The operative employment contract in the mainland UAE is the **MOHRE standard contract**, generated through the ministry and registered within 14 days of work permit approval. This document supplements it with the commercial and protective terms the standard form does not carry. **It cannot contradict the MOHRE contract, and it cannot reduce any statutory entitlement.**
Contract of Employment
Mainland UAE — supplementary to the MOHRE registered contract
The operative employment contract in the mainland UAE is the MOHRE standard contract, generated through the ministry and registered within 14 days of work permit approval. This document supplements it with the commercial and protective terms the standard form does not carry. It cannot contradict the MOHRE contract, and it cannot reduce any statutory entitlement.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Employer | [COMPANY NAME], licence [NUMBER] |
| Employee | [NAME], passport [NUMBER], [nationality] |
| MOHRE contract reference | [NUMBER], registered [DATE] |
| Contract type | Fixed term — all contracts are fixed-term under Federal Decree-Law 33/2021 |
| Term | [DATE] to [DATE] — [2 or 3] years, renewable |
| Job title (as on the work permit) | [TITLE] |
| MOHRE skill level | [1–9] |
| Work location | [ADDRESS / EMIRATE] |
| Basic salary | AED [AMOUNT] per month — the gratuity base |
| Total salary | AED [AMOUNT] per month |
| Probation | [NUMBER] months — maximum 6 |
| Notice period | [30–90] days |
| Language | Arabic and English; the Arabic prevails |
1. Relationship with the MOHRE Contract
1.1The Employee is engaged on the terms of the MOHRE standard contract registered under reference [NUMBER], which is the operative contract for the purposes of Federal Decree-Law 33/2021.
1.2This agreement supplements that contract. Where they conflict, the MOHRE contract and the Law prevail. Nothing in this agreement reduces any entitlement conferred by the Law.
1.3Any change to the terms of the MOHRE contract — including salary, job title or the nature of the work — requires the Employee’s explicit written consent and must be recorded through the ministry’s contract amendment service. A change agreed informally has no effect.
1.4Where this agreement is executed in both Arabic and English, the Arabic version prevails.
2. Duties and Working Hours
2.1The Employee shall perform the duties of [JOB TITLE] and such other duties consistent with the role as the Employer reasonably assigns, faithfully and diligently.
2.2Normal working hours are 8 hours per day and 48 hours per week, [reduced to ______ during Ramadan for fasting employees as required].
2.3Overtime worked at the Employer’s request is compensated in accordance with the Law. Hours beyond the normal working day attract an uplift, with a higher rate for work between 10pm and 4am, subject to the exceptions in the Law.
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The mainland employment relationship is governed by the standard contract generated through MOHRE and registered within 14 days of work permit approval. This supplementary agreement adds commercial terms the standard form does not carry — confidentiality, intellectual property, restrictions — but it cannot contradict the registered contract or reduce a statutory entitlement. A supplementary agreement that conflicts is simply unenforceable to that extent.
Federal Decree-Law 33/2021 abolished unlimited contracts. Every mainland contract is for a fixed term, typically two or three years, renewable. Documents referring to unlimited or indefinite contracts are pre-2022 and out of date.
Salary, job title and the nature of the work cannot be changed unilaterally. The employee must consent in writing and the change must be recorded through the ministry’s amendment service. An informal agreement to reduce salary, however amicable, does not bind and is visible in the WPS record.
Gratuity is 21 days per year for five years and 30 days thereafter, calculated on **basic salary only**. A package weighted towards allowances reduces gratuity exposure and is lawful. It should be a conscious decision, disclosed at offer stage, rather than something the employee discovers at the end of service.
The figure registered with MOHRE, the figure in the contract and the figure paid through WPS must agree. Paying less than the registered salary is a breach that WPS data makes visible without any complaint being filed, and enforcement has hardened.
Recruitment fees, work permit costs, visa costs, medical testing and Emirates ID are employer costs by law. Deducting them from salary, or requiring repayment on early departure, is prohibited — and is among the more commonly enforced provisions.
Holding an employee’s passport is prohibited. Employers sometimes do it believing it protects against absconding. It does not, and it is a clear contravention.
All end-of-service entitlements are payable within 14 days of the last working day. That is a short window for calculating gratuity, leave encashment and final salary. Start the computation when notice is given, not on the last day.
Dismissal for an unlawful reason, including retaliation for a legitimate complaint, can attract compensation of up to three months’ salary in addition to other entitlements. Document the genuine reason for any termination and keep the supporting record.
Termination without notice is available only on the grounds the Law lists, and requires an investigation with the employee given an opportunity to respond. Employers frequently treat serious misconduct as self-evidently justifying immediate dismissal without following the procedure, which converts a defensible decision into a claim.
A restriction must be limited in time — not exceeding two years — place and subject matter, and applies only where the employee had access to clients or trade secrets. It may fall away in defined circumstances, including where the employer is responsible for the termination. The practical enforcement route runs through MOHRE rather than the courts. Draft narrowly and take advice before relying on one.
Where a contract exists in Arabic and English, the Arabic text governs in a dispute and before the authorities. An English-only supplementary agreement is workable in practice but carries risk; a bilingual version with a professional legal translation is the safer course for anything material.
Outdoor work is prohibited during specified afternoon hours across the summer months, with inspections and penalties. It applies regardless of whether the employee is willing to work, and applies to the employer as a duty.
Unless the employee is dismissed on a ground permitting summary termination or has moved to another UAE employer, the cost of return to the point of recruitment falls on the employer. Budget for it in the cost of the hire.
Reflects UAE law current as of {{DATE OF USE}}. Federal Decree-Law 33/2021 has been amended, and Cabinet resolutions on leave, overtime, notice, penalties and dispute resolution change — confirm the current position with MOHRE or a UAE employment adviser, and have any bilingual contract prepared with a qualified legal translator.
This is a ready-to-use template provided for convenience. Laws and requirements change, and every situation is different — please have it reviewed by a qualified professional (a lawyer, corporate secretary, or accountant as relevant) before you rely on it.