Work as a Maid or Nanny in the UAE
If you are looking for maid jobs in Dubai, start with what the work actually pays.
This page is for domestic workers, not for families. It covers what a housemaid, nanny, cook or driver earns in the UAE, shown in both dirhams and Philippine pesos, what your employer is legally required to give you, what you should never be asked to pay for, and how to put your profile in front of families directly.
Registering your profile on ChooseMaid is free. Families pay to contact you. You never pay anything, at any stage.
More than 1,000 workers have profiles on the platform, and families message candidates directly on WhatsApp.
Dubai Salary for a Domestic Helper in Peso and Dirhams
This is the number most people want first, and almost nobody publishes it honestly.
Monthly salary, converted at approximately PHP 15.5 to 1 AED. Check the live rate before you rely on it, because it moves.
| Role | Monthly AED | Approx. monthly PHP |
|---|---|---|
| Housemaid, live-in, first job abroad | 1,500 to 1,800 | 23,250 to 27,900 |
| Housemaid, live-in, 2+ years Gulf experience | 1,500 to 2,200 | 23,250 to 34,100 |
| Housemaid, live-out | 1,800 to 3,000 | 27,900 to 46,500 |
| Nanny, live-in | 1,800 to 2,800 | 27,900 to 43,400 |
| Nanny, live-out | 2,500 to 4,500 | 38,750 to 69,750 |
| Cook | 1,800 to 3,000 | 27,900 to 46,500 |
| Driver | 2,500 to 4,500 | 38,750 to 69,750 |
| Nurse-qualified caregiver | 3,500 to 6,000 | 54,250 to 93,000 |
The DH salary in Dubai per month is not the whole picture. If you live in, your employer also provides accommodation, food and utilities, which is why live-in salaries look lower. A live-out worker earns more in cash but pays her own rent, transport and food out of it.
What raises your salary, in order of impact:
Gulf experience. Two years in the UAE or Saudi can add AED 400 to 700 a month over a first-time worker.
English. Families who want a nanny who speaks English with their children pay a clear premium.
Cooking range. Being able to cook the family's own cuisine, not just clean, is worth AED 200 to 500.
First aid or childcare certification. Adds AED 200 to 400 and opens nanny roles.
A driving licence. Opens driver and school-run roles that pay AED 2,500 and up.
What does not raise it: paying an agent more money. Nobody who asks you for a higher fee is getting you a higher salary.
What Your Employer Must Pay For, and What You Must Not
Under UAE Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2022 on domestic workers, your employer is responsible for all of this. None of it comes out of your salary.
| Item | Who pays | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Visa and residency permit | Employer | Never you |
| Medical fitness test | Employer | Required before residency |
| Emirates ID | Employer | |
| Health insurance | Employer | Mandatory |
| Flight to the UAE | Employer | For recruited workers |
| Return flight home on annual leave | Employer | Once your leave falls due |
| Accommodation and food, if live-in | Employer | Cannot be deducted from salary |
| Your personal phone and data | You |
Things that are not allowed, no matter what anyone tells you:
- Your employer keeping your passport. It is your document and it stays with you.
- Deducting recruitment or visa costs from your salary.
- Paying you late, or in anything other than money.
- Charging you a fee to be placed with a family. A legitimate employer or platform never charges the worker.
If any of these happen, you can file a complaint with MOHRE on 600 590 000.
Your Rights: Hours, Rest Days and Leave
| Right | What the law gives you |
|---|---|
| Daily rest | At least 12 hours in every 24, of which 8 are continuous |
| Weekly rest day | One full paid day off every week |
| Annual leave | 30 days of paid leave per year |
| Sick leave | 30 days a year with a medical report: the first 15 days on full pay, the rest at half pay |
| Salary payment | Monthly, in full, on time |
| End of service pay | Usually 14 days of basic pay for each year worked, after one year |
| Return ticket | Home and back once every two years, when you spend your annual leave in your home country |
| Probation | Maximum 6 months |
Your weekly day off is paid and it is not optional. If you agree to work it, you should be paid extra or given another day instead.
How to Calculate Your End of Service Pay
End of service pay, often called gratuity, is money you are owed when you leave. It is not a bonus and it is not optional. Most workers never calculate it and many never ask for it.
The formula under UAE law for domestic workers:
Commonly 14 days of basic salary for each full year of service, payable after you complete one year.
Working it out on a salary of AED 2,000 a month:
- Daily rate
- AED 2,000 ÷ 30 = AED 66.70
- 14 days
- AED 66.70 x 14 = AED 933 per year worked
- After 1 year
- AED 933 · about PHP 14,460
- After 2 years
- AED 1,866 · about PHP 28,920
- After 3 years
- AED 2,799 · about PHP 43,380
- After 5 years
- AED 4,665 · about PHP 72,310
On a salary of AED 1,500:
- Daily rate
- AED 50
- Per year worked
- AED 700
- After 3 years
- AED 2,100 · about PHP 32,550
Four things to know:
It is calculated on basic salary, not including overtime or allowances.
