Staff and visas in the United Arab Emirates

01Contracts

Private sector employment is governed by Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, in force since 2 February 2022. It does not apply in DIFC and ADGM, which have their own employment rules.

• Contract type: fixed-term contracts only. Unlimited contracts do not exist. The law sets no maximum term.
• Renewal: contracts renew automatically if work continues after expiry.
• Probation: up to six months. The employer gives at least 14 days written notice. An employee leaving to join another UAE employer gives one month and an employee leaving the UAE gives 14 days.
• Non-compete: up to two years from the end of employment, with the type of work and the area defined.

02Notice and termination

After probation, notice is 30 to 90 days in writing, as set by the contract. The employer's notice cannot be shorter than the employee's.

• Summary dismissal: limited to listed misconduct after a written investigation.
• Poor performance: dismissal needs two earlier written warnings.
• Arbitrary dismissal: compensation is capped at three months of the last salary.

03Working time and rest

Working time is 8 hours a day or 48 hours a week, with a break after five consecutive hours.

• Overtime: capped at 2 hours a day and 144 hours in three weeks. It is paid at least 25% above basic pay. Night work between 22:00 and 04:00 is paid at least 50% above. Work on a contractual rest day earns a day off or normal pay plus at least 50%.
• Weekly rest: at least one day a week, set by the contract. It no longer has to be Friday.
• Ramadan: hours are cut by two hours a day for private sector staff. MoHRE announced the cut for 2026 on 12 February 2026.

04Leave and public holidays

Annual leave is 30 days a year after more than a year of service. Public holidays are paid.

Public holidays

Work on a public holiday earns a day in lieu or a 50% uplift on basic pay. Islamic holidays follow moon sighting, so the exact dates are announced shortly before. Under Cabinet Resolution No. 27 of 2024 a public holiday is not moved to another day when it falls on a weekend or on another public holiday.

In 2027, New Year's Day falls on Friday 1 January.

05End-of-service gratuity

After one year of continuous service the employer pays a gratuity on the last basic salary. It is 21 days of basic pay per year for the first five years and 30 days per year after that.

• The gratuity is capped at two years of pay.
• It is due within 14 days of termination.
• It applies to foreign staff.
• DIFC: employers pay into the DIFC Employee Workplace Savings Scheme (DEWS) from 1 February 2020 in place of the end-of-service gratuity. Monthly contributions are 5.83% or 8.33% of basic salary, depending on length of service.

06Wages and labour disputes

Wages are paid monthly through the Wage Protection System. The law has no provisions on trade unions, strikes or lockouts.

• Collective labour disputes: a dispute between an employer and all or a group of its workers goes to the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation if it is not settled amicably (Article 56). The Minister has power to impose preventive measures to protect the public interest. A Collective Labour Disputes Committee set up by Cabinet Resolution No. 46 of 2022 hears disputes the Ministry cannot settle.
• Individual labour disputes: raised with the Ministry first (Article 54). The Ministry decides finally on claims up to AED 50,000.
• Court fees: labour claims up to AED 100,000 are free of court fees (Article 55).

07Social security and insurance

The UAE levies no personal income tax on salary. Social security contributions apply only to UAE and GCC nationals. Foreign staff from outside the GCC pay none.

• Free zone employers are also subject to the contributions for UAE nationals.
• Unemployment insurance: applies to Emirati and foreign workers from 1 January 2023. The employee pays AED 5 a month if basic salary is AED 16,000 or less and AED 10 a month above that.

08Emiratisation

Mainland companies with 50 or more employees must raise Emirati skilled staff by 2 percentage points a year, to 10% by the end of 2026.

• The quotas apply to private sector establishments with 50 or more workers, and to establishments with 20 to 49 workers in 14 listed sectors.
• The quotas apply to mainland companies registered with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation. Free zone companies are outside them. A mainland branch of a free zone company is covered.
• The minimum monthly wage for Emiratis in the private sector is AED 6,000 from 1 January 2026. Staff paid below it do not count toward the targets after 1 July 2026.
• Falsifying or circumventing quotas attracts fines of up to AED 1 million.
• Dubai Law No. 5 of 2026 applies to contractors providing services to Dubai Government entities and requires UAE nationals in their workforce. It is not a general obligation for Dubai private employers.
• The Nafis programme for Emirati private sector employment was extended to 2040 on 6 April 2026.

09Visas and residence

The employer applies for the work permit and residence of a foreign employee. Long-term routes exist that need no employer.

Employer-sponsored work visa

• The employer starts the application. A mainland employer applies through MoHRE and a free zone employer through its zone authority.
• The work permit period is 60 days. The residence visa, medical test and Emirates ID are completed in this period.
• A mainland employer pays a bank guarantee of AED 3,000 per employee.
• ADGM offers a two-year employee visa and gives Tech Startup licence holders three visas per dedicated desk, valid up to three years.
• DMCC lists a one-year employment residence permit at AED 2,237 when new and issued from outside the country, and AED 2,200 at renewal.

Long-term and other routes

Rules for residence

• Most residence visas end after more than 180 consecutive days outside the UAE. Golden visa holders are exempt.
• Golden and Green visa holders can sponsor a spouse and children. Golden Residency also covers parents and children of any age.
• Golden Residency investors and their family members must hold valid comprehensive health insurance when applying.
• An eligible Golden Residency applicant outside the UAE receives a six-month multiple-entry entry visa, renewable for six months, to complete the procedures.
• Investor residence on a mainland company depends on the company's licence and premises.