A UAE CV is usually in English, in one column with plain headings, and runs to one page for graduates and two for most mid-career and senior applicants. A photo is common (recent, head and shoulders, plain background), and recruiters read a short line giving your nationality and visa status closely, so state it exactly and truthfully. Add your notice period or availability near the top, and leave passport and Emirates ID numbers off.
A CV that works in London or New York can look oddly bare to a Dubai recruiter, and a CV built to Gulf habits can look cluttered anywhere else. If you are applying for jobs in the UAE, a few details differ from other markets: a photo is common, a nationality and visa-status line is read closely, and employers often ask when you can start. This guide covers each one, with wording you can copy and adapt.
There is no official UAE CV standard. Everything labelled "UAE convention" below means a habit that many employers share, not a rule, and practice varies by company, industry and emirate. If an advert or recruiter asks for something specific, follow that. Every name, employer and figure in the example is made up.
Want to build the worked example below as your own? Build this CV in the builder with the UAE setup. It opens with a photo-ready template and the optional lines UAE recruiters read (nationality, visa status, notice period, driving licence), which print only if you fill them in.
The basic shape of a UAE CV
Private-sector employers in the UAE hire from all over the world, so recruiters see a mix of CV styles every day. What stands out is a CV they can scan in under a minute:
- English, one column, plain headings. English is the usual working language of many private employers (a UAE convention). Use headings such as Profile, Experience, Education and Skills so that screening software and people find them fast. Our guide to what an ATS is explains why.
- Reverse-chronological order. Latest job first, with the city and country for each role. Show the country as well as the city so recruiters see where you have worked.
- Clear dates. Write "Mar 2022 to Aug 2025" rather than "03/22 to 08/25". Date formats differ between countries, and month names cannot be misread.
- Phone with country code. A UAE mobile number starts +971. If you are still abroad, give the number you actually answer, with its code.
Photo: common, but it has to be a good one
Many UAE employers expect a photo, or at least do not mind one (a UAE convention that differs sharply from the UK and US, where photos are usually left off). Some do not use one at all, and large multinational employers often follow their home-country habits. If the advert does not mention it, adding one is a reasonable choice and leaving it out will rarely disqualify you.
- Recent, head and shoulders, plain light background, facing the camera.
- Business dress that matches the industry. No filters, sunglasses, cropped group photos or holiday pictures.
- Small. It should sit in a corner or header, not take up a third of the page.
A poor photo does more harm than none. If you do not have a good one, skip it for now. ApplyRaft's Portrait Band puts a photo in a header band, and Level Ground is a one-column layout with an optional photo, so you can switch it on or off without redoing the design.
Nationality and visa status: say it plainly
This is the most UAE-specific part of the CV. Recruiters in the UAE often want to know, near the top, two things: your nationality and whether you can start work now, because visa status affects how quickly you can be hired. Put a short line under your contact details, or in a small "Personal details" block. Wording should state your situation exactly. Examples:
- Already working in the UAE: "Nationality: Indian. Visa status: employment visa (current employer), notice period one month."
- Visa cancelled or employment ended: "Visa status: employment visa cancelled on 12 September 2026. Available to start immediately." If you cannot be sure of the dates, check your paperwork before you write them.
- In the country on a visit visa: "Visa status: visit visa, valid until 30 November 2026." Include the real expiry date. Recruiters can check it.
- Applying from outside the UAE: "Based in Manila, Philippines. Available to relocate to the UAE; start date 4 weeks from offer."
Never write a status you do not have, and never imply that you hold a UAE work visa when you do not. If your situation is complicated, a short true line beats a vague one. Visa rules change, so confirm what your status allows with the official UAE government sources or a qualified adviser rather than relying on a CV guide, including this one.
Notice period and availability
Asking "when can you join?" is routine in UAE hiring (a UAE convention). Answer it before they ask. Add one line near the top, or in the visa line: "Notice period: 30 days" or "Available immediately". Use the period in your actual contract, and check it rather than guess.
Driving licence
In many countries a driving licence is not worth a line. In the UAE it can matter (a UAE convention), because some roles (sales, field work, site supervision, delivery, client visits) involve driving, and employers may ask whether you hold a UAE licence. Mention it only if it helps the role you want, and be specific about which licence you hold:
- "Valid UAE driving licence (manual and automatic)" if that is true.
- "Valid driving licence from India; UAE licence conversion in progress" if you hold a home-country licence and are converting it. Check current requirements with the official authority first.
For an office job with no driving, leave it out.
Personal details: what to include and what to question
Some UAE recruitment forms ask for date of birth or marital status. The CV is a different matter:
- Date of birth. Optional on most CVs. Add it if the advert or recruiter requests it.
