Table of Contents
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Tawafoq Service Centre and what does it actually do
Tawafoq (توافق) is a UAE Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) initiative that authorises licensed centres to facilitate employment contract attestation, labour dispute mediation, and employer-employee reconciliation services in the private sector.
These centres act as regulated intermediaries between private sector parties and MOHRE. They are not law firms — they are authorised facilitation businesses operating within a clearly defined regulatory scope under Activity Code 6910.96.
The typical client base includes SMEs without in-house HR or PRO capacity, domestic workers, blue-collar employers, and employees seeking contract clarity or dispute resolution support.
What is Activity Code 6910.96 and which regulatory category does it fall under
Activity Code 6910.96 falls under ISIC Division 69 — Legal and Accounting Activities — specifically covering auxiliary legal and labour-related services. It is classified within the Legal and Auxiliary Business Services sector.
The licence is issued by the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), but it also carries a mandatory parallel accreditation requirement from MOHRE. Holding a DET trade licence alone is not sufficient to operate a Tawafoq centre.
Because the activity is directly tied to MOHRE's regulatory framework, it cannot be operated under a free zone licence — mainland Dubai registration is required.
Can a Tawafoq Service Centre be set up in a Dubai free zone
No. A Tawafoq Service Centre must be registered on the mainland under the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET). Free zone licences do not support MOHRE-linked regulated activities of this nature.
This is because the centre's operations are directly tied to MOHRE's accreditation framework, which requires a physical mainland presence and compliance with operational standards that free zone structures cannot satisfy.
Entrepreneurs considering this business should plan from the outset for a mainland Dubai entity and a registered physical office address.
What are the key steps to get a Tawafoq Service Centre licence in Dubai
The licensing process involves both a DET trade licence and a separate MOHRE accreditation. The core steps are:
- Step 1: Choose mainland Dubai jurisdiction under DET — visit dubaided.gov.ae for current processes.
- Step 2: Reserve a trade name that reflects the service nature without implying legal practice or adjudication authority.
- Step 3: Apply for initial DET approval, alongside a mandatory MOHRE No Objection Certificate (NOC) for Activity Code 6910.96.
- Step 4: Secure a physical Dubai office — virtual offices will not meet MOHRE's operational standards.
- Step 5: Register the tenancy via Ejari and submit fit-out compliance documents.
- Step 6: Obtain formal MOHRE centre accreditation, which is a separate process from the DET trade licence.
Why is a physical office mandatory and will a virtual office work
A registered physical office in Dubai is a hard requirement for a Tawafoq Service Centre. MOHRE's accreditation standards for authorised centres explicitly require an operational premises that can be inspected and verified.
Virtual offices do not satisfy these standards. The centre must be a functioning, accessible location where clients can attend for contract processing, mediation sessions, and document handling.
The tenancy must also be formally registered through Ejari, and fit-out compliance documents must be submitted as part of the licensing process.
What is the revenue model for a Tawafoq Service Centre
The business model is transaction-based: centres charge per-service fees for employment contract processing, attestation, and mediation sessions. There is no dependency on retainer arrangements — volume is the primary revenue driver.
The volume is structurally guaranteed by regulation. Every private sector employment contract requires processing, and labour disputes are an ongoing feature of a market with over 3.5 million registered workers under MOHRE.
Operators can increase revenue per client by bundling Tawafoq services with complementary offerings such as typing centre operations, visa assistance, and document clearing — without significantly increasing overhead.
Who are the primary clients of a Tawafoq Service Centre
The most underserved and commercially significant segment is small employers with one to twenty staff who lack dedicated PRO or HR departments. These businesses cannot justify a full-time compliance function but cannot ignore their MOHRE obligations — a Tawafoq centre fills that gap directly.
Other key client groups include:
- Domestic workers — a high-frequency vertical with recurring contract, renewal, and dispute needs.
- Blue-collar employers in construction, hospitality, and retail sectors.
- Employees seeking contract clarity, attestation support, or dispute resolution assistance.
The domestic worker sector in particular offers consistent repeat business due to the regulated and recurring nature of contracts and renewals in that vertical.
What is MOHRE's role and why is its accreditation separate from the DET trade licence
The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) is the primary regulatory authority for all private sector labour matters in the UAE, overseeing more than 3.5 million registered workers.
MOHRE accreditation is separate from the DET trade licence because the two bodies serve different regulatory functions. DET issues the commercial licence permitting the business to operate; MOHRE grants the specific authorisation to act as an intermediary within its labour compliance and dispute resolution framework.
Both approvals are mandatory. Operating with only a DET licence — without MOHRE accreditation — would not legally permit a centre to perform Tawafoq-linked services such as contract attestation or mediation on behalf of private sector parties.
Start a Tawafoq Service Center for Employers and Employees in Dubai
Dubai's labour market runs on compliance, and Tawafoq service centres sit at the operational centre of that system — processing employment contracts, resolving disputes, and bridging employers and employees through a government-mandated framework.
