Guide for families
Before you sign with a recruitment office: a checklist
Hiring a housemaid, nanny or cook through an office is a big decision. These are the questions to ask, and the papers to keep, before you pay anything.
Updated 17 Oct 2026
This is practical guidance, not legal advice. For the rules that apply to your case, check mohre.gov.ae or call MoHRE.
1. Check the office is licensed
MoHRE publishes the list of licensed domestic-worker recruitment offices on its website, under Services, then Approved Services Centers. Find the office there by name before you visit. MoHRE also asks families to call its call centre on 600590000 to check whether an agent advertising on social media is genuine.
2. Get the contract in writing, before you pay
Ask for a copy of the contract you will sign and read it at home. Check that it names:
- the office, with its licence details,
- the total fee and what it covers,
- how long the trial period is,
- how long the guarantee lasts after the trial,
- what happens if the worker leaves or the placement does not work out,
- how much is refunded, and within how many days.
3. Turn the periods into dates
“Trial period” and “guarantee” mean little until they are dates on your calendar. Once you know the start date, work out when each one ends and write it down. Our free placement date calculator does this for you.
4. Ask how a refund works, step by step
Ask the office to explain, in plain words:
- who you tell, and how (WhatsApp, email, in person),
- which date counts as the start of the refund,
- how many days the office has to pay,
- how it will be paid, and what you will receive as proof.
Ask for the answer in writing, even as a WhatsApp message. It is much easier to rely on later.
5. Pay in a way you can prove
Keep a receipt for every payment, with the office's name, the date and the amount.
6. Keep your own record from day one
Note the start date, the trial and guarantee end dates, and anything that happens. If you ever need to raise a problem, a dated record is your strongest help. See how to keep a simple placement record.
7. Know where to raise a problem
If something goes wrong with a licensed office, talk to the office first and keep the conversation in writing. MoHRE says families can report bad practice by recruitment offices through its digital channels or by calling 80084.