The demand letter is the document that starts every UAE manpower deployment from India. Under India's Emigration Act 1983, no MEA-licensed recruiter can legally initiate visa processing or emigration clearance without a signed, compliant demand letter from the employer.
A demand letter that passes MEA review on the first submission moves your deployment forward without delay. One that fails adds 5–10 days while revisions are prepared and resubmitted.
This guide covers every mandatory element, the UAE-specific requirements that most templates miss, and a working template you can adapt.
The Mandatory Elements
1. Company identification on official letterhead Full registered company name, UAE trade licence number, and the authorised signatory's name and designation. Must be on official letterhead — not a digital template with a copied logo. The company stamp is required alongside the signature.
2. MOHRE Establishment Card number MOHRE (Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation) assigns every UAE employer an Establishment Card. This number must appear in the demand letter. Without it, the Protector of Emigrants (India's MEA emigration office) cannot verify the employer's MOHRE registration status, and clearance is blocked.
3. Role title matching the MOHRE visa category The job title must match exactly the visa category approved by MOHRE under your establishment quota. "Delivery Bike Rider" and "Rider" are different MOHRE classifications. "Forklift Operator" and "Heavy Equipment Operator" differ in MOHRE's system. Request your PRO's confirmation of the exact MOHRE-approved job title before typing it.
4. Headcount matching approved quota The number of workers requested must not exceed your approved MOHRE quota balance. If your quota is 40 and the demand letter requests 60, the Protector of Emigrants will flag the discrepancy and hold the batch.
5. Monthly salary in AED State the monthly basic salary in AED — not USD. The Protector of Emigrants verifies salary against MOHRE's minimum wage schedule in local currency and will not convert from USD. Include overtime rate (minimum 1.25× basic for hours 1–2 per day, 1.5× for hours beyond), and accommodation provision.
6. Accommodation specification State whether accommodation is employer-provided or whether a monthly accommodation allowance is included. For employer-provided accommodation, the accommodation certificate (see below) must be attached.
7. Contract duration A fixed term — typically 2 years for blue-collar UAE roles. "As required" or performance-conditional durations are not valid.
8. Annual air ticket One return economy India flight per year of contract is a mandatory benefit. State it explicitly.
9. Authorised signature and company stamp Signed by HR Director level or above with the official rubber stamp. A signature without the stamp is treated as informal correspondence.
The UAE Accommodation Certificate
UAE demand letters require an attached accommodation certificate confirming that the employer-provided housing meets MOHRE's standards. This is not optional. Common omissions that cause holds:
- Submitting the demand letter without the accommodation certificate attached.
- Providing a generic statement ("workers will be accommodated by the company") without a formal certificate.
- Using an accommodation certificate from a previous deployment without updating the address and capacity details.
The certificate must be on company letterhead, specify the accommodation address, and confirm the number of workers that can be housed there. For industrial camps in Dubai or Sharjah, the certificate must reference the building permit or municipality registration of the labour accommodation.
MOHRE Wage Protection System (WPS)
Your demand letter should confirm that salary will be paid through UAE's Wage Protection System (WPS). MOHRE requires all UAE employers to pay salaries through WPS. While not always called out by name in the demand letter, confirming WPS-compliant payroll is a standard item that informed Indian emigration authorities expect to see.
Working Template
``` [Company Name] Trade Licence No.: [XXX] MOHRE Establishment Card No.: [XXX] [Date]
To: AK International Manpower Consultancy Ministry of Manpower Licensed Recruiter No.: B-3252/DEL/PER/1000+/5/11251/2025 New Delhi, India
Subject: Demand for [Number] [Exact MOHRE Job Title] — UAE
We, [Company Name], registered under UAE Trade Licence No. [XXX] and MOHRE Establishment Card No. [XXX], authorise AK International to source and deploy [number] workers on the following terms:
Role: [Exact MOHRE-approved job title] Number Required: [X] Monthly Basic Salary: AED [Amount] Overtime: Minimum 1.25× basic for first 2 hours/day, 1.5× thereafter Accommodation: [Employer-provided — see attached accommodation certificate / AED [X] monthly allowance] Contract Duration: [2/3] years, renewable by mutual consent Annual Air Ticket: One return economy India flight per contract year Work Location: [City, Emirate] Working Hours: 8 hours/day, 6 days/week
[Authorised Signatory Name] [Designation: HR Director / Managing Director] [Date] [Company Stamp]
Attached: UAE Accommodation Certificate ```
Send the Draft Before You Finalise
MOHRE minimum wage guidance changes periodically — the figure from 18 months ago may no longer be valid. AK International reviews every demand letter draft against current UAE requirements before you issue the final signed version. This takes 2–4 hours and prevents the most common revision requests.