How to become KHDA certified and licensed massage therapist in Dubai?
Description: khda certified and licensed massage therapist in dubai
Dubai beauty and wellness industry is growing day by day as people prefer to take the beauty services at home for the comfort and convenience. If you want to become a freelance massage therapist in Dubai, you must need to obtain the KHDA certificate approved by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority, e-commerce trade license along with occupational health card. But if you want to do a job, then you don’t need to take license and your health card would also be taken care by salon where you would work. If you have KHDA Certificate, it would definitely help you to find the best job in reputed salon. Here is the full explanation for you so that you can work as a legal and professional freelance massage therapist in Dubai.
It is very important to get the KHDA certificate so that you can work as a professional massage therapist in Dubai. It gives the assurance that you are officially recognized in Dubai to provide the spa treatment. We have provided each and every detail related to how you can get the KHDA certificate, which documents are required, its importance and who should get this certificate. For the detailed information regarding how to get a KHDA certification in the UAE, you can visit our Rewards & Awards page.
You must obtain the freelance license or sole professional license if you want to work independently and legally as a professional massage therapist in Dubai. This license is very important to provide the massage service freely at any location of client. Now there are two options to apply this license either by own or through DED café which we will be explaining for you below:
If you know how to apply for the e-commerce license, you can do by yourself online. It is done through DED trader or invest in Dubai platform. The government fee for this license is 1370 AED which is bifurcated as AED 1070 (license fees and knowledge and innovation fees) + AED 300 (Dubai chamber membership fees). You have to provide your trade name, create an account and all the documentation would be same as DED Café applies.
This license is introduced by Department of Economic Development for the people who want to do business online or provide the services without taking any physical space. It is also known as DED trader license. If you are a beginner to do the freelancing and don’t want to invest in business setup, you can choose this as this is the most affordable option. You can apply for this license by visiting any DED Café where you will get personal guidance by the staff & easy and quick license application process.
This is the best option for people who want to sell products or services online through social media channels or digital platforms like website or app. Emiratis can get both professional and commercial license but expatriates can only get professional license as there are some limitations. The minimum required age to get this license is 21 and you must be residing in Dubai. Here is the step-by-step process to apply e-trader license in Dubai:
This is the easiest and safest way to apply for the e-trader license for massage therapist in Dubai. You will get proper guidance from the trained staff and better understanding of legal requirements. They will do all the process on your behalf and there would be no changes, delays or rejection due to any mistake.
Choosing the correct activity is one of the most important steps for getting an e-trade license in Dubai. Under this trade license, there are many activities like marketing management, photography services, portal activities, online seller or digital services, creative or wellness and personal care services. To help you choosing in the right activity, they will search for massage related activity like wellness activity or spa activity and apply accordingly.
At this step, they will be submitting the required documents to verify the status before approving the license. The list of personal documents is your passport copy, valid EID, visa copy, passport size photograph, your contact information and address. Then wellness qualification is also very important, they will upload your KHDA certificate, experience certificate and massage therapist certificate to ensure your expertise and professionalism in wellness industry.
Trade name is the official and professional identity of the specific business activity in Dubai. This name is visible on your e-trader license. Through this name only, you promote your services online to build the digital presence, business reputation and clients’ trust. At this stage, they check the name availability as sometimes the trade name you choose is already registered. You must look for another one to reserve it and get the approval by Dubai authorities.
You have to pay the required fee for getting the license. You will get the breakdown of fee which is inclusive of e-trader license fee, trade name reservation fee, knowledge & innovation fees and Dubai chamber-related fee. The total payable amount for this license is 1500 AED and you will get your license either on same day or within 1 to 3 business working days.
E-trader license is the popular option for freelancers and massage therapists in Dubai. Below are the benefits of e-commerce license:
With the e-trader license, you can work legally and professionally in Dubai and promote your business through social media and online presence. This gives you the freedom to work independently and you can earn as much as possible.
Once you have the e-commerce license, clients also feel confident and comfortable while booking your massage services in Dubai. This builds the trust among them and you can would get more clientage by reference which automatically promotes your brand and professional image.
