Can a male on his wife’s family visa get a work permit/labor card in Dubai Media City?

Hi everyone,

I’m hoping someone has been in a similar situation or knows how this works.

I’m currently on a family visa sponsored by my wife. I recently got a job with a company in Dubai Media City, and I’m about to sign the employment contract.
The issue is that HR told me they cannot process a labor card/work permit because I’m on my wife’s visa. They said they can process work permits for:
Golden Visa holders
Female employees on their husband’s spouse visa

But they said they can’t process mine because I’m a male dependent sponsored by my wife. (Muhrem-not allowed to work)

I don’t want to cancel my family visa and switch to the company’s visa because it’s a performance-based job, and I’d prefer to keep my residence independent in case the job doesn’t work out.
Has anyone here (especially a male sponsored by their wife) successfully obtained a work permit while keeping their family visa in Dubai Media City or another UAE free zone?

Is this an actual Dubai Media City/DDA rule, or is it just the company’s policy or PRO’s understanding?

Any advice or personal experiences would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Posted Jul 25, 2026, 7:38 PM UTC

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