This guide covers what a Tawafoq Service Centre licence (Activity Code 6910.96) allows you to do, who the market is, and the precise steps to get licensed and operational in Dubai.
What Is a Tawafoq Service Centre and What Does the Licence Cover
Activity Code 6910.96 falls under ISIC Division 69 — Legal and Accounting Activities — specifically auxiliary legal and labour-related services. It is not a law firm licence. It is a regulated facilitation function tied directly to the UAE Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE).
Tawafoq (توافق) is a MOHRE initiative that enables licensed centres to facilitate employment contract attestation, labour dispute mediation, and employer-employee reconciliation services. These centres act as authorised intermediaries between private sector parties and MOHRE — regulated service facilitators operating within a defined scope.
The primary client base includes SMEs without in-house HR or PRO capacity, domestic workers, blue-collar employers, and employees seeking contract clarity or dispute resolution. This is a volume-driven, compliance-critical service with a defined regulatory home.
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Explore Over 2,500+Key Stats at a Glance
| Metric | Detail |
|---|---|
| Private sector workers under MOHRE | Over 3.5 million registered (MOHRE Annual Report) |
| Regulatory authority | Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation — mohre.gov.ae |
| Primary market | Dubai — largest concentration of private sector employers in the UAE |
| Activity Code | 6910.96 |
| ISIC Division | 69 — Legal and Accounting Activities |
| Sector classification | Legal and Auxiliary Business Services |
Market Opportunity and Business Model
The revenue model is transaction-based: per-service fees for contract processing, attestation, and mediation sessions. There is no retainer dependency. Volume is the driver, and the volume is structural — every employment contract in the private sector requires processing, and disputes are an ongoing feature of any labour market at this scale.
The most underserved segment is small employers with one to twenty staff who lack PRO departments and need outsourced labour compliance support. They cannot justify a full-time HR function, but they cannot ignore MOHRE obligations either. A Tawafoq centre fills that gap directly.
The domestic worker sector is a high-frequency vertical. Contracts, renewals, and disputes are recurring and regulated. Bundling Tawafoq services with typing centre operations, visa assistance, and document clearing is a natural extension that increases revenue per client without adding significant overhead.
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Calculate NowLicence Setup: Step-by-Step Process in Dubai
This activity requires mainland Dubai registration. Free zone licences do not support MOHRE-linked regulated activities of this nature. The Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) is the issuing authority for the trade licence, but MOHRE accreditation is a parallel and mandatory requirement.
- Step 1 — Choose jurisdiction: Mainland Dubai under the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET). Visit dubaided.gov.ae for current DED processes.
- Step 2 — Reserve trade name: The name must reflect the service nature without implying legal practice or adjudication authority.
- Step 3 — Apply for initial approval: Submit to DED. A MOHRE approval or No Objection Certificate (NOC) is a mandatory parallel requirement for Activity Code 6910.96.
- Step 4 — Secure a physical office: A registered Dubai address is required. Virtual offices will not satisfy MOHRE's operational standards for an accredited centre.
- Step 5 — Register tenancy via Ejari: Submit an Ejari-registered tenancy contract and fit-out compliance documents. Register at ejari.gov.ae.
- Step 6 — Obtain MOHRE centre accreditation: This is separate from the DED trade licence and is non-negotiable. Without it, the centre cannot legally operate on the Tawafoq platform.
- Step 7 — Final licence issuance: Once both approvals are in place, receive the trade licence, staff visa allocation, and system access to MOHRE's Tawafoq platform.
Estimated setup timeline: four to eight weeks, depending on the MOHRE approval queue and document readiness.
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Get Your LicenseRegulatory Bodies and Key References
- Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET/DED): dubaided.gov.ae
- Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE): mohre.gov.ae
- Ejari tenancy registration: ejari.gov.ae
- ISIC classification: Activity Code 6910.96, Division 69 — Legal and Accounting Activities
Operational and Compliance Considerations
Staff operating within a Tawafoq centre must be trained on MOHRE systems and UAE Labour Law as codified under Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021. Competence is audited — this is not a paper requirement. Centres that cannot demonstrate operational capability risk losing platform access.
All cases processed must be documented and stored securely. Data handling obligations apply, and confidentiality is a regulatory expectation, not a best practice. Annual licence renewal is required with both DED and MOHRE; lapsed renewal leads to suspension of platform access, which effectively halts operations.
As the business scales, Emiratisation (Nafis) targets will apply. Plan headcount with this in mind from the outset rather than retrofitting compliance later. Liability boundaries must also be clearly communicated to every client — a Tawafoq centre facilitates and mediates, it does not adjudicate or issue binding legal rulings.
Conclusion
A Tawafoq Service Centre licence (6910.96) is a regulated, MOHRE-linked business with a clear market, recurring transaction volume, and a compliance-driven moat. The barrier to entry is the MOHRE accreditation process, which filters out operators who cannot meet operational standards. That is precisely what gives a properly licensed centre its commercial value.
If you are ready to structure this correctly from the outset — jurisdiction, MOHRE approval, and operational setup — speak to a specialist who knows the process.
