CV format in the UAE

How long should a CV be in the UAE?

Zayed University's career guide says "No more than 2 A4 pages", GulfTalent says one to two "even if you have decades of experience", and Bayt tells fresh graduates to aim for one. The recruiter Charterhouse is the outlier at three to four pages. There is more in how long a resume should be.

Recruiters put personal details first, then a short summary, work experience with the latest job first, education, skills, certifications and languages. Bayt gives job dates as month and year, and no source sets a day-month order. If a past employer is unknown in the UAE, GulfTalent suggests a short line on what it does.

Should you put a photo on a CV in the UAE?

A photo is optional. No government source mentions it, and recruiters and job boards contradict each other, sometimes from one year to the next. Add one when the advert asks for it or the job is customer-facing, such as cabin crew or hospitality. GulfTalent says photos are less common for multinationals and senior roles. If you add one, make it professional.

• Zayed University says a CV should have no "tables, pictures, or distracting icons".
• Robert Walters told candidates in 2023 to avoid photographs.
• Michael Page called photos unnecessary in 2017, asked "why not?" in 2019, and in 2021 said to add one only if the employer requires it.
• GulfTalent says most Dubai companies prefer one and calls it "absolutely critical" for customer-facing jobs.
• Bayt said in 2025 to leave it out unless the ad asks, then wrote in 2026 that a headshot is "expected rather than optional".
• Emirates requires several photos from cabin crew applicants.

What personal details go on a Dubai CV?

Start with your name, phone number with the country code, email, and city and country. UAE recruiters then expect a few details that CVs elsewhere often leave out.

• Give your nationality, and both if you hold two. Naukrigulf, a job board, says employers often need it "for visa processing, workforce planning, and in some cases, to meet nationalisation requirements".
• If you already live in the UAE, state your visa status, such as a visit, employment or dependant visa. The government's employment process page says the work permit and visa come after the job offer, which is one reason recruiters ask.
• Say when you can start. GulfTalent says many employers "strongly prefer" candidates who need no notice period or visa change.
• Add a UAE driving licence for sales or field jobs that involve driving.
• List Arabic and English with a level for each. The government portal says Arabic "would be an advantage".
• List UAE licences, such as the DHA licence that GulfTalent says doctors and nurses need to work in Dubai.

What should you leave off a UAE CV?

Leave off religion, your full home address and ID numbers. Michael Page says "Do not mention your political or religious activities or views", and Bayt says no address beyond city level. No source covers Emirates ID or passport numbers on a CV. ADNOC asks for identification documents only after an offer, and the data protection law below points towards leaving the numbers off.

Date of birth, gender and marital status are disputed. GulfTalent and Charterhouse list date of birth and marital status, and Charterhouse adds gender. Bayt calls date of birth "optional but common", and Naukrigulf says marital status and religion "vary in relevance depending on the employer and role". Neither university guide includes any of them, so leave them off unless the advert or form asks.

The law doesn't mention CVs, but two federal laws point the same way. Article 4 of the labour law, Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, bans job discrimination based on "race, colour, sex, religion, national or social origin or disability", and says rules that raise UAE citizens' participation in the labour market are not discrimination. The Personal Data Protection Law, Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021, treats religious beliefs and family details as sensitive and says personal data must be "limited to what is necessary". Its duties fall on employers that process data, and it doesn't cover government bodies. The labour law text quoted is the 2021 English translation, and later amendments were not checked.

Do you need referees on a UAE CV?

Most sources say no. Zayed University calls the section optional and notes "Usually, recruiters ask for 3 references", NYU Abu Dhabi says you don't need a list, and Robert Walters, Michael Page and Bayt say a line offering references on request is enough. Only Charterhouse says to list three referees. Ask referees before naming them.

How do you apply for jobs in the UAE?

Most applications go online. The government portal points to government job portals such as Dubai Careers, private job portals, company careers pages, job fairs, newspaper classifieds and licensed recruitment agencies, and says job seekers "are not required to pay money to any recruitment agency".

Some employers take CVs only through their own systems. ADNOC accepts applications through its portal or LinkedIn and can't guarantee that emailed CVs are processed, and Emirates runs open days for cabin crew.

Send a one-page cover letter each time, as Zayed University advises. GulfTalent and Bayt both say to leave certificates and other attachments out unless asked. The cover letter format guide covers the layout.

Writing your UAE CV in OneCV

OneCV templates use A4 by default, and page breaks show in the live preview, so you can see when a CV passes two pages. Nationality, Visa, Availability and Driving License are optional fields under "Add details", and a field you don't add, such as date of birth, doesn't appear. A photo appears only if you add one, and photo templates have room for one.

Each language takes a level, and any heading can be renamed, so Summary can read Profile. To follow the "available on request" advice, leave the References section out. Before you upload to a portal, the ATS resume checker shows the text a parser reads from your PDF.

The free plan covers one CV, one cover letter, all 105 templates and unlimited PDF downloads with no watermark, and needs no card. Pro is $10 a month or $48 a year for unlimited documents. Start in the CV maker.