If you work in the UAE, health insurance is not a perk — it is a legal requirement, and in almost every case the bill sits with your employer. Since 1 January 2025, mandatory coverage has applied nationwide, closing the gap that previously left many workers in the Northern Emirates uninsured. Even so, the rules differ by emirate, basic plans have real limitations, and dependents are often the employee's responsibility. Here is how the system works in 2026 and what you are actually entitled to.
The legal picture: three overlapping systems
The UAE does not have a single national health insurer. Instead, three regimes cover the country:
- Dubai — regulated by the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) under the emirate's health insurance law. Every employer must insure every employee, and every sponsor must insure the people on their visa. You cannot renew or issue a Dubai residence visa without valid coverage.
- Abu Dhabi — regulated by the Department of Health (DoH). Employers must insure employees, and notably the obligation extends further than Dubai's: companies must also cover an employee's spouse and up to three children under 18. Emiratis are covered separately under the Thiqa programme.
- Nationwide basic scheme (since 2025) — a federal mandatory scheme covering private-sector employees and domestic workers who do not already hold coverage, which mainly affects the Northern Emirates (Sharjah, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah, Umm Al Quwain). The basic package costs employers a few hundred dirhams a year and is a condition for issuing or renewing work permits and residence visas.
The practical takeaway: wherever your visa is issued, your employer must arrange and pay for at least a basic plan before your residency can be processed. Deducting the premium from your salary is not permitted — if it appears on your payslip, raise it with HR and, if needed, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) or the relevant health regulator.