when another adult can take over, when you finish and when the next shift begins. Then do the same for a school holiday and for a weekend. If the answers differ from what the written offer led you to expect, ask for the schedule or the wording to be clarified before you agree.
Check the room and the route to work
A live-in offer ties your workplace and housing together. Ask whether the room is private, what facilities you share and when you can use them. Find out where you can keep belongings and what the arrangements are for meals, laundry and internet access. If you see the room on a call, confirm that it is the room you would be given.
If the proposed accommodation is away from the workplace, ask for both addresses early enough to check the journey at your actual start and finish times. Check whether you would need a taxi when public transport is unavailable. If the household says transport is included, ask whether that covers a regular commute, particular journeys or an allowance. If you are expected to drive the children, clarify which vehicle you would use, what the household expects you to do and how it will confirm the relevant licence and insurance requirements.
Ask for a corrected version when the documents differ
Say the offer describes childcare and school runs, but the contract also lists general household duties. Ask for a written description of what those duties involve and who covers them when you are caring for the children. If you would only consider the role on the original terms, say which line needs changing and ask for a revised copy. Review the whole document again, including pay and dates, before signing.
You could write: “Thank you for sending the contract. The offer described childcare and school runs. Please confirm whether the household duties in the contract change the job we discussed. Could you send a revised copy that lists the agreed duties and schedule so I can check them before accepting?” Adapt the message to the exact difference in your own offer.
Make a plan before booking travel
Ask the employer or recruitment office for a written list of the steps before departure, with a person responsible for each one. Check the process through MoHRE if you are unsure which documents are needed or who should submit them. Use a verified contact when sharing sensitive documents, and keep copies of the offer, contract, application references and travel details.
If someone asks for money, get the purpose, amount and recipient in writing. Before paying, ask MoHRE through its official channels whether a payment like this is allowed. If the contract differs from the offer, ask for a corrected copy and review it before agreeing to a start date. Our UAE relocation guides can help you plan once the employment and travel details are clear.
Keep a copy you can reach while travelling
Save the agreed contract, the contact details of the household and recruiter, and the address where you expect to stay. Keep a copy somewhere you can access if your phone is lost or has no signal. Give your travel details and an agreed check-in time to someone you trust, with your consent about what information they can share if they cannot reach you.
When you are asked for a document, check who needs it, how they want you to submit it and whether you can obtain a submission reference. Under UAE domestic worker rules, your employer must let you keep your identification documents. If someone asks for your original passport for an official step, confirm the process directly with MoHRE before handing it over.
Plan for a change after you arrive
Before leaving, ask who will meet you, how you can identify them and what number to use if your flight is delayed. Agree what happens if you arrive when that person is unavailable. If your offer includes accommodation, find out where you will go on your first night and check how you can reach the address independently.
If the job or housing changes, make a note of the date and what changed. Save relevant messages and ask the named contact to clarify the arrangement if you can do so safely. If you need help with a dispute, use the ministry’s domestic worker complaints service to check the process. You can prepare the employer’s name, your contract or offer, and any messages or payment records that explain the issue. If you are in immediate danger, prioritise getting to safety and contacting local emergency services.
Decide which details need to be settled before you say yes
Put the offer, contract and travel plan side by side. Mark what is confirmed, what is still a question and who can resolve it. Some details can be settled later, such as the date of a future family holiday. Others affect whether you can make the move, including where you would sleep on arrival and which organisation is handling the work paperwork.
Choose a date to follow up on the unresolved points. If the date passes without an answer, hold off on decisions that cost money or are hard to reverse, such as leaving a current job or paying for a non-refundable flight. You can keep considering the offer while waiting for clear terms.
Common questions
Who should I contact if the recruiter and household give different answers?
Ask both to confirm the arrangement in writing. Check the recruiter’s details through MoHRE and use its official domestic worker channels to clarify which contract and process apply.
What should I ask about a live-in nanny offer?
Ask about the room, shared facilities, overnight duties, time off and when you would need to move out if the job ended. If there is a video call, ask to see the areas you would use.
Can I rely on the details in a message from the family?
Use the message to make a list of the terms you expect to see. Compare it with the contract you are asked to sign, and ask for any important difference to be resolved before signing.
What if someone asks me to pay before I see the contract?
Pause and verify the request with MoHRE using its official contact details. Keep a copy of the request and check the recruitment office’s identity independently.
What if the family asks me to work at a second address?
Ask how often you would go there, who would be present, what duties you would perform and how you would travel between addresses. Ask the recruiter or MoHRE to confirm whether the proposed arrangement fits the contract and work paperwork before agreeing.
What should I check if childcare involves driving?
Ask whether driving is part of the agreed duties, whose vehicle you would use and who will confirm that your licence and insurance cover the work. Clarify which journeys are expected and what you should do if you cannot drive when you start.
