Online services for workers from foreign countries

• Register a labour complaint (domestic workers)
• Registration of labour complaints
• Register free zone complaint
• My salary complaint
• Grievances raised by employees
• Register collective labour complaint. 

Find out more digital services for workers from foreign countries on the website of Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation.

The UAE issued a guide titled ‘Know Your Rights’ to educate the labourers about their rights and obligations. The guide communicates seven key messages to workers from foreign countries. The messages are:

1.You are expected to sign your employment contract after arriving in the UAE.

2.The costs of the recruitment and travel, as well as the expenses for obtaining your residency permit in the UAE shall be borne by the employer with whom you have agreed to conclude a contract.

3. The terms and provisions of your employment contract must be consistent with the job offer you have signed in your country.

You are expected to:

4. maintain a copy of the job offer you have signed

5. contact Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) promptly, if the employer did not provide you with the agreed-upon job opportunity, or in case you did not receive your salary in full and on time

6. maintain your identification documents in a secure place.

7. You are entitled to leave your job at any time. However, you shall be fully aware of your legal obligations.

Find out more about your rights and obligations as a worker from foreign country in the UAE. ‘Know Your Rights’ guide is available in the following languages:

• Bengali (PDF, 404 KB)
• Chinese (PDF, 644 KB)
• English (PDF, 410 KB)
• Hindi (PDF, 402 KB)
• Malayalam (PDF, 432 KB)
• Urdu (PDF, 382 KB).

Labour Claims and Advisory Call Centre

Workers can seek assistance for any  labour-related grievances or legal matters by contacting MoHRE’s 'Labour Claims and Advisory Call Centre' on the toll-free number 80084.

The UAE has established offices in courts to provide legal support to workers in labour disputes and labour care units have been established across the UAE to provide protection for workers and raise their awareness on their rights.

Workers are exempt from paying litigation fees for claims less than AED 100,000. Articles 54 and 56 of the ‘UAE Labour Law’ spell provisions for individual labour disputes and collective labour disputes.

Laws and initiatives to protect workers from foreign countries

The UAE is a significant recipient of foreign labour. As a member of the International Labour Organization (ILO), the Arab Labour Organization and other labour-focused multilateral organisations, the UAE seeks to work transparently and objectively with regard to its labour obligations.

The UAE has re-evaluated every aspