Ask a Lawyer

Domestic workers in the UAE — including maids, nannies, cooks, gardeners, private drivers and similar household staff — are covered by a dedicated law separate from the general labour law. The governing framework is the Federal Decree-Law on Domestic Workers, administered by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE). It sets out the standard employment contract, the employer's duties (accommodation, food and medical care unless otherwise agreed), rest and leave entitlements, and rules on recruitment through licensed offices (Tadbeer service centres). Because domestic workers fall under this specific decree rather than the mainland labour law that covers most private-sector employees, the obligations and dispute routes differ. Both the employer and the worker sign a unified contract registered with MOHRE. If a dispute arises, it is first raised with MOHRE, which mediates before any referral to court. For your specific situation, you can review your registered contract terms and compare verified UAE legal professionals on LEXAI who handle domestic-worker and household-employment matters.

Domestic workers in the UAE are covered by their own law, not the general labour law that applies to most private-sector employees. The governing framework is the Federal Decree-Law on Domestic Workers, administered by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE). It covers maids, nannies, cooks, gardeners, private drivers and similar household staff. Because this is a separate decree, the entitlements and the dispute routes are not the same as they are under the mainland labour law. The starting point is the contract. Household staff are entitled to a written, unified employment contract registered with MOHRE and signed by both the employer and the worker — informal verbal terms do not replace it. Recruitment must go through a licensed Tadbeer service centre rather than unregulated channels. The decree then sets a floor of core protections. These include daily rest, at least one paid weekly rest day, and paid annual leave. The employer must provide suitable accommodation, food and access to medical care unless the contract states otherwise. Forced labour is prohibited. Wages must be paid as agreed. The worker keeps their own identity and travel documents — withholding a passport is not permitted. The exact number of leave days, daily rest hours and notice requirements are fixed by the decree and its executive regulations, so confirm the current figures against your registered contract and the MOHRE guidance before relying on them. If something goes wrong, the first step is MOHRE. It mediates domestic-worker disputes between the household and the worker before any referral to court. For advice on your own contract or dispute, you can speak to a verified UAE legal professional on LEXAI who handles domestic-worker and household-employment matters.

To employ a domestic worker legally in the UAE you must sponsor them through the official channel rather than hiring informally. Recruitment is handled through licensed Tadbeer service centres operating under the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE), which manage the contract, work permit and onboarding. The sponsor (employer) generally needs to meet eligibility conditions — such as a minimum income and suitable housing — submit identity and residency documents, and sign the unified MOHRE-registered domestic-worker contract. The worker then completes medical testing, Emirates ID and residence-visa procedures through the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA). Specific income thresholds, government fees and document lists are set by the authorities and updated periodically, so confirm the current requirements directly with MOHRE, Tadbeer or GDRFA before you apply. Hiring outside this framework can expose the household to penalties and leaves the worker unprotected. For contract review or eligibility questions specific to your circumstances, you can compare verified UAE legal professionals on LEXAI who handle domestic-worker sponsorship.

Domestic-worker employment in the UAE is governed by the dedicated Federal Decree-Law on Domestic Workers and its standard MOHRE-registered contract, which provides for a probationary period during which either side can assess the arrangement. During probation, the conditions for ending the relationship differ from those that apply after the worker is confirmed, and the law and its executive regulations also address what happens to recruitment costs and repatriation if the contract ends within that window, depending on who terminates and why. The exact length of the probation period and the rules on who bears recruitment or return-ticket costs are fixed by the decree and can be updated, so verify the current figures in your registered contract and the MOHRE guidance rather than relying on assumptions. Because these terms are written into the unified contract, read it carefully before signing. If a probation dispute arises between a household and a domestic worker, MOHRE mediates first, and a verified UAE legal professional on LEXAI can review the contract terms for your situation.

Under the UAE's Federal Decree-Law on Domestic Workers, the employer of a live-in maid, nanny or driver carries specific duties beyond paying wages. As a general rule, the employer must provide suitable accommodation, food and access to medical care unless the contract expressly provides otherwise, must pay the agreed wage on time, and must treat the worker with dignity and not subject them to forced labour. The employer also cannot confiscate the worker's passport or personal documents. Recruitment must be arranged through a licensed Tadbeer centre, and the relationship must be governed by the unified MOHRE-registered contract that records exactly what the household provides. The precise scope of each obligation — and any items that can be varied by agreement — is set by the decree and its executive regulations, so confirm the current detail with MOHRE rather than relying on custom or verbal understandings. Putting everything in the registered contract protects both sides. For tailored advice on drafting or reviewing these terms, you can compare verified UAE legal professionals on LEXAI.

