Working abroad
Working in the United Arab Emirates: permits and rights
How to work legally in the UAE, who issues permits, and the rights the federal labour law gives private-sector workers.
Who this is for
For people considering a private-sector job in the UAE. It does not cover public-sector employment or domestic work, which have their own rules.
In short
- You need a work permit from the Ministry (MOHRE) and a residence visa; the employer applies.
- Recruitment costs are the employer’s: the worker must not pay them.
- The employer cannot keep your passport.
- After one year: at least 30 days’ paid leave a year and an end-of-service gratuity.
General information, not legal advice. Rules change and have exceptions. Always check the official text in the sources below and, for your own case, talk to a trade union, a qualified lawyer or the competent public authority.
The governing law
Private-sector employment is governed by Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, in force since 2 February 2022, as subsequently amended (including by Federal Decree-Law No. 20 of 2023), and by its Implementing Regulation (Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022). The competent authority is the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE). [1] [2]
How to start working
No one may work, or be recruited or employed, without a work permit from the Ministry. [3] Normally the employer applies for the permit and then the residence visa; health insurance is also required (see below). Contracts are fixed-term and renewable: unlimited contracts have been abolished. [2] [6]
Some profiles (for example investors, entrepreneurs, people with exceptional talent or rare specialisations such as doctors and scientists) can get a Golden visa, a long-term residence (5 or 10 years) that does not need a sponsor. [4]
Your basic rights
- No recruitment fees: the employer cannot charge you, directly or indirectly, for recruitment and employment costs. [3]
- Documents: the employer cannot withhold your official documents (such as your passport). [5]
- Contract: made in two copies, one given to you. [6]
- Hours: maximum 8 hours a day or 48 a week; overtime is paid at least 25% above basic pay (50% between 10 pm and 4 am, except for shift workers). [7]
- Annual leave: at least 30 days a year after one year of service; 2 days a month between 6 and 12 months. [8]
- End-of-service gratuity: for full-time foreign workers with at least one year of service, 21 days’ basic pay for each of the first five years and 30 days for each further year, capped at two years’ pay. [9]
- Salary: companies registered with MOHRE pay through the Wage Protection System (WPS), an electronic system that checks that wages arrive on time and in full; the previous month’s salary is due on the first day of each month. [10]
- Health insurance: since 1 January 2025 employers must buy health insurance for private-sector employees as a condition for issuing or renewing the residence permit; the scheme, already mandatory in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, is extended to the other emirates. For work permits issued before 1 January 2024 the obligation applies at renewal. [11]
Where to get help
Labour complaints go to MOHRE, online or on the toll-free number 80084. There are also labour care units and offices in the courts that give workers legal support in labour disputes. [12]
Checklist
- Use only official portals: u.ae and mohre.gov.ae.
- Do not pay agencies for a job or a visa: asking you to pay is prohibited.
- Read the contract before you travel and keep a copy.
- Keep your passport with you.
- Check that your salary arrives in your account through WPS.
- Make sure you have health insurance.