How is outsourcing PRO more affordable than hiring an in-house PRO?

An in-house PRO in Dubai costs AED 8,000 to 12,000 per month in salary alone, plus benefits, visa and end-of-service liability. When that person leaves, the knowledge and continuity go with them. Outsourcing to Connect Group typically costs 40 to 60% less, with no recruitment risk, no knowledge gap and a team rather than an individual covering the account.

PRO Services in Dubai & UAE

Every Government document your business needs. Handled in-house.

Trade license. Visa stamping. Emirates ID. Labour approvals. Document attestation. Each one has a different department, a different deadline and a penalty if it slips. Connect Group handles all of it so you never find out what a missing one actually costs.

Our Specialist Brands

This service is delivered through our dedicated group subsidiaries, ensuring niche expertise at every stage.

in UAE business
since 2016

0 +yrs

Companies
served

0 3000+

Specialist across
our group

150+ 0

Official UAE
alliance partner

Randstad

What makes Connect Group different from a typing centre

Most PRO providers in Dubai outsource government relations to a third party. We never have.

In-House Since 2016

Visa processing and government relations run under our own MOHRE accreditation. Never subcontracted, never outsourced.

The Authorities Know us

9 years of working directly with MOHRE, GDRFA and DET means Connect Group is not a new name in the room. That changes how fast things move and what happens when they do not.

150+ Specialist, Not One Person

A named specialist on your account, backed by a full team. No single point of failure when someone is on leave.

2,000+ Golden Visas Processed

From routine renewals to the most complex residency categories, we have done the volume that builds real expertise.

This is why businesses stop managing PRO in the UAE themselves

The track record above only matters because of what it prevents. Here is what tends to unfold when PRO services are not in place or are handled without sufficient experience.

A visa renewal date quietly passes.

The grace period lasts 30 days and ends whether anyone is watching or not. Once it closes, the employee is legally working without valid authorisation. MOHRE flags the violation, the fine is charged per case, and a work permit freeze often follows, putting every other application your company has open on hold as well.

A document attestation is rejected.

One missing apostille or one step submitted out of sequence through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the file is sent back to the beginning. For documents issued outside the UAE, that single mistake can cost three to six weeks before the application even reaches the right desk again.

The establishment card lapses unnoticed.

The moment it expires, GDRFA stops approving new visas under your trade licence, no exceptions. Every offer letter already issued sits frozen, and there is no priority lane once this happens. You re-enter the same renewal queue as everyone else.

Your in-house PRO resigns.

Every login, every government contact, and every undocumented deadline walks out the door with them. Their replacement starts from zero, while the renewals due in that gap do not pause to let anyone catch up.

Connect Group runs your entire PRO function, so none of the above is ever a conversation you have to have.

PRO Services we handle for you in
Dubai and the UAE

Visa processing and government relations have been run in-house at Connect Group since 2016, never outsourced to a third-party typing centre. Every function below sits under our own MOHRE accreditation.

Visa processing and residency

Employment visas, residency stamping, renewals, cancellations and status changes managed end to end.

Document clearing and attestation

MOFA, embassy and notary attestations for educational, commercial and personal documents prepared and filed correctly.

Trade licence applications and renewals

New licence applications, activity amendments, ownership changes and annual renewals with DED and free zone authorities.

Labour and MOHRE services

Work permit applications, labour contract registration, Wage Protection System setup and MOHRE compliance filings.

Emirates ID and immigration

ICP registrations, Emirates ID applications, biometric coordination, entry permits and in-country status changes.

Company setup documentation

Memorandum of association, shareholder documentation, establishment card opening and Mainland or free zone registration.

Ongoing corporate PRO retainer

Monthly managed service covering all your recurring filings, renewals and government correspondence under one engagement.

Who uses Connect Group's PRO services in the UAE?

Different businesses, different volumes, the same outcome they are after: government processes handled correctly, without pulling their own team away from the work that actually grows the business.

New businesses

You have a licence, but the paperwork does not stop there. Establishment cards, MOHRE registration, first employee visas, Connect Group handles the government setup, so you handle the business setup.

Growing SMEs

Headcount is rising. Renewals are multiplying. One person cannot manage it all. Connect Group takes the entire PRO function off your desk so your operations team stays on operations.

Multinationals entering the UAE

New market, unfamiliar authorities, first local hires. Connect Group brings nine years of direct government relationships and a named PRO specialist who already knows the process, the departments and the deadlines.