End-of-service in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) is handled differently from mainland UAE. The DIFC Employment Law introduced a funded savings approach: instead of a lump sum calculated only at the end, employers make ongoing monthly contributions into a qualifying scheme — most commonly the DIFC Employee Workplace Savings (DEWS) plan or another certified alternative — for eligible employees. This means an employee's end-of-service entitlement accrues over time into a managed account rather than being paid solely on departure. Eligibility, the contribution basis and how earlier service is treated are defined by the DIFC Employment Law and the scheme rules, and these can be updated, so confirm the current details with your employer and the DEWS administrator rather than assuming a fixed rate. When you leave, you generally claim your accumulated savings through the scheme, alongside any other final dues. Because the DIFC framework is distinct from federal gratuity rules, review your specific position with a verified UAE legal professional on LEXAI familiar with DIFC employment matters.

Employees in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) take their leave entitlements from the DIFC Employment Law, which is separate from the mainland federal labour law. The DIFC law provides for paid annual (vacation) leave that accrues with service, paid sick leave subject to defined conditions, public holidays, and family-related leave such as maternity and other parental entitlements, each with its own qualifying rules. The precise number of annual-leave days, the amount and pay structure of sick-leave entitlement, and the conditions attached are all fixed in the DIFC Employment Law and can be amended, so confirm the current figures directly against the law and your contract rather than assuming they match onshore rules. Your contract may grant more generous terms than the statutory minimum, but not less. Because the DIFC operates its own regime, reading the DIFC Employment Law itself is the reliable source. For a review of your specific leave entitlements, you can compare verified UAE legal professionals on LEXAI who handle DIFC employment matters.

End-of-service benefits for employees in the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) are governed by the ADGM Employment Regulations, which operate independently of the UAE's onshore federal gratuity rules. In general terms, an eligible employee who completes qualifying service is entitled to an end-of-service gratuity calculated by reference to their length of service and a defined measure of pay, with the precise method, eligibility period and any treatment of partial years set out in the Regulations. ADGM has also moved toward funded end-of-service arrangements for certain employees, so how your benefit accrues and is paid may depend on the current framework in force. Because the calculation basis, qualifying thresholds and any funded-scheme requirements are fixed in the ADGM Employment Regulations and have been updated over time, confirm the current rules against the Regulations and your contract rather than relying on a fixed formula. For an accurate calculation of what you are owed on leaving an ADGM employer, a verified UAE legal professional on LEXAI experienced in ADGM employment can review your service record and contract.

Unlimited contracts have been phased out in the UAE. Since the UAE Labour Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021) took effect, all private-sector employment is on fixed-term (limited) contracts, and existing unlimited contracts had to be converted, so the old unlimited-versus-limited distinction no longer changes how gratuity is calculated. Today, regardless of your original contract type, gratuity is based on your basic wage: 21 days' basic wage for each of the first five years of continuous service and 30 days' basic wage for each year beyond five, provided you have completed at least one year. The total is capped at two years' wages. Crucially, the reduced-gratuity penalty that used to apply when an employee resigned from an unlimited contract before five years has been abolished — resignation and termination now produce the same gratuity. Use your basic salary, not your full package, in the calculation. MOHRE offers an official online calculator. If you are unsure how your converted contract affects continuity of service, you can compare verified UAE employment lawyers on LEXAI.

Since the UAE Labour Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021) made all private-sector contracts fixed-term, the gratuity calculation is the same for everyone and does not depend on contract type. Administered by MOHRE, the rule requires at least one continuous year of service to qualify. The benefit is 21 days' basic wage for each of the first five years of service and 30 days' basic wage for each subsequent year, calculated on your basic salary only — allowances are excluded. The total cannot exceed two years' wages, and unpaid leave days do not count toward your service period. Under the previous law, fixed-term (limited) and unlimited contracts were treated differently on early exit, but that split has been removed; whether you resign or are terminated, you now receive the full gratuity once you pass one year. Non-renewal of a fixed-term contract at its natural end does not reduce gratuity either. MOHRE provides an official calculator that applies these rules. For a complex situation, you can compare verified UAE employment lawyers on LEXAI.