Oil and Gas Is Global - And So Is the Paperwork
Oil and gas is one of the most internationally mobile industries on earth. Whether you’re a drilling engineer, HSE specialist, or project controls manager, the defining roles are rarely found in your home country. In 2025, the UAE and the United States remain two of the strongest destinations for international oil and gas talent, and each one offers real, career-defining opportunities.
But even in a global market, borders still matter. Before you can step onto a platform or into a refinery abroad, you need the right work authorisation. Understanding how that process works and who manages it is the first step toward securing your next international role.
At WRS, we’ve been placing oil and gas professionals across more than 90 countries for over 25 years. We work with operators, EPCs, drilling contractors, and service companies at every project phase, from exploration through to decommissioning. This blog explains what you need to know about work visas in three of the most active oil and gas markets in the world, and how WRS supports candidates and clients through every stage of the process.
UAE: Work Visas in One of the World’s Premier Expat Energy Hubs
The United Arab Emirates has long been a first-choice destination for oil and gas professionals. Abu Dhabi anchors the country’s upstream and refining operations, while Dubai serves as a regional hub for project management, procurement, and support services. Tax-free salaries, world-scale infrastructure projects, and a well-established expat community continue to make the UAE one of the most attractive postings available.
Energy contributes over 30% of total UAE GDP, and ongoing investment in refining and petrochemical capacity means demand for international expertise remains consistently strong. Roles such as pipeline inspectors, project controls specialists, instrumentation engineers, rotating equipment experts, and commissioning staff are regularly filled through international recruitment.
Can I apply for a UAE work visa independently?
No. As with Qatar, a UAE work permit requires employer sponsorship from the outset. The process begins when a company offers you a role and secures an entry permit on your behalf, allowing you to travel to the UAE. On arrival, you must complete a medical examination and biometric registration before receiving your Emirates ID and residence visa, the document that gives you the legal right to live and work in the country for the duration of your contract.
What documents are typically required?
The standard requirements are a valid passport with at least six months’ remaining validity, a signed employment contract, passport photographs, and, in some cases, attested qualifications. Employers handle the majority of the administration, but it is important for candidates to respond quickly to any documentation requests, as delays can affect project start dates.
What about changing employers?
Visas in the UAE are tied to the sponsoring employer, so transfers require the reissuing of permits and can take time. In some circumstances, candidates may need to exit and re-enter the country to complete the process. That said, the UAE’s system is among the more straightforward and candidate-friendly in the region, and it has been refined significantly over recent years.
How WRS supports candidates in the UAE
WRS has an established track record of mobilising professionals into the UAE through our global client partnerships. Once sponsorship is secured, we manage the full mobilisation process, coordinating medicals, compliance documentation, travel arrangements, and pre-departure briefings. Our Middle East regional knowledge, backed by offices across Europe, Africa, Asia-Pacific, and North America, ensures we can support both clients and candidates seamlessly across time zones.
The United States: High-Value Opportunities, Higher Bar to Entry
The United States remains one of the most technically advanced oil and gas markets anywhere in the world. From the shale plays of Texas and the Permian Basin to offshore operations in the Gulf of Mexico, it offers some of the industry’s most complex and rewarding project environments. For engineers and technical specialists seeking the pinnacle of career challenge, the US represents a serious opportunity.
It is also the most demanding environment for work visa sponsorship. Unlike the UAE, where employer-led systems are well-established, the US combines strict immigration caps, annual lotteries, and high administrative costs, factors that make the process both competitive and unpredictable.
Which visas are available to oil and gas professionals?
The most common route is the H-1B visa, designed for specialised occupations including engineers, project managers, and technical analysts. It is subject to an annual cap and administered via a lottery, meaning approval is not guaranteed even for highly qualified candidates.
Alternative pathways include the L-1 visa for intra-company transfers between international offices or subsidiaries, and the TN visa, available exclusively to Canadian and Mexican nationals under the USMCA agreement for certain engineering and technical roles.
