Working in the UAE: the law and practical advice

UAE labour law differs from Saudi law on one point that costs thousands of dirhams. Start here before you sign.

Private-sector work in the UAE is governed by Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, a recent law that changed a good deal: it abolished unlimited-term contracts so that all are now fixed-term, capped probation at six months, and entrenched payment of wages through the Wage Protection System rather than in cash.

The sharpest difference from Saudi Arabia is that end-of-service gratuity here is calculated on the basic wage alone — housing and transport allowances do not enter it. The advice therefore inverts: in Saudi Arabia you want your allowances stated and fixed; in the UAE you want a high basic, even at the cost of smaller allowances. Two contracts on identical total pay can differ by thousands of dirhams on the way out.

The complaint route here is the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, which has its own official channels. Always keep your contract and your bank statement — they are the strongest things you hold if you and the employer disagree.