Salary is the main cost. Robert Walters' 2026 survey puts a general ledger or AP/AR accountant in the UAE at AED 15,000 to 20,000 a month in basic salary, while the VAT accountants we place join at AED 4,000 to 8,000. On top come work permit and residency costs, end-of-service gratuity and any recruitment fee.
Paid service for employers. The employer pays; the candidate pays nothing.
Published surveys and our own placements give different bands, because they measure different jobs. The Robert Walters Middle East Salary Survey 2026 lists these basic monthly salaries for the UAE:
Robert Walters builds its ranges from advertised roles and quotes basic salary, without benefits or bonuses. Our own figure is narrower: VAT accountants we place with UAE employers join at AED 4,000 to 8,000 a month. Those roles are general accounting jobs with VAT and basic corporate tax on top, not specialist tax posts. Read every range as a band, not a price.
The UAE government portal states that the costs of recruitment and travel, and the expenses of the residency permit, are borne by the employer, and that charging recruitment fees to prospective employees is illegal (u.ae).
A work permit costs between AED 250 and AED 3,450 to issue or renew, depending on whether the company is classified A, B or C (u.ae).
Plan for end-of-service gratuity too. A full-time foreign worker with at least one year of service earns 21 days' basic salary for each of the first five years, and 30 days for each year after that, capped at two years' wage (u.ae).
Our fee is one month's salary per hire, plus applicable taxes. AED 1,000 per opening is paid upfront and adjusted against the fee. You receive 3 to 5 CA-reviewed profiles within 7 working days of our receiving the service charge, and a 90-day replacement guarantee applies from the joining date.
Visa and PRO steps stay with you as the employer. The full rules are on the UAE fees page.
Start from the work, not the title. An accountant who runs the books and files VAT returns is a different hire from a specialist in a large group's tax team. Tell us the companies you would like to hire from, including your competitors, and we approach accountants working there, which also shows you what that market pays.
Tell us the role and the companies you want people from. See hiring in the uae and the gulf, or book a call.
Checked 4 November 2026. Rules and fees can change; confirm on the official page before you act.
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