Hiring a Nanny in Dubai

What a great nanny brings to a Dubai household

In a busy international household — international schools, demanding careers, frequent travel — the right nanny is the calm centre of the day. She does more than childcare: she brings routine, patience and judgement, and adapts to how your family actually lives. We match on character as much as skill, because warmth and reliability are what turn a hire into someone you trust with your children.

Many of the nannies we place are multilingual — English, Arabic, French, Russian — so families who want a second language for their child can find it without compromising on care. For Russian-speaking families in Dubai, a native-speaking nanny keeps the mother tongue alive naturally, in everyday life rather than in lessons.

Types of nanny

"Nanny" isn't one role. Depending on your child's age and your household, the right fit may be:

• Newborn specialist — care for a newborn, sleep and feeding routines, support for the mother in the early months.
• Full-time nanny — everyday care, outings, development, school and activity runs.
• Governess — care plus early education, languages and school preparation.
• Night nanny — nights and wake-ups, so parents can rest.
• Part-time or hourly — support on the days and hours you need.

And the format: live-in or live-out. Live-in works for unpredictable hours and travel; live-out keeps family privacy. We'll help you choose what fits your week.

What to look for

• Experience with your child's age. A newborn, a toddler and a schoolchild need different skills — relevant experience matters more than years alone.
• Character and judgement. Warmth, patience and calm in the moment over a tidy CV. In interviews, ask a candidate to describe a difficult moment with a child — the answer tells you more than any resume.
• Documents and status. Visa, right to work in the UAE, medical checks.
• References you can speak to directly.
• A genuine fit with your family's routine and values.

How the process works

We guide you through a clear process rather than just forwarding profiles:

• Consultation. We map your brief — the children's ages, schedule, format, languages, any specific needs.
• Shortlist. We present curated, already-vetted candidates matched to your brief.
• Interviews. You meet your favourites — in person or by video, at a pace that suits you.
• Trial day. Optionally, a paid trial day with the children reveals chemistry that interviews can't.
• Placement. We help with the contract and paperwork and support the start.
• Support. We stay in touch through the first weeks and stand behind the replacement guarantee.

How we vet candidates

We interview dozens of candidates for every placement — most don't make it. Each nanny who reaches you has completed:

• an in-depth personal interview;
• identity and document verification;
• criminal-record screening;
• a minimum of two references we've spoken to directly.

That filtering is the service: you meet only people you'd trust in your home. After placement your dedicated consultant stays in touch, and every introduction is covered by a 6-month replacement guarantee from the date the contract is signed. More about how we place nannies.

Where we place across Dubai

We work across the whole of Dubai and know the areas where our families live: Dubai Marina and Palm Jumeirah, Downtown and Business Bay, and family communities like Dubai Hills, Arabian Ranches, Emirates Hills, Jumeirah and JVC. For live-in roles we consider logistics and accommodation; for live-out, real commute times, so the schedule stays comfortable and stable.

Visa and legal hiring

In the UAE, domestic staff are employed officially — usually through the Tadbeer scheme (visa, medical test, Emirates ID, insurance, contract). Legal hiring protects both the family and the nanny. We advise on the documentation and the process; the details are in our guide to the UAE domestic-worker visa.

Candidates, cost and what drives it

Our Dubai candidates are professionally trained — with completed courses and professional education behind them, which shows in how they work.

Price is shaped by experience, format and — separately — a candidate's documents and mobility: a nanny with an open Schengen visa can travel and relocate with the family, so those candidates are valued higher.

As a guide for Dubai, salaries typically start from around $1,500 a month; with an open Schengen visa, from about $2,500. That sits above the general local market because these are trained professionals. What to budget beyond salary — visa, and accommodation for a live-in role — is in our guide to how much a nanny costs in Dubai. We give the exact range for your brief at the consultation.