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Jobs and Employment - dda
Jobs & Employment
Employment regulators
Employment in Dubai Government entities are regulated by Dubai Government Human Resources Department, while employment in private sector is governed by Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization under the UAE labor laws.
Employment contracts organize the relationship between employers and employees. They provide workers with protections, including benefits such as annual leave, health insurance, and end-of-service gratuity.
Finding a Job in Dubai
Dubai is an open, dynamic and rapidly evolving job market, driven by growth in sectors like technology, tourism, real estate, and renewable energy. The city provides diverse opportunity to job seekers.
Dubai Careers is the official portal to search for a job opportunity in a government entity. At the private sector level, there are several job search websites, including Bayt, GulfTalent, Indeed, NaukriGulf, and LinkedIn. These platforms offer a wide range of vacancies across diverse industries, catering to various levels of experience and academic levels.
Will you need a visa that allows you to work in the UAE?
If you have found a job already, your employer will handle most of the paperwork for you. To get your work permit, the first step is to get an entry visa. For citizens of many countries, this can be issued pre-arrival, then apply for your residence visa later on. You have to apply for a residence visa and a labour card within the first 60 days of arriving in the country, luckily this process can be done online easily.
Employment Process in Private Sector
The employment process in the private sector typically involves several key steps, which include:
First, the employee receives a formal job offer and signs the employment contract. The employer applies for a work permit (also known as a labor approval) from MOHRE – a step must be completed before the employee enters the UAE.
Once the work permit is approved, the employer applies for an entry permit visa, allowing the employee to legally enter the UAE. If the employee is already inside the UAE (e.g., on a visit or tourist visa), a visa status change is required instead of an entry permit.
After entering the UAE (or changing status), the employee must undergo a mandatory medical fitness test and submit biometrics for the Emirates ID.
Once the medical results are cleared, the employer applies for the residence visa and Emirates ID of the employee, which are typically valid for 2 years.
Finally, the employee’s labor card and MOHRE employment contract are finalized after all above steps.
Job Offer
In Dubai, a job offer — also known as an offer letter — is a formal document issued by an employer to a prospective employee, outlining the basic terms of employment. It typically includes key details such as the job title, salary, working hours, benefits, and the start date. The offer letter serves as a preliminary agreement before the employment contract is signed. An official job offer signed by both the employer and the employee is required to obtain a work permit. View various types of job offer.
Work Permit
According to Article 6 of the Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations in the Private Sector, it is illegal for a person to work in the UAE without a valid work permit issued according to the procedures set out by Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE). Read Labour Law
There are several types of work permits available, including those for full-time, part-time, flexible, and remote work. Some work permits require a valid job offer, while others do not. You can view all types of work permits through the website of Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization
Employment Contract
According to the UAE Labor Law, a worker can be hired on a fixed-term employment contract. The term may be extended or renewed for a similar or shorter duration. If both parties continue to implement the contract after the expiry of its original term or the completion of the agreed work without an express agreement, the original contract is considered implicitly extended as per the same conditions.
Types of Contracts
The type of contract depends on the pattern of work, which include full-time, part-time, temporary, flexible, remote, and job-sharing arrangements.
The Labor law admits the following models of work arrangements as follows:
Full time – under this system, an employee works for one employer only on a full-time basis.
Part time – under such contract, an employee works for one or more employers for a specific number of hours or days.
Temporary work – under this system, an employee works on a specific assignment and the contract ends upon its completion.
Flexible working – under this system, working hours or days may change depending on the business needs of the employer.
Remote work - under this system, all or part of the work is performed outside the workplace.
Job sharing - under such contract, the tasks and duties are divided amongst workers as agreed upon, in advance. The rules of a part-time work model apply on the job-sharing contracts.
Probation period
The probation period of the employee must not exceed six months, or be extended for another term. When the employee completes the probation period and continues in service, the probation will be calculated as part of his service.
If the employer wants to terminate the employee for any reason during the probation period, the employer has to give 14 days’ prior written notice.
Leaves
Employees are entitled to the following leaves once they have completed six months of service:
Annual leave - The employee is entitled to an annual leave with full wage, of not less than thirty days for each year of extended service or two days for each month if the service term is more than six months and less than a year.
Maternity Leave - The female employee shall be entitled to a maternity leave of (60) sixty days. The first 45 days are paid with full wage, while the following 15 days are paid with half wage.
Parental leave – The employee is entitled to a parental leave of 5 working days that can be taken within six months from the date of birth of their child.
Public holidays – Employees are entitled to fully paid days off on public holidays, which are designated by a Cabinet resolution.
Weekend – Employees are entitled to a paid weekend of no less than one day off, as stipulated in the employment contract.
Sabbatical leave: Emiratis working in the private sector are entitled to a paid sabbatical leave (extended break from work) to perform national service.
Study Leave - An employee, who is studying in one of the UAE’s certified educational institutions is entitled to a paid leave of 10 days per year to sit for examinations.
Compassionate leave – The employee is entitled to a paid bereavement leave of 5 days in case of death of spouse, and 3 days in case of death of a parent, child, sibling, grandchild or grandparent.
Sick leave – The employee is entitled to a sick leave of not more than 90 days per year, only after the end of probationary period. During sick leave, the employee will receive full pay for the first 15 days, half pay for the next 30 days, and no pay for the remaining 45 days.
Wages Protection
The Wages Protection System (WPS) is an electronic system to transfer salaries of employees and workers. It ensures timely and transparent payment of wages to employees in the UAE. All businesses registered with Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization (MoHRE) must subscribe to the ‘Wages Protection System (WPS)’ and pay the wages to their employees through that system regularly to avoid penalties. WPS requires employers to pay workers' salaries through banks and financial institutions approved by the UAE Central Bank. The system promotes transparency, protects workers' rights, and helps companies comply with labor laws by monitoring salary payments.
Government Job Vacancies
"Dubai Careers" is an innovative online platform designed to showcase government job vacancies in Dubai and connect job seekers with Dubai government entities. Visit "Dubai Careers" to explore and apply for various government job opportunities in Dubai.
Labor Data
Dubai maintains comprehensive labor data, covering employment trends, workforce distribution, and regulatory insights to support economic growth and policy development.
Visit "Dubai Pulse" or "Dubai Statistics Center" to access comprehensive labor statistics in Dubai, and explore the government's open data repository on employment trends and insights.
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