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Every week, at least 10 Ugandans land at Dubai International Airport with hopes of a better life only to realise the jobs they paid millions of shillings for do not exist. 

Their passports are seized, their so-called employment visas turn out to be short-stay tourist permits—and the agents or employers who promised them lucrative opportunities vanish without a trace. 

For many, it is a devastating shock. They were promised salaries of shs5m per month, free accommodation and meals. Instead, they end up getting stranded in a foreign land with no income and no legal means to get out of the mess. 

This is the grim reality of UAE visa scams, a growing underground economy that thrives on the hopes and desperation of ordinary Ugandans.

Tempting adverts

The scam is cleverly orchestrated. It begins with tempting job adverts on Facebook, WhatsApp and in local newspapers. These adverts claim to offer quick placements in Dubai hotels, hospitals, schools and cleaning companies. The salaries are exaggerated, the benefits too good to ignore and the tone is always urgent—“limited slots,” “visa guaranteed,” “departure in two weeks.” 

To a struggling jobseeker, this sounds like the opportunity of a lifetime. But behind these promises are forged contracts, fake company names and unofficial logos mimicking those of real Dubai firms.

The financial exploitation is brutal. Victims are told to pay between shs3m to shs8m for “visa processing,” more money for “medical tests” at unlicensed clinics, and another shs2m for flight tickets. These tickets are almost always one-way, contradicting the illusion of a secure job waiting for them. 

Fake company name

Many agents promise the fee will be refunded after the first salary. Sarah, a young woman from Mbarara, is a good example. She sold her late father’s land to raise money. When she landed in Dubai, her “employment visa” turned out to be a 60-day tourist pass. 

The agent who received her at the airport stopped picking up her calls. The company name she had been given was fake. She became illegal within two months.

This is the trap. Once in the UAE, the victim is left vulnerable and undocumented. With no work permit and no legal employer, they are forced into hiding or casual illegal labour. 

Some end up detained, others deported. A few are lucky to be helped by friends or fellow Ugandans already in the UAE. But many are not so lucky.

‘Guaranteed visa’

There are warning signs, but few are aware of them. The most obvious is the offer of a “guaranteed visa.” No legitimate employer guarantees visas. All employment permits in the UAE are processed through the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE), and approval is only granted once a formal contract is verified. 

Another red flag is the absence of interviews. Real employers will always want to speak to a candidate, at least over a Zoom call. Recruiters who insist on WhatsApp chats only, or avoid calls altogether, are most likely running a scam. 

Similarly, too-good-to-be-true salaries should raise suspicion. For example, a cleaning job in the UAE pays the equivalent of shs1.2m–shs2m, not the shs5m often advertised.

The tragedy is that most victims ignore these signs because desperation outweighs skepticism. But there are safer ways to seek work abroad. Jobseekers must research the companies offering employment and insist on verifiable contracts from UAE-registered firms. 

Opportunity and opportunists

They should also speak to Ugandans already working in the UAE—many of whom now use Facebook groups such as “Ugandans in UAE” to expose fraudsters, warn newcomers and share genuine job leads. 

If you have already been scammed, you may report the case to the police in Uganda, name the agent publicly and warn others. There may be no way to recover the money, but exposing scams reduces their spread.

The UAE is full of opportunity, but it is also full of opportunists. Many Ugandans leave home chasing a better future and return home poorer than they left. 

If you are thinking about working abroad, do not be in a rush to hand over your hard-earned money. If you are meant to succeed abroad, the opportunity will not vanish in a week. Let caution guide your ambition. Dream—but verify.