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Where do I file a labour case in Sharjah if my company is registered there?

Asked by Anonymous·Jun 10, 2026·1 answers
Worked in Dubai the whole time, but my employer's licence is registered in Sharjah, and now that things are heading to court I'm getting conflicting advice on which emirate's labour court takes the case. Even the typing centre gave me two different answers. Does it follow where the company is registered or where I actually worked?

This answer is AI-generated and editorially reviewed. It is general legal information, not legal advice — verify anything you act on with a licensed UAE lawyer. How LEXAI uses AI

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LEXAI

Editorially reviewed by LEXAI

Jun 11, 2026
Start with MOHRE — it is a federal ministry, so you can lodge the complaint through its app or call centre from anywhere, and the system assigns it based on the establishment that holds your work permit. Since your employer's licence is registered in Sharjah, the complaint will normally be handled through the Sharjah side, and if mediation fails, MOHRE's referral letter names the competent court. That letter, not the typing centre, is what settles the question. As a general rule the case follows the employer's registered establishment, though the place where you actually worked can also support jurisdiction; courts deal with this routinely, and a misfiled case gets transferred rather than thrown away, so the conflicting advice is less dangerous than it sounds. One caveat: if the employer is licensed in a free zone with its own employment regime, the route can differ, so check the licence type. Bring your contract, work permit details, payslips and the licence number when filing. Before time limits become a worry, it is worth having a licensed UAE labour lawyer confirm the right forum from your specific paperwork.
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