As with most things in the UAE, word of mouth is the best way to find some help. Ask around your friends and colleagues, post on Facebook and keep your eyes and ears open for families leaving, who are looking to find a family for their nanny.
You may need to interview several women to find the someone who will work happily within your home – a lot will come down to personality, as well as experience, plus similar expectations in terms of work and salary. The rule of thumb seems to be that live-out help is paid more – approximately Dhs500 per month – to cover costs of accommodation. Salary will depend on experience and duties, with those who can drive commanding more. Different nationalities have different minimum salaries so check with their embassy.
There is the option of hiring through an agency by looking through CVs or videos before conducting phone interviews (the agency will charge upwards of Dhs6,000 for their services), or from a family that is already in the UAE. Either way, they will be on your sponsorship and you will sign a two-year contract, pay a deposit of Dhs3,000, and around Dhs5,000 each year for her employment visa, plus charges for registration, medical checks and Emirates ID. You also need to provide health insurance, and for peace of mind send your helper on a first-aid course.
In 2017 a new law was passed to ensure that domestic helpers are provided with 30 days of paid annual leave, a return ticket to their home country every two years, a day off each week, and 12 hours of rest per day, to include eight hours of consecutive rest.
They also have the right to retain their own personal documents such as passports.