A partial year counts proportionally once you have passed the first full year. Two years and six months earns two and a half years of entitlement.
It is paid within 10 days of your contract ending, as long as you did not break the contract.
It cannot be reduced for recruitment costs, visa fees or flights. Those are your employer's responsibility and deducting them from your end of service pay is not permitted.
Keep a copy of your contract and a record of your start date. Those two documents are what you need if the amount is disputed.
Housemaid Jobs in Dubai: What Families Look For
Families on this platform filter by a short list of things. Getting these right on your profile is what gets you messaged.
Nationality and language. Be specific. List every language and your level honestly.
Live-in or live-out availability. Say which you want. Both is fine and widens your options.
Years of experience, and where. Gulf experience first, then anywhere else.
Cooking. Name the cuisines you can actually cook. "Indian, Filipino, basic continental" beats "cooking".
Childcare. Name the age groups. "Newborn to 3 years" is far stronger than "good with kids".
Visa status. If you are already in the UAE on a domestic worker visa that can be transferred, you are much faster to hire, and you should say so at the top.
What makes a profile get ignored: no photo, one line of experience, no languages listed, and no clear statement of what you are looking for.
House Maid Jobs in the UAE for Any Nationality
Families on ChooseMaid hire Filipino, Indian, Indonesian, Nepali, Kenyan, Ugandan, Ethiopian, Sri Lankan and Bangladeshi workers. There is no nationality restriction on registering.
What does differ is salary expectation and which roles are easiest to find:
| Nationality | Strongest demand | Typical live-in AED |
|---|---|---|
| Filipino | Nanny and housemaid, English-speaking families | 1,800 to 2,500 |
| Indian | Housemaid and cook, Indian households | 1,200 to 2,000 |
| Indonesian | Housemaid and infant care, Muslim households | 1,300 to 2,000 |
| Nepali | Housemaid, villa cleaning | 1,300 to 2,000 |
| Kenyan | Nanny and housemaid, English-speaking | 1,400 to 2,100 |
| Ugandan | Nanny and housemaid, English-speaking | 1,400 to 2,100 |
| Ethiopian | Housemaid | 1,000 to 1,600 |
If you are already in the UAE on a domestic worker visa, your nationality matters far less and you can be hired within a week.
Domestic Helper Job Description: What the Work Involves
Know what you are agreeing to before you accept, and get it written down.
A housemaid in Dubai is typically asked to do: general cleaning, dusting, mopping, bathrooms and kitchen, laundry, ironing, bed changing, washing up, grocery shopping, and basic cooking if agreed.
A nanny is typically asked to do: full childcare, feeding, bathing, school runs, homework support, play and activities, children's laundry, and tidying children's rooms.
What should be written into your contract before you start:
- Exact working hours and your weekly day off
- Whether cooking is included, and for how many people
- Whether childcare is included if you were hired as a maid
- Accommodation arrangement if you live in
- Salary amount and the date it is paid each month
- Annual leave entitlement and ticket
The most common problem workers report is scope. Hired as a maid, then expected to be a full-time nanny as well, for the same salary. Agree it in writing at the start and the problem does not arise.
Nanny, Cook and Driver Jobs in Dubai
Nanny jobs pay the most of the common roles, AED 1,800 to 4,500. Families want age-group experience, English, and first aid certification. A live-out nanny earns AED 2,500 to 4,500 plus a transport allowance of AED 300 to 500.
Cook jobs pay AED 1,800 to 3,000. Being able to cook a specific cuisine well is worth more than general cooking. Indian, Filipino, Arabic and continental are the most requested.
Driver jobs pay AED 2,500 to 4,500 and require a valid UAE licence. Female drivers are in demand for school runs and family transport, and often earn at the top of that range.
From Application to Arrival: What Actually Happens
If you are applying from outside the UAE, this is the full sequence and roughly how long each part takes. Knowing it protects you, because most problems happen when a worker does not know what should come next.
| Stage | What happens | Typical time | Who pays |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Profile and contact | You register, families message you on WhatsApp | Same day | Free for you |
| 2. Interviews | Video calls, usually two or three families | 3 to 10 days | Free |
| 3. Agreement | Salary, hours, day off, live-in or live-out, start date | 1 to 3 days | Free |
| 4. Offer and contract | A written contract, which you read before signing | 2 to 5 days | Employer |
| 5. Entry permit | The employer applies, usually through a Tadbeer centre | 5 to 15 days | Employer |
| 6. Travel | Flight to the UAE | 1 to 7 days | Employer |
| 7. Medical fitness test | Blood test and chest x-ray after arrival | 2 to 5 days | Employer |
| 8. Emirates ID and biometrics | Fingerprints and photo | Same week | Employer |
| 9. Residency stamping | Visa stamped, residency issued | 5 to 10 days | Employer |
| 10. Start work |
Total from first contact to starting work: usually four to seven weeks.