Individuals and families

Residency visas, dependent sponsorship, Emirates ID, document attestation for personal use, all handled by the same team that serves over 3,000+ companies in the UAE.

How our PRO service works: Four steps,
minimal time from you

Tell us what you need

Share the requirement, whether it is a single visa renewal or a full corporate PRO retainer. We confirm the documents needed and the timeline before anything moves.

Send the documents

We provide a clear checklist of exactly what to send. No guesswork, no back and forth. Documents are received, reviewed, and prepared for submission.

We submit and track

Your application goes to the relevant authority with correct documentation the first time. We follow up directly with government departments and update you at every stage.

Done. Delivered.

Approved documents, stamped visas, and renewed licences delivered to you. Every record is kept on file for the next renewal cycle, so nothing is missed.

Visiting a government office takes your team half a day. Let us handle it for you.

Connect Group’s PRO specialists handle 15+ government departments directly

Pricing

Quoted around your brief. Not a rate card.

Every engagement is built around your specific requirements, not a one-size tariff. We look at what you need, how often, and across which authorities, then structure a fee that reflects your actual scope. Government fees are itemised at cost, confirmed in writing, and nothing moves until you have approved the full picture.

From the People Using It

What our clients say about
Connect Group PRO Services

Three different companies. Three different situations. All sorted.

“We handed our entire PRO function to Connect Group eighteen months ago. Trade licence, employee visas, Emirates ID, all of it. Not one deadline missed, not one rejection. I genuinely do not think about government paperwork anymore.”

KA

K. Al Rashid

Managing Director, Logistics Company, Dubai

“We were a new company with no idea how the process worked. Connect Group told us exactly what to prepare, handled everything with MoHRE and GDRFA, and had three of our team legally employed and ID’d inside two weeks.”

SP

S. Patel

CEO, Tech Startup, Dubai

“Our in-house PRO resigned, and we had eight renewals due in the same month. Connect Group picked up the file, understood the situation in one call, and filed everything on time. Nothing was missed.”

NA

N. Al Farsi

HR Manager, Engineering Firm, Abu Dhabi

Common Questions

Frequently asked questions
About PRO Services in the UAE

The questions every new client asks before their first brief.

What does PRO stand for and what does it cover in the UAE?

PRO stands for Public Relations Officer. In the UAE, it refers to the professional function that manages all interactions between a company and government authorities.

This covers visa processing, trade licence renewals, MOHRE labour approvals, Emirates ID, document attestation and any other official filing that requires submission to a UAE government department.

Do I need PRO services if my company is registered in a free zone?

Yes. Free zone companies still require PRO support for employee visas, Emirates ID, MOHRE interactions and any attestation work involving federal authorities.

While free zones manage their own licensing, many compliance obligations still run through the same federal systems. Connect Group handles both mainland and free zone PRO requirements.

How is outsourcing PRO affordable than hiring an in-house PRO?

An in-house PRO in Dubai costs AED 8,000 to 12,000 per month in salary alone, plus benefits, visa and end-of-service liability. When that person leaves, the knowledge and the continuity go with them.

Outsourcing to Connect Group typically costs 40 to 60% less, with no recruitment risk, no knowledge gap and a team rather than an individual covering your account.

How long does a trade licence renewal take?

A standard DED or free zone trade licence renewal with complete documentation and no outstanding violations typically takes 3 to 7 working days once submitted.

The bigger risk is timing, not processing speed: renewal should start 30 to 45 days before expiry, since an expired licence blocks new work permits, freezes banking access and can lead to DET blacklisting if left too long. Connect Group tracks your renewal window and initiates the process well in advance so your licence never lapses.

What is document attestation and why does it take so long?

Document attestation is the process of having a document officially verified by a chain of authorities so it is recognised as legally valid in the UAE. For overseas documents this typically involves the home country’s government, the UAE embassy there and then the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The timeline varies by country and document type, typically 2 to 6 weeks. Connect Group manages the full chain and follows up at each stage.

What is the difference between a PRO retainer and per-transaction pricing?

A monthly retainer covers all your recurring PRO tasks under one fixed monthly fee, which suits businesses with regular visa renewals, ongoing licence management and frequent government filings.

Per-transaction pricing suits businesses with occasional or one-off requirements. Connect Group advises on the right model after reviewing your annual transaction volume.

Run your UAE business. Let Connect Group handle the government.

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