Yaya Middle East at a glance
In short
Yaya Middle East is a two-sided marketplace that connects families in the UAE and Bahrain directly with nannies, maids and other domestic caregivers. Families search verified profiles with video introductions on the Yaya app (iOS and Android) or on CareFinder Web, and message caregivers in the app. Caregivers join for free, apply to families' jobs and chat in the app. There are no agency fees or commissions: families pay Yaya for a subscription and pay their caregiver directly.
Key facts
| What it is | Direct-hire marketplace for domestic caregivers; not a recruitment or placement agency |
|---|---|
| Company | Yaya Middle East FZ-LLC, United Arab Emirates; founded 2023 |
| Founders | Rui Gomes Pinto (Founder & CEO) and Marilena Hadgianni (Co-founder & CMO) |
| Where | United Arab Emirates and Bahrain |
| Caregiver roles | Nannies, nanny/maids, nanny/caregivers, maids, cooks, drivers, babysitters, governesses, au pairs and pet caretakers |
| Family Care | Specialist support such as night nurses, sleep coaches and tutors, booked through Family Care in the UAE |
| How families use it | Yaya app on iOS and Android, and CareFinder Web, on one account |
| Approved caregivers | 2,348 (live count, UAE) |
| Approval rate | About 30% of caregiver applicants are approved; most are turned down for not meeting Yaya's standards |
| Yaya AI | In the app: describe the caregiver you need in plain words and get matched profiles, follow-up questions when something is missing, and help drafting or rewording your job post. On CareFinder Web: your request becomes filters you can check. Ask Yaya, the chatbot in the app and on CareFinder Web, answers hiring questions 24/7 in English or Arabic |
| Search | 23 filters (listed below), plus Yaya AI |
| Curated lists | Top Yaya Picks, Most Active, New Helpers, References Available, Visa-Ready Nannies and, once you post a job, Best Matches, so you start from a shortlist |
| What a profile shows | Video introduction, photo, when she was last active and how quickly she replies, position and work type, availability date, current visa, salary, age, nationality, languages, religion, marital status, education, driving licence, work history with reference names, contactable references, CV and certifications where provided, skills including cooking cuisines and children's ages, and an ID-verified mark |
| Profile freshness | Ranked by caregivers' app activity; profiles deactivated automatically after 10 days without app use in the UAE (30 days in Bahrain) |
| Messaging | In-app chat; families share their phone number only if they choose |
| Free for families | Browsing on web and app; 3 free credits in the app. Each message sent, CV viewed or application viewed uses one credit; contacting a Top Yaya Pick needs a subscription |
| Family plans | UAE: AED 99 for the first 7 days (introductory offer), then AED 129/week; AED 299 for 30 days; AED 469 for 60 days. Bahrain: BHD 13 for 7 days, BHD 30 for 30 days, BHD 48 for 60 days. Subscriptions auto-renew until cancelled; cancel anytime. |
| Caregivers pay | Nothing |
| Fees on salary | None; families pay caregivers directly and in full |
| Visa help | 2-year UAE domestic worker visa through Maids.cc or Housekeeping Co |
| Done-for-you option | Yaya Concierge: Curated Shortlist or Managed Search, from AED 1,000 + VAT |
| Downloads | 150,000+ across iOS and Android |
| Rating | 4.9 stars on Google from 2,000+ reviews |
| Support | Phone, email and WhatsApp support, 7 days a week |
Who is behind Yaya
Yaya Middle East started after its founders went through the process of finding trusted childcare themselves and found the options fragmented: social media groups, outdated listings and little information. It was founded in 2023 by Rui Gomes Pinto, Founder & CEO, who leads product, technology and operations, and Marilena Hadgianni, Co-founder & CMO, who leads marketing and speaks regularly in UAE media on hiring and working with nannies. The company is based in the UAE and its support team works from here.
How it works for families
- Browse for free on the Yaya app or CareFinder Web, no account needed.
- Search with 23 filters, or describe what you need to Yaya AI in plain words.
- Shortlist by watching video introductions, saving favourites and comparing them side by side on the web, or swiping through profiles in Spotlight in the app.
- Message caregivers in the app. New app users get 3 free credits (each message sent, CV viewed or application viewed uses one; contacting a Top Yaya Pick needs a subscription); a subscription unlocks unlimited messaging and contact details.
- Post a job and let caregivers apply to you.
- Interview, trial and hire directly. You agree salary and terms with the caregiver and sponsor the visa, with help from Yaya's visa partner if you want it.
The 23 search filters
On CareFinder Web, in the order they appear on the filter panel:
- Top Yaya Picks
- Online now
- Schengen visa
- Visa Ready nannies (via Maids.cc)
- Date added
- Availability
- Positions
- Position type
- City
- Nationality
- Languages
- Salary
- Gender
- Age
- Experience
- References
- Visa status
- UAE driving licence
- Religion
- Education
- Experienced with
- Comfortable with
- Certifications
Part-time searches add days needed and hourly rate, City has an "open to relocating" switch, and Experienced with breaks down into cooking cuisines and special-needs types. Every filter is also in the Yaya app except Schengen visa.
How it works for caregivers
Nannies, maids and other caregivers download the Yaya app, create a profile with a video introduction, and go through verification. Once approved, they appear in search, receive messages from families and apply to jobs that families post. Their position in search depends on how active they are, and profiles are deactivated after 10 days without using the app (30 days in Bahrain). Caregivers never pay Yaya, and there are no deductions from their salary.
How profiles are checked
No caregiver profile goes live on Yaya until it has passed all of these:
- AI cross-check. Our AI compares the caregiver's bio, the details she enters and her CV, and flags discrepancies.
- Manual review. A member of our team reviews every profile by hand, including whether her experience is relevant to the roles she is applying for.
- We contact every caregiver. Our team speaks to each caregiver directly.
- ID checked by hand. Every caregiver's ID document is checked manually.
- Mandatory video. Every caregiver records a video introduction.
About 30% of applicants are approved; most are turned down because they don't meet our standards. Experience is cross-checked for consistency and relevance, but some details come from the caregiver and can't be independently guaranteed, so families should still interview, trial and check references.
More questions? See the Yaya FAQ.
See also: how Yaya compares with other platforms.
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