One of the unique aspects of life in Dubai is that it’s more affordable than other parts of the world to have help at home.

Hiring a full time maid in Dubai or finding a nanny to take care of your house and children is one of the most important decisions you can make as a parent in the UAE. While thousands of families do it, there are lot of things to consider beforehand, as well as a paper trail of documents you’ll need to make it all official. Here’s your step-by-step guide…

1. start off right Before frantically taking to Google, take some time to think about exactly who it is you are looking for. List the qualities, qualifications and costs that suit you. Once you have a clearer idea of the type of live in nanny that’s right for your family, it’s time to decide how that person will fit into your daily routine. Consider whether you want a part-time or full-time nanny, live-in or live-out. Some families feel more comfortable having privacy and go for the live-out option, while other mums like the flexibility of having someone on hand to, Just remember, the only legal way to hire a part-time maid in Dubai  is through an agency.
2. Narrow it down Decide whether you want to find someone through a nanny service or on your own. The agency route can take the hassle out of the search and the beauty of it is that you can have someone as and when you need. Most nanny service will require you to take someone for at least four hours per week, with hourly rates varying from Dh35 to Dh50. Another bonus is that there’s a lot less paperwork for you as the nanny’s sponsorship is with the agency. However, monthly nanny service fees tend to be higher, ranging from Dh5,000 to Dh6,000 per month.
3. Tadbeer centers direct hire (MOHRE) If you choose to use a Tadbeer agency, there are plenty of centers out there. Look for recommended centers. Speak to other moms for their recommendations on tried-and-tested firms. Each Tadbeer center has its own pool of maids and offers different packages: Package 1 : one time agency fees + visa, Package 3: monthly maid contracts, etc. Contact . Excellence Center is a reputable Tadbeer Center that can supply maids directly. you can contact them at 04 347 4000
4. The direct approach Lots of mums prefer to take matters into their own hands and hire a helper directly. One great option is Maid finder. This huge online database offers a one-time registration , which gives you access to profiles of hundreds of ladies, and their Maid contact details, as well as daily new profiles. Registration   Dh350 one time fee for one-month access, as well as sorting the visa on your behalf for an extra cost. Facebook is another great resource, with a few good groups to fall back on. Social groups like Real Mums Dubai are a great place to pick up recommendations from families who are happy to vouch for nannies they have used. This is particularly helpful when families are moving on from Dubai, but are leaving a great nanny behind. Maid Finder HR experts interview maids and nannies on a daily basis, and select the best to post on maid finder site. On the site, maids are classified based on nationalities: Filipino maids, filipino maid ‘s, indian housemaids, Sri Lankan Housemaids, and Indonesian housemaids. The maids can be filtered based on location for example, maids in Dubai, maids in Abu Dhabi or based on qualification, like nanny in Dubai and nanny in Abu Dhabi
5. Question time Once you start shortlisting Housemaids, it’s time for interviews. It’s a good idea to prepare questions in advance. Try to tailor them to what’s most relevant to you, for example, whether they have experience with babies if your child is very young, or whether they are comfortable with pets if you have a dog. Keep an eye on whether candidates arrive on time for the interview and how interested they are in learning about your home. This is also a great opportunity to introduce your child and other family members and see how well they interact. Outline what you expect from the role, duties, working hours and package you are offering. Once you find someone you like, you can opt to try them out for a day or two on a paid trial, where you can start to show them the ropes, and see how you get along. For live-in nannies, you’ll want to prepare their living space and make them feel at home.
6. Stay on the right side of the law Once you’ve found the perfect person, it’s time to sort out the legalities. If you are using a housemaid agency, most of this is taken care of for you. If you’re hiring direct, you need to know the law, and it’s important to understand some of the most recent positive changes which protect the rights of domestic workers in the UAE. Built into the contract you give your helper should be their right to have at least one day off each week, 30 days’ annual leave, medical insurance and a return flight home each year. Another law to be aware of is that you must live in a two-bedroom home to hire a helper – even if she is going to be living out.
7. Make it official If you’re hiring directly, apply to Dubai’s immigration department (General Directorate of Residency and Foreigner Affairs) to have the nanny added to your visa, which costs between Dh10,500 and Normally for the two-year contract. Normally, a nanny’s visa can be obtained by the head of the family, usually male, with a salary of at least Dh6,000 per month. Women can in some situations sponsor a maid, but this can depend on where you work and how much you earn, so is best to check with immigration or Tadbeer centers. Another rule to watch out for is that if your husband is sponsoring someone else in your family (your child for example), the nanny’s sponsorship must also be under his name. You can also visit any Tadbeer center to apply for visa, Click here for Visa Costs details