UAE Labour Law, answered in full

Whatever your contract states — the law requires it to be between 30 and 90 days. Most contracts set 30 or 60 days. Check your specific contract; it's binding on both sides.

You owe your employer compensation equal to your pay for the remaining notice period — unless you mutually agree to waive it, or you're leaving for a documented valid reason (e.g. employer breach). This is a real financial exposure many employees don't expect.

They can require you to work out the notice period, or agree to release you early (sometimes for the compensation above). Garden leave — being asked to stay away on full pay during notice — is also common practice.

MOHRE requires every private-sector job to be backed by a registered labour contract. If you were never given one, that's itself a compliance issue — file a complaint via MOHRE's channels below.

30 calendar days per year after one year of service (2 days/month if you've worked 6–12 months). Unused leave can be carried over or encashed on leaving the job.

After probation: up to 90 days/year — the first 15 days full pay, the next 30 half pay, the remaining 45 unpaid. During probation, sick leave is unpaid (at the employer's discretion) and requires a medical report.

60 days — the first 45 on full pay, the next 15 on half pay. Additional unpaid leave can be requested for complications, and nursing breaks apply for a period after return.

Yes — 5 working days of paid parental leave for either parent, usable within 6 months of the child's birth.

The Involuntary Loss of Employment scheme — mandatory for nearly all private-sector and free-zone employees since 2023. Premiums are tiny: AED 5/month if your basic salary is AED 16,000 or less, AED 10/month above that. If you're let go (not resignation) after 12 continuous months of paid premiums, it pays up to 60% of your basic salary for 3 months while you look for work.

Yes — the scheme only pays out for involuntary termination. Your work permit cancellation reason must show termination by the employer, not resignation, to claim.

Employer-provided health insurance is mandatory in Dubai and Abu Dhabi for all employees (and often their dependents), enforced at visa renewal stage. Rules vary slightly by emirate and by free zone — check your specific employer's obligation with MOHRE or the relevant health authority (DHA in Dubai, DOH in Abu Dhabi).

Most employees hold a standard employment visa tied to their employer, renewed every 2–3 years with the contract. Higher earners and specific skilled categories may qualify for the Golden Visa (5 or 10 years, not tied to a single employer). There's also a freelance permit route (no employer sponsor, common in media/creative free zones) and short-term mission/assignment visas for temporary work.

The standard grace period is 30–60 days after visa cancellation. Golden Visa holders and certain skilled professional categories (MOHRE skill levels 1–2) get a much longer 180-day grace period — worth checking which category your role falls under.

Under the Nafis programme, private companies above a certain headcount threshold must employ a minimum percentage of UAE nationals, rising annually, with financial penalties for missing the quota. This obligation sits with the employer, not individual employees — but it does shape hiring plans at larger companies.

No — domestic workers are governed by a separate law (Federal Law No. 9 of 2022), with different rules on contracts, working hours, and end-of-service benefits, administered through the Tadbeer centres rather than standard MOHRE channels.