How difficult is the process?
Applications can take several months to complete, and the cost and administrative burden fall substantially on the sponsoring employer. This means the number of US-based companies willing to sponsor international candidates is more limited than in other markets. Identifying employers with a strong track record of sponsorship and a genuine need for skills not readily available domestically is the most effective approach for candidates targeting the US market.
Which roles attract sponsorship?
Despite the complexity, demand for international talent in niche disciplines remains high. Process engineers, E&I designers, safety engineers, drilling supervisors, schedulers, and subsea specialists continue to feature in international recruitment campaigns, particularly where specific project experience or technical credentials are not easily sourced locally.
How WRS supports candidates targeting the US
WRS has an established presence in North America and works with US-based clients who sponsor qualified international candidates. Our team can advise on which employers are actively sponsoring, which roles qualify, and how to position your experience to maximise your chances. Once sponsorship is confirmed, we manage the mobilisation process end to end, from compliance and medicals to travel and onboarding.
Beyond the Visa: How WRS Manages Mobilisation
Securing a work visa is the starting point, not the finish line. Between the moment sponsorship is confirmed and the day a candidate walks on site, there is a significant amount of coordination that has to happen correctly and quickly. In oil and gas, project timelines rarely allow for delays.
WRS specialises in exactly this phase. Our mobilisation services cover the full lifecycle of getting a candidate deployment-ready: verification of legal documents and visa approvals, mandatory medical and health checks, certification renewals (including BOSIET and other offshore survival courses), insurance and security clearances, travel and accommodation logistics, and pre-departure site inductions.
We have mobilised thousands of professionals into projects across the UAE, the United States, Iraq, Africa, and beyond. Our regional offices and in-country networks mean we can coordinate across multiple jurisdictions simultaneously, managing compliance risks and keeping projects fully staffed.
For offshore and technically regulated roles, this also includes ensuring that role-specific certifications, such as OPITO-accredited training, HUET, or region-specific safety credentials, are current and compliant before travel. Our training centres in Iraq and Africa further extend our ability to support candidates in complex operating environments.
What makes this work is attention to detail and genuine accountability. One candidate recently described the experience this way:
“WRS made sure everything was sorted, from medical checks to flights. I felt supported at every stage. It meant I could focus on my new role rather than worry about logistics.”
That is what effective mobilisation looks like in practice.
Employer of Record and Contractor Compliance Services
For employers managing international workforces, particularly in markets where establishing a local entity is complex or impractical, WRS also offers Employer of Record (EOR) services. This allows clients to compliantly employ and pay international contractors through WRS’s established legal entities, removing the administrative and compliance burden from the hiring company.
Combined with our payroll, managed services, and contractor management capabilities, this means WRS can support the full workforce lifecycle: from sourcing and selection, through visa coordination and mobilisation, to in-country contractor management and payroll.
For organisations scaling quickly into new markets, whether in the Middle East, Africa, or the Americas, this integrated approach significantly reduces time-to-deployment and compliance risk.
Taking the Next Step in Your Oil and Gas Career
For oil and gas professionals, international roles continue to offer some of the most compelling career opportunities available. The rewards extend beyond competitive packages: exposure to world-scale projects, experience working with leading operators and contractors, and a professional profile that is recognised globally.
None of it happens without the right work authorisation. The UAE offer clear, employer-led visa systems that are well-suited to experienced international professionals. The United States offers exceptional project environments with a more demanding sponsorship process, but real opportunities for candidates with specialist skills.
WRS is here to help you navigate all of it. Whether you are a candidate looking for your next contract or a long-term career move, or an employer scaling a project team in a new market, our specialist oil and gas recruitment and mobility teams provide the expertise, the network, and the hands-on support to make it happen.
Explore our current oil and gas jobs, submit your CV, or contact our team to discuss your next move.
WRS – Global Oil and Gas Recruitment & Mobility Specialists. Operating across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia-Pacific, and North America and Beyond.
