Job Spectra
Job Spectra
In Dubai a guard is licensed by SIRA through a licensed security company, not on their own. SIRA's Security Guard category lists residency, a Dubai Police good conduct certificate, an approved guard course, fitness, fire safety and life support certificates, and ages 21 to 60. The UAE government says charging recruitment fees to job seekers is illegal.
How can an Indian get a security guard job in Dubai?
In Dubai a guard is licensed by SIRA through a licensed security company, not on their own. SIRA's Security Guard category lists residency, a Dubai Police good conduct certificate, an approved guard course, fitness, fire safety and life support certificates, and ages 21 to 60. The UAE government says charging recruitment fees to job seekers is illegal.
The Security Industry Regulatory Agency (SIRA) regulates private security in the Emirate of Dubai. On its New Security Cadre Card page, shown in October 2026, SIRA says a security personnel licence is requested by a company or institution licensed to provide security services, and that the licence allows the holder to practise private security professions in Dubai. In other words, the employer comes first and the guard licence follows. A person abroad cannot apply for a Dubai guard card on their own account.
That shapes the job search. Real openings come from licensed security companies that will sponsor your residency and then license you. For the visa side, read our Dubai and UAE work visa guide. For the wider picture, see jobs in Dubai for Indians. Confirm every figure below on the official SIRA pages, because requirements and fees are updated.
SIRA's published violations table (viewed October 2026) lists fines in AED for practising a security activity without a licence, employing an individual for security work without a licence, and using the services of an unlicensed security provider. For a first offence the table shows AED 6,000 for practising without a licence, AED 3,000 for employing an unlicensed individual and AED 6,000 for using an unlicensed provider, rising with repeat offences. These fines are aimed at companies and users, but they show why a legitimate employer will insist on SIRA licensing before putting you on a post.
Before accepting any offer, ask the company for its SIRA security licence details and the licensed activity it covers (for example general guarding). SIRA's new-licence page lists General Guard Services, Tourist Facilities Guarding Services, Event Security and Personal Guarding, and Money and Valuables Transport as separate licensed activities. SIRA does not publish, on the pages we read, a public lookup that lets a job seeker check a company name; ask SIRA directly through its contact page or e-services portal.
Age limits and fitness conditions above are only those SIRA states on its pages in October 2026. Many job adverts add their own limits on height, weight, language or experience. Those are employer preferences, not SIRA rules, so do not treat an advert's limit as a legal requirement or assume it applies to every employer. SIRA's page also says the profession shown on the residency must match the security licence, the residency must be with the same company the guard works for, and the card is valid for two years.
| Category (SIRA wording) | What SIRA lists | Age | Fee shown (AED) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Security Guard (applied for by a licensed company) | Emirates ID, valid residency, Dubai Police good conduct certificate addressed to SIRA, Security Guard course, Physical Fitness Certificate valid for 3 months, Fire Safety, Life Support and Dealing with People of Determination certificates from approved centres | 21 to 60 | 320 |
| Money Transport Guard | As above, plus the Cash Transport Guard course | 21 to 60 | 320 |
| Event Security Guard (individual service) | Emirates ID, valid residency, good conduct certificate, Security Events course; residency must not indicate not authorised to work | 18 to 60 | 220 |
| Security Supervisor | Good conduct certificate plus supervisor-level courses | 25 to 60 | 420 |
The UAE government portal states that charging recruitment fees to prospective employees is illegal in the UAE. Its summary of the Know Your Rights guide says the costs of recruitment and travel, and the expenses of obtaining your UAE residency permit, are borne by the employer you agreed to work for. So an agent or company asking you for money to give you a guard job, a visa or a SIRA card should be treated as a warning sign.
The SIRA pages we read show the card fee (for example AED 320 for the Security Guard category) but do not say whether the employer or the worker pays it, and they do not publish training course prices. Ask for this in writing before you start. If an employer says the guard must repay training or card costs, get the exact amount and terms in the contract and consider contacting the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) and the Indian mission. Indian rules on what a registered recruiting agent may charge are in our service charge guide.
The UAE is one of the 17 ECR countries listed by the Ministry of External Affairs (see our ECR passport guide). If your passport is ECR and you are going to the UAE for employment, you need emigration clearance through eMigrate. Going on a visit visa to look for work is a different situation: the UAE government describes a jobseeker visit visa, but a visit visa is not a work permit, and you should not start work on it. Read UAE job seeker visa for Indians first.
Job Spectra is operated by Spectravault Group LLP. We do not currently hold an eMigrate recruiting-agent registration, we cannot promise any job, visa or SIRA licence, and we follow the no-upfront-job-fees policy on our Trust Center. You can browse current openings or submit your CV, but verify any employer yourself using the steps above.
Last reviewed 2026-10-19. Information only, not legal advice.
SIRA lists a Security Cadre Card for guards, issued through a licensed security company. SIRA's violations table also lists fines for employing an individual for security work without a licence, so employers need guards licensed before posting them.
Not as an individual. SIRA's Security Guard category is applied for by a licensed company and requires a valid residency and Emirates ID, so you need an employer and UAE residency first.
SIRA lists 21 to 60 for its Security Guard category and 18 to 60 for Event Security Guard. Individual employers may set their own limits, which are not SIRA rules.
SIRA lists a Security Guard course from a certified training centre, plus Fire Safety, Life Support, Dealing with People of Determination and a Physical Fitness Certificate. SIRA's centre list shows 5-day courses at several centres and 40 hours at one. Confirm with the centre.
The UAE government says recruitment fees charged to prospective employees are illegal and that recruitment, travel and residency permit costs are borne by the employer. SIRA's pages do not say who pays the card or training fees, so get it in writing.
The official pages we read do not state a salary. Adverts vary widely, so rely on the salary and allowances written in your signed offer and contract.
If your passport is ECR and you are going for employment, yes. The UAE is among the 17 ECR countries listed by the Ministry of External Affairs. ECNR passport holders do not need it.
No. A visit visa is not a work permit. The UAE government describes a jobseeker visit visa for searching for work, but an employer must arrange your work permit and residency before you start.
Not on the SIRA pages we read. Such limits appear in individual company adverts, so ask the employer whether the limit is its own preference.