Employer Refusing to Give You an Experience Letter in the UAE? You Are Entitled to One

You have a new job lined up and the new company, or a visa or licensing authority, asks for an experience certificate from your previous employer. The old employer ignores your emails, says it is "not company policy", asks for a fee, or offers a letter you would rather nobody saw. UAE labour law is clear on this, and it is on your side.

The rule: Article 13(11)

Article 13 of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 lists the employer's obligations. Clause 11 requires the employer to give the worker:

"as per his request and upon expiry of the employment contract, a certificate of experience, without fees, indicating the date of his commencement of work, the date of its expiry, his entire service term, job title or type of work he was performing, the last wage he was receiving and the reason for the termination of the employment contract, provided that the certificate does not include anything that may harm the worker's reputation or limit his chances of finding new job opportunities."

What that gives you

• A right, triggered by your request. Ask in writing. That starts the obligation and creates your evidence.
• No fee. "Without fees" means the company cannot charge for it or make it conditional on paying something.
• Set contents: start date, end date, total service, job title or type of work, last wage, and reason the contract ended.
• Protection from a damaging letter. The certificate cannot include anything that may harm your reputation or limit your chances of new work. It is a factual record, not a performance review.

The obligation applies "upon expiry of the employment contract" without distinguishing how it ended, so it covers resignation, termination and leaving during probation.

How to get it

1. Request it in writing to HR, copying your former manager. Cite Article 13(11), list the required contents, and give a reasonable deadline such as 7 working days.
2. Keep the thread. If they refuse or ignore you, that email chain is your complaint's evidence.
3. If the letter is damaging or incomplete, reply in writing asking for a corrected version that states only the Article 13(11) contents.
4. File with MOHRE if they still refuse. Through the MOHRE app, website or 600 590000. MOHRE will try to resolve it and, failing that, the matter can go to the labour court. Our complaint letter generator and MOHRE guide help you prepare.

Meanwhile, keep your own proof

While you wait, your new employer may accept other evidence of your service: your MOHRE-registered employment contract, salary slips or bank statements showing WPS salary credits, and your work permit record. Collect these before you lose access to company systems.

If the refusal is part of a bigger dispute

A missing experience letter often comes alongside other end-of-service problems: unpaid gratuity, a delayed final settlement or a visa that has not been cancelled. Remember that Article 53 requires wages and all entitlements to be paid within 14 days of the contract ending, and Article 13(2) bars the employer from withholding your official documents. You can raise everything in a single MOHRE complaint.

This applies to mainland private-sector employment under Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021. DIFC and ADGM employees are covered by their own employment laws.

Related Resources

• Your UAE Final Settlement After Termination
• Company Not Cancelling Your Visa
• How to File a MOHRE Complaint
• Employer Not Paying Gratuity