PRO services in Dubai for small businesses: retainer vs per-transaction, costs and a yearly calendar (2026 guide)

# Key takeaways

• A PRO handles your company's government transactions: trade licence renewal, establishment card, work permits, employment visas and staff Emirates IDs.
• Small companies choose between a monthly retainer and paying per transaction. Per-transaction usually suits businesses with a handful of staff and few changes a year; a retainer suits ongoing hiring and renewals.
• Government fees are always separate from any PRO fee and are paid at actual cost with the official receipt. Anyone quoting an all-in number without receipts is hiding something.
• Published market ranges from third-party comparisons put retainers for very small companies at around AED 729 to 800 a month. Servia's retainer starts at AED 999 a month for up to 5 staff.
• A legitimate PRO business holds a trade licence with the Documents Clearing activity. Ask to see it.

PRO services for a small business in Dubai cover the recurring paperwork a company owes to DET, MOHRE, GDRFA Dubai and ICP, handled either on a monthly retainer or transaction by transaction. For most companies with fewer than five staff and little hiring, paying per transaction is cheaper; a retainer starts to make sense once visas, renewals and changes happen most months. Whichever model you pick, government fees sit outside the PRO's fee and should always arrive with official receipts. This guide sets out the yearly calendar, the costs and how to pick a partner.

# Retainer vs per-transaction

Do the arithmetic before signing. Using Servia's own service fees as an example: one trade licence renewal (AED 699), one establishment card renewal (AED 249) and two new employment visas (2 x AED 1,499) come to AED 3,946 in service fees for the year, including VAT, before government fees. Twelve months of a retainer at AED 999 is AED 11,988. For that company, per-transaction clearly wins. A retainer earns its keep when volume rises or when you want someone tracking every expiry date for you. Always ask for the retainer's scope in writing, including what counts as extra.

# Why government fees are always separate

Government fees are set by the authorities, change from time to time and vary with company type, visa category and staff numbers. A trustworthy PRO quotes its own fee, lists each government fee at actual cost, and hands over the official receipt for every payment. Check fees on the official sources, including mohre.gov.ae, gdrfad.gov.ae and icp.gov.ae. Servia's quotes are itemised the same way: service fee plus government fees at cost, with receipts shared on WhatsApp.

# A yearly transaction calendar

Trade licence renewal assistance also covers Sharjah (SEDD) and Ajman DED licences. Free-zone companies usually deal with their own free-zone authority, so check the scope before you sign up.

# Choosing a licensed PRO partner

Before handing over company documents, check:

1. Licence. A PRO business needs a trade licence that includes the Documents Clearing activity. Ask for a copy.
2. Receipts. Every government payment should come with an official receipt, not a handwritten note.
3. No approval promises. Approvals and processing times are decided by MOHRE, GDRFA, ICP and DET. Anyone promising a particular outcome or a shortcut is a red flag.
4. Access. Your company owns its portal accounts. A partner should never need your UAE Pass login or OTP codes.
5. Data handling. Staff passports and IDs are personal data under the UAE PDPL. Ask how copies are stored and when they are deleted.

Servia provides assistance, document preparation and submission through authorised typing centres and licensed PRO partners, and operates under Dubai DET licence 1623702. We are not a government body and have no special access to any authority.

# Servia's plans at a glance

• Per-transaction: pay only for what you file, from AED 99 for a labour contract up to AED 1,499 for a new employment visa end to end.
• Monthly retainer: from AED 999 a month for up to 5 staff, with the scope agreed in writing.
• Add-ons: doorstep document pickup and return (AED 49 per trip) and urgent same-day handling (+AED 100), which speeds up our own preparation only, never the authority's decision.

We work with companies across Dubai, including Business Bay, JLT and Al Quoz. See the full list on the PRO services page. For employees' family visas, point staff to typing and visa services.

# FAQ

Should we give our PRO our government portal passwords?

No. Your company should keep ownership of its accounts and UAE Pass. A professional partner submits through its own authorised channels or asks you to approve specific steps, and never needs your OTP codes.

How do we switch PRO providers without losing track of pending applications?

Ask the outgoing provider for a list of open applications with reference numbers, copies of all receipts and every upcoming expiry date. Give the new partner that list on day one so nothing lapses in the handover.

Can a sole owner use PRO services without any employees?

Yes. Even a one-person company has a trade licence, an establishment card and the owner's own residence to keep current. Per-transaction pricing usually suits this set-up best.

Is a retainer worth it if we only hire once a year?

Usually not. Add up your expected transactions at per-transaction prices and compare them with twelve months of retainer; for low-volume companies the per-transaction total is normally lower.