What are the standard working hours in the UAE?

Standard working hours are 8 hours per day or 48 hours per week. During Ramadan, working hours are reduced by 2 hours per day. Overtime must be compensated at 125% of hourly rate (150% for 10pm-4am shifts).

How much annual leave are UAE employees entitled to?

After completing 1 year of service, employees are entitled to 30 calendar days of paid annual leave per year. For 6 months to 1 year of service, you get 2 days per month.

Can my employer withhold my passport in the UAE?

No. Under UAE law, withholding an employee's passport is illegal. Article 13(2) of Federal Decree-Law 33/2021 prohibits employers from withholding official documents. Report it to MOHRE; violations carry fines under the Decree-Law.

Know Your Employee Rights in the UAE [2026 Complete Guide]

Whether you've just arrived in the UAE or have been working here for years, understanding your employment rights is crucial. The Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 (effective February 2, 2022) modernised UAE labour law significantly. Here's what every employee needs to know.

Employment Contracts

Under the new law, all employment contracts in the UAE are fixed-term (limited), with a maximum duration of 3 years. Key points:

Contracts must be in writing and registered with MOHRE
Contracts automatically renew under the same terms if both parties continue working
Probation periods cannot exceed 6 months
During probation, the employer must give 14 days' notice; you give 14 days to leave the UAE, or 1 month to join another UAE employer

Working Hours and Overtime

Standard hours: 8 hours/day or 48 hours/week
Ramadan: Reduced by 2 hours/day for all employees
Overtime rate: 125% of hourly wage (normal overtime)
Night overtime (10pm–4am): 150% of hourly wage
Maximum overtime: 2 hours per day
Friday work: If Friday is your rest day and you work, you get 150% pay or a substitute day off

Leave Entitlements

Annual Leave

6 months to 1 year of service: 2 days per month
After 1 year: 30 calendar days per year
Employer cannot force you to take leave during notice period

Sick Leave

Paid sick leave starts once probation ends; during probation the employer may grant unpaid sick leave on a medical report
Up to 90 consecutive or intermittent days per year
First 15 days: full pay
Next 30 days: half pay
Remaining 45 days: no pay

Other Leave Types

Maternity leave: 60 days (45 full pay + 15 half pay), plus up to 45 unpaid days if a pregnancy- or birth-related illness (yours or the baby's, with a medical certificate) prevents your return
Parental leave: 5 working days for either parent (within 6 months of birth)
Bereavement leave: 5 days (spouse), 3 days (other family)
Study leave: 10 days per year (after 2 years of service)

Termination and Notice Periods

The notice period is as specified in your contract, but cannot be less than 30 days or more than 90 days. During the notice period:

If your employer terminated you, you may take 1 unpaid working day per week of notice to look for a job, giving 3 days' notice of the day (Article 43(5))
Your employer must pay you for the full notice period, even if they ask you to leave early
If you leave without serving notice, you owe the employer compensation equivalent to the remaining notice period's salary

Protections Against Discrimination and Harassment

The UAE labour law prohibits:

Discrimination based on race, colour, sex, religion, national origin, or disability
Sexual harassment in the workplace
Bullying or any form of psychological violence
Passport or document confiscation (prohibited by Article 13(2))
Forced labour

Wage Protection

The Wage Protection System (WPS) requires employers to pay salaries through approved banks and exchange houses. The rules changed on 1 June 2026, when Ministerial Resolution No. 340 of 2026 replaced Resolution 598/2022.

Wages for the preceding Gregorian month are due on the 1st of each month
There is no grace period: your salary is legally delayed from the 2nd
The WPS compliance threshold was raised from 80% to 85%

You can file a MOHRE complaint as soon as your wage is late: you have never had to wait a set number of days. MOHRE's own escalation against the employer also begins immediately: warnings from day 2, new work permits suspended from day 5, administrative fines and reclassification from day 11, and from day 21 precautionary attachment of assets, travel bans on responsible individuals, and referral to the Public Prosecutor.

What to Do If Your Rights Are Violated

Document everything: keep copies of your contract, pay slips, communications
File a complaint with MOHRE: via the MOHRE app, website, or call centre (600 590000)
Mediation: MOHRE attempts to resolve the dispute amicably
MOHRE decision or Labour Court: if mediation fails, MOHRE itself decides claims up to AED 50,000; larger claims go to the labour court. Worker claims up to AED 100,000 are exempt from court fees