Employing domestic help in the UAE: the rules

The legal framework

The UAE government portal states that Federal Decree Law No. 21 of 2023, which amends Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2022 Concerning Domestic Workers, regulates the recruitment and employment of domestic workers. The portal says the law applies to 19 occupations, including housemaid, nanny or babysitter, cook, private tutor, home nurse and personal or family driver. It prohibits, among other things, employing anyone under 18, discrimination, sexual harassment, forced labour, exposure to physical harm, and assigning tasks not covered by the contract.^[1]

The portal lists related resolutions, including Ministerial Resolutions No. 674, 675 and 676 of 2022, which cover labour relations, the Wage Protection System and the licensing of recruitment agencies. It names Cabinet Resolution No. 106 of 2022 as the executive regulations behind its tables of fines. The English text of the Decree-Law on the ministry's site carries a note that it was translated by a third party and that the ministry is not responsible for discrepancies with the original document. This page summarises the law and does not replace it.^[1][2]

The employment contract

Article 7 of the Decree-Law, in the original 2022 text, requires employers to enter into a contract with each domestic worker on the unified standard contract set by the ministry and to give the worker a copy. The contract must show the names of the parties, the date of the contract, the joining date, the nature and place of work, the duration, the total remuneration, the payment method, authorised leave, the probation period, rest periods, and the circumstances that may end the contract. A limited-term contract lasts two years and may be renewed for the same period.^[2]

The portal's current summary of employer obligations adds that the employer must provide the facilities needed for the work, appropriate accommodation, meals and clothing, medical care or health insurance, and must treat the worker with respect and ensure their safety. It states that the employer must let the worker keep their own identification documents and must not collect payments from the worker except where the law or the approved contract allows. Article 8 sets a maximum probation period of six months, in both the 2022 ministry translation and the current text on the UAE Legislation portal, and the ministry's employer guide also refers to it.^[1][2][3][4]

Wages, rest and leave

Article 15 provides that the monthly wage is paid in UAE dirhams within 10 days of its due date, with payment evidenced by a written receipt or another means the ministry decides. The current text on the UAE Legislation portal and the u.ae summary state the same 10-day limit. The ministry's employer guide says wages are paid through the ministry's Wage Protection System, that some professions are covered on an optional basis, and that the wage falls due from the first day of the month until the tenth. The guide also lists exemptions, including a new worker within 30 days of the contract start date.^[2][3][1][4]

Article 9 gives domestic workers a paid weekly rest day. If the worker is required to work on that day, they are entitled to an alternative day of rest or a day's wage in its place. It also provides for at least 12 hours of rest per day, of which at least eight are consecutive. The current text on the UAE Legislation portal, the 2022 ministry translation and the u.ae summary all state these entitlements. The law refers to executive regulations and ministry decisions for the detailed arrangements.^[3][2][1]

Article 10 provides for annual leave of not less than 30 days for each year, paid before it is taken, and two days per month for service of more than six months but less than a year. If the worker wishes to spend leave in their home country, the employer bears the cost of a return ticket once every two years. In the current text on the UAE Legislation portal, sick leave is up to 30 days in each contractual year when supported by a medical report from an approved health authority, with the first 15 days paid and the next 15 at half pay.^[3][2][1]

Tadbeer centres, recruitment offices and MOHRE

MOHRE, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, is the regulator. The u.ae portal points employers to a list of domestic workers services centres approved by the ministry. In a news item from 2019, the ministry described the TADBEER service centres as providing all services related to domestic workers, including opening customer files, taking out, renewing and cancelling employment contracts, and completing documents such as the medical check-up, health insurance, Emirates ID and residence visa. That item is several years old, so current services should be checked with the ministry.^[1][5]

The portal says recruitment offices must give the worker information about the type of work and the wage before they enter the country, carry out medical examinations within 30 days before arrival, and must not demand or receive a commission from workers. The ministry's guide describes refunds: in full within the first month, in full plus government fees if the worker is medically unfit during the six-month probation period, and in part thereafter. It also describes an insurance policy for workers' financial dues, up to AED 20,000 for a period of 30 months, which employers must obtain before a work permit is issued.^[1][4]

Disputes, change and what to check

The portal says either party may submit a labour complaint to the ministry, which will try to resolve it amicably within two weeks before referring it to the competent court with its recommendation. The current text of Article 23 on the UAE Legislation portal adds that the ministry itself decides disputes where the claim does not exceed AED 50,000, by a decision that is enforceable, and either party may then file a lawsuit within 15 working days. Article 26 states that workers' lawsuits are exempt from judicial fees and that claims are not heard after three months from the end of the work relationship.^[1][3]

These pages were read on 15 October 2026. The u.ae page was updated on 6 October 2026. The ministry's English translation is the original 2022 text, while the UAE Legislation portal shows a version listing two amendments and a last update of 29 July 2024; its figures for probation, rest, leave and wage timing match the 2022 text. The executive regulations and the amending decree itself were not read, so fees, penalties and procedures may differ. The ministry's website and the u.ae portal are the places to confirm current requirements. This page is not legal advice.^[1][2][3]

Questions