- Marital status. Many UAE CVs include it and some forms ask. It says nothing about your ability to do the job, so it is safe to leave off unless an employer asks. Answer honestly when they do.
- Passport or Emirates ID numbers. Leave them off. Give them on official forms later. CVs get forwarded between agencies and uploaded to many databases, and an ID number on one can be misused.
- Salary. Do not put current or expected salary on the CV unless the advert demands it. Recruiters often ask in the first call; give a range you have researched for the role and the city.
One page, two pages or more
The page count follows your experience, as elsewhere:
- Graduates and juniors: one page.
- Mid-career, roughly five to fifteen years: two pages is normal and expected. Put the strongest material on page one: profile, latest role, key skills.
- Senior: still two pages, with older roles cut to one line each.
Arabic or English?
For most private-sector jobs advertised in English, an English CV is the norm (a UAE convention). Send an Arabic version only when the advert asks for it, or when the role depends on Arabic, such as some government-related, legal or client-facing positions. Do not send an unchecked machine translation; have a fluent speaker read it. List your languages honestly: "Arabic (conversational)", "English (fluent)", "Hindi (native)". Skip percentage bars, which tell the reader nothing.
Recruitment agencies and job portals
Many UAE vacancies are filled through a mix of company career pages, job portals, LinkedIn and recruitment agencies (a general pattern, not a measured share). Practical points:
- An agency may forward your CV to several employers. Say in your first message which roles you do and do not want sent.
- Treat requests to pay money to be placed in a job with caution, and check any agency before you share documents.
- Send a PDF unless the portal or recruiter asks for Word.
Skills that read well
List skills you can prove. Group them so that a recruiter can match them to the advert: tools, technical skills and languages. For a sales profile it might be:
- Account management and client reporting (CRM: Salesforce)
- Excel (pivot tables, lookups), PowerPoint
- Vendor negotiation and tender coordination
- Arabic (conversational) · English (fluent)
Avoid "hard-working team player". "Managed 40 corporate accounts across Dubai and Abu Dhabi" says more than "Managed accounts". Our top 10 CV mistakes lists more.
A worked example: Omar Siddiqui (illustrative)
Every detail below is made up, including the employers and figures. Use your own. This example has a photo placeholder and the visa line, which suit the UAE.
Omar Siddiqui [photo]
Dubai, UAE · +971 50 123 4567 · omar.siddiqui@example.com · linkedin.com/in/omar-siddiqui-examplePersonal details
Nationality: Pakistani · Visa status: employment visa cancelled on 12 September 2026 · Available to start immediately · Valid UAE driving licenceProfile
Sales and account manager with eight years in B2B sales, the last five in the UAE. Manages a portfolio of corporate clients in facilities supplies. Looking for a senior account manager role in Dubai.Experience
Senior Account Manager, Sample Supplies LLC, Dubai, UAE, Jan 2021 to Aug 2026
• Managed 40 corporate accounts across Dubai and Abu Dhabi
• Prepared monthly sales reports for the regional director
• Trained three junior executives on the CRM
Sales Executive, Example Trading Co, Karachi, Pakistan, Jun 2018 to Dec 2020
• Handled 25 distributor accounts and weekly order planningEducation
BBA, Marketing, Example University, Karachi, 2018Skills
Account management · CRM (Salesforce) · Excel (pivot tables, lookups) · Tender coordination · NegotiationLanguages
Urdu (native) · English (fluent) · Arabic (basic)
Related guide for readers earlier in their careers: CV format for fresh graduates in Pakistan. If you are also applying to the US, see CV vs resume.
Before you send it
Check that every date matches your contract and visa paperwork, and name the file Omar-Siddiqui-CV.pdf, not "final2". Tailor the profile and first bullets to each advert; our guide to writing a professional CV shows how. Then start building your CV free. Building is open to everyone, and you need a free account to download the PDF or Word file.
Frequently asked questions
Should I put a photo on my CV for UAE jobs?
Many UAE employers expect one or accept one, so it is a UAE convention to include it. It is rarely required. Use a recent, professional head-and-shoulders photo on a plain background, or leave it off if you do not have a good one.
How do I write my visa status on a CV?
State it exactly as it is, with real dates: for example "Employment visa, current employer", "Employment visa cancelled on 12 September 2026" or "Visit visa valid until 30 November 2026". Never claim a status you do not hold.
Should I include my salary or marital status?
Not unless the advert asks. Recruiters often raise salary in the first call, so research a range beforehand. Marital status is optional; add it only if an employer or form requires it.