Gulf Jobs

Gulf Work Visas 2026: Attestation, Sponsorship and Avoiding Job Scams

Updated 2026-09-05 · 8 min read

The sequence, in order

1. Offer letter from the employer, stating job title, salary breakdown and benefits.
2. Document attestation — degree and, in some cases, birth or marriage certificates, attested by your ministry of foreign affairs and the destination country's embassy.
3. Work permit / entry visa issued by the employer to the labour authority.
4. Medical examination — before travel in some countries, after arrival in others. Communicable diseases can lead to refusal, so do it early if you have any doubt.
5. Residence permit / ID — Iqama (Saudi), Emirates ID, QID (Qatar), Civil ID (Kuwait).
6. Biometrics and contract registration with the labour ministry.

Budget 4 to 10 weeks from signed offer to first working day, longer if attestation has not started.

Start attestation before you have an offer

Attestation is the single biggest cause of delay, and it does not expire. Getting your degree attested while you are still applying can be the difference between winning an urgent role and losing it to a candidate who is ready.

Contract terms to check in every country

• Basic salary versus allowances — end-of-service benefits are usually calculated on basic only.
• Accommodation and transport: provided or allowance, and how much.
• Annual flight tickets, for you and for dependants.
• Health insurance tier and whether the family is covered.
• Probation length and notice period on both sides.
• Whether the visa is a family (dependant-eligible) status at your salary level.
• Who pays visa and relocation costs — it must be the employer.

Warning signs of a scam

• Any request for money: visa fees, "processing", "insurance deposit". Legitimate employers never charge candidates.
• An offer sent from a free email address, or a company domain with a spelling variation.
• A job offer without an interview.
• Pressure to decide within hours.
• Contracts with no company registration number, no address and no named signatory.

Verify by calling the company's published switchboard number from its official website, never a number contained in the message.

While you wait

Use the waiting period to prepare a country-specific CV version, gather reference letters, and get experience certificates stamped. The free Forge CV Builder keeps your data saved and lets you export tailored PDF versions for each application in seconds.