If you are already in the UAE on a domestic worker visa, it can be transferred to your new family, which is faster and cheaper than a new visa from abroad. Say so clearly on your profile.
Three things to check before you sign anything:
- The contract names your salary, your weekly day off and your annual leave. If it does not, ask for it in writing.
- Nobody has asked you for money. Not for the visa, not for the flight, not for a placement fee. If someone has, that is the signal to stop.
- You keep your passport. Confirm this before you travel, in writing.
What a legitimate process looks like: the employer or the Tadbeer centre handles every official step and pays for all of it. Your only cost is your own phone and any personal documents you needed at home.
How to Register Your Profile, Free
Create your profile. Name, nationality, languages, experience, current location and visa status.
Add a clear photo. Face visible, plain background, no filters. Profiles without one get far fewer messages.
Write your experience properly. Where you worked, how long, what you did, what ages of children. Three or four sentences beats one line.
Say what you are looking for. Live-in or live-out, full-time or part-time, which emirate, your salary expectation.
Wait for families to message you. They contact you on WhatsApp directly. You never pay anything.
It is free, permanently. Families pay a one-time fee to see contact details. That cost never passes to you, and anyone asking you for money to be placed is not acting legitimately.
Register your profile free →If Something Goes Wrong: How to Raise It
Most placements are fine. When they are not, you have a real route and it is free to use.
Step 1: Raise it with the family first, in writing. A WhatsApp message stating the problem plainly is a written record. Keep it. Many issues are a misunderstanding about scope and are solved in a conversation.
Step 2: Gather your documents. Your contract, your Emirates ID, your passport copy, your start date, and any messages about the problem. Photograph everything and keep copies somewhere that is not only your phone.
Step 3: Contact MOHRE. The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation handles domestic worker complaints.
- Call
- 600 590 000
- Online
- mohre.gov.ae
- In person
- Any Tadbeer centre
The service is free, it is available in several languages, and you do not need a lawyer.
What MOHRE will act on:
- Salary not paid, paid late, or paid short
- Your passport being held
- No weekly day off, or no annual leave
- Working hours far beyond what the law allows
- End of service pay not paid when you leave
- Being charged any fee by your employer or a recruiter
- Being made to do work substantially different from your contract
What helps your case: a written contract, dated messages, and bank records if you were paid by transfer. What makes it harder: no contract and no records. That is the reason to insist on a written contract at stage 4 above, before you travel.
If you feel unsafe, call the police on 999. Domestic workers have the same protection as anyone else in the UAE, and your visa status does not change that.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a domestic helper earn in Dubai per month in pesos?
A live-in housemaid typically earns AED 1,500 to 2,200, which is roughly PHP 23,250 to 34,100 a month. Live-out roles pay AED 1,800 to 3,000, about PHP 27,900 to 46,500. Rates move, so check the live conversion.
Do I have to pay anything to register?
No. Registering is free and stays free. Families pay to unlock contact details.
Who pays for my visa and medical test?
Your employer, by law. Never you. The same applies to your Emirates ID, health insurance and flight.
Can my employer keep my passport?
No. Your passport is your document and must stay with you. If it has been taken, you can contact MOHRE on 600 590 000.
How many days off do I get?
One full paid day every week, plus 30 days of paid annual leave each year.
What is end of service pay?
After one full year, you are usually owed 14 days of pay for each year worked. Three years at AED 2,000 a month is roughly AED 2,800.
Do I need Gulf experience to get hired?
No, but it raises your salary. First-time workers typically start at AED 1,500 to 1,800 live-in, and move up after a first contract.
I already have a UAE visa. Does that help?
Yes, if it's a domestic worker visa that can be transferred. Your new family still sponsors your visa, directly or through a Tadbeer centre, but a transfer is faster and cheaper.
What is the difference between live-in and live-out?
Live-in means you stay in the family home and they provide your room, food and utilities. Live-out means you have your own accommodation and commute, so the salary is higher but you pay your own costs.
Can any nationality apply?
Yes. There is no nationality restriction on registering a profile.
How long does it take to get hired?
If you already hold a residency visa, often under a week. If you need sponsorship, three to six weeks for the visa process.
What if the family asks me to do work I did not agree to?
Agree the full scope in writing before you start. If the work changes substantially afterwards, you can raise it with MOHRE on 600 590 000.
Put your profile in front of families directly.
No agency between you and the employer. No fee at any stage. You choose which families you reply to and you agree your own salary.
This page is general information, not legal advice. For your own case, contact MOHRE on 600 590 000.