There is no need to invest too much for physical salon or spa, you can freely provide home massage services to the client at their place. It is one of the most affordable options to start your own work with such low investment.
You get the business banking support after getting this freelance license. You get the access to digital banking and payment gateways. Many clients pay by card and the POS machine you get just because of the license and you can provide the professional invoice to clients. You can also apply for loan in future for your business expansion.
Occupational health card is provided by Dubai Municipality approved medical fitness centers in coordination with Dubai Health Authority. It is mandatory to get this OHC card and required vaccination of Hepatitis B. There would be a physical touch while providing the home massage service in Dubai. It is very important to ensure that you are medically fit and free from any infectious diseases. It is beneficial for both the client as well as for you to reduce the risk of cross contamination.
The price of OHC card is around 350 to 400 AED and it is valid for 1 year and there must be annual renewal. You have to visit the medical center for getting this card and there would be your blood test, chest X-ray and physical inspection to identify your fitness. The standard timeline to get the card is usually 1 to 2 working days and you can download it digitally via Dubai 24/7 App or the DHA portal.
Hepatitis B vaccination is mandatory for spa therapists as there is direct physical touch with the clients. It is important to prevent you against blood-borne infections. This vaccination has 3 doses series, the 1st one you get along with OHC appointment, 2nd after 1 month of first dose and 3rd one after 6 months of first dose. The price of this vaccination is between 300 to 400 AED and you get the certificate after completion of all doses usually on same day or within 1 to 2 working days.
KHDA certificate, professional license and OHC card are the mandatory documents to work as a legal and freelancer massage therapist in Dubai. If you miss any of the documents, it would lead you to pay fines and your license might also get cancelled. Not even for massage therapist, you can provide any beauty services like hair salon, nail spa, makeup or hairstyle with these certificates freely without any risk or worry. This does not only help you to provide service but also build the trust and confidence among clients which leads
to long term career opportunity and business expansion for you.
No, you cannot skip KHDA certificate even if you have years of experience. It cannot replace the rules and regulations. It is the mandatory certificate if you want to work in Dubai as a professional massage therapist.
No, you cannot hire any staff or build a team of therapists using an e-trader license. As this license is solely for you and you cannot sponsor any other staff to work with you under this license. If you want to hire a team, you can opt for commercial license.
No, your home country certificate or international certificate adds value to your experience but you cannot use that certificate for the KHDA attestation. You must need to get the certificate from KHDA approved training centers or institutes within Dubai.
Yes, any expatriate can apply for an e-trader license for massage therapist in Dubai under professional services. You must fulfil the basic requirements of 21 years age and must hold a valid EID.
No, e-trader license does not provide a residency visa. To obtain the license, you must hold a valid residency visa. You can work on the sponsored visa or get the freelance visa either from free zone or mainland.
Absolutely yes, you can provide the at-home massage services in Dubai legally if you have a valid e-trader license. This gives you the permission to work freely and provide the quality spa services to clients at the comfort of their own home. Apart from this, you must have the KHDA certificate and OHC card as well.
If you miss your hepatitis B doses, it can lead to cancellation of your health card as both are connected. The system tracks your dates and if you don’t take the vaccination doses, you would get a fine of 2000 AED if caught working.
Definitely yes, health card is mandatory for you even if you work part time. There is no relaxation for not having the health card in case of part-time work. It works as a shield for you and client in terms of any infection which could turn due to physical touch.
No, you cannot teach massage with a KHDA certificate. You must hold the practitioner certificate to provide the training classes for massage and spa services in Dubai.
You generally get 30 days grace period after you license gets expired. You have to renew your license within this time or else you would get fines and penalty. There is a fine of 250 AED per month or if you get caught using expired license and operating the business activities, it can lead to fine of 5000 AED or more.
I am a KHDA Certified lash and makeup artist in Dubai with a passion for enhancing natural beauty of every woman. I have served more than 1000 clients in Dubai, Sharjah and Ajman. With professional training and years of hands-on experience, I specialize in delivering flawless makeup looks and quality lash services as per each client’s unique style and features.
