You're ready to hire a maid in the UAE — and you immediately hit the first fork in the road: go through a Tadbeer centre, or use a recruitment agency and sponsor the worker yourself? It's the question we get asked most, and the honest answer is *"it depends on your situation."*
Here's the thing: we're a directory. We don't recruit, and we don't sell either route — so this is a genuinely unbiased breakdown of cost, income requirements, liability and convenience, to help you pick the option that actually fits you.
The short answer
Tadbeer is usually the better choice for first-time employers: lower upfront cost, a lower income requirement, far less paperwork, and a replacement guarantee if it doesn't work out. A recruitment agency with your own sponsorship suits higher earners hiring for the long term: it costs more in year one, but renewals are much cheaper and you get more control over who you hire. A quick rule of thumb:- Earn around AED 10,000/month and want it handled for you → Tadbeer.
- Earn AED 25,000+ and plan to keep the worker for years → agency / self-sponsorship often wins on total cost.
First, the three legal routes
In the UAE there are three lawful ways to bring a domestic worker into your home: 1. Tadbeer service centre — the MOHRE-regulated one-stop centres for domestic workers. A Tadbeer centre can either sponsor the worker itself (you pay a monthly fee — the "flexi" model) or help you sponsor under your own name. Either way they handle the visa, medical, Emirates ID and contract. 2. Recruitment agency + your own sponsorship — a licensed agency sources the worker, and the visa sits under your name. Cheaper over time, but you take on the full sponsor responsibilities. 3. Part-time / hourly help — must go through a licensed cleaning company. A "freelance" cleaner with no company behind her is illegal in the UAE, and the liability falls on you, so avoid it. This guide compares the two live-in routes — Tadbeer vs agency.Cost comparison (the part everyone wants)
| Factor | Tadbeer centre | Recruitment agency / self-sponsorship |
|---|---|---|
| Year-1 total cost* | ~AED 8,500–12,000 (all-inclusive package) | ~AED 15,000–22,000 |
| Minimum monthly income required | ~AED 10,000 | ~AED 25,000 |
| Year-2+ renewal | Predictable / included in package | ~AED 3,000–5,500 (cheaper long-term) |
| Who sponsors the worker | Tadbeer can sponsor (you pay monthly) or help you sponsor | You sponsor under your own name |
| Employer liability | Lower — the centre carries more | Full — visa, salary, repatriation are on you |
| Replacement guarantee | Usually yes | Often limited or none |
| Paperwork & visa | Handled for you | More on you |
*Approximate 2026 figures. Actual cost varies by nationality, package and centre/agency. See the full Tadbeer cost breakdown, and estimate the monthly salary with our maid salary calculator.
The pattern is clear: Tadbeer costs less to start and asks less of your income; an agency costs more up front but is cheaper to renew — so the right answer depends on how long you'll employ the worker and what you earn.Which should you choose?
Choose Tadbeer if you:- are hiring for the first time and want the process handled for you;
- earn closer to the AED 10,000 threshold;
- want a replacement guarantee and predictable package pricing;
- prefer lower liability (the centre carries more of it).
- earn AED 25,000+ and meet the self-sponsorship income rule;
- plan to keep the worker long term (cheaper renewals add up);
- want more control over selecting the specific worker;
- are comfortable handling the visa and sponsor duties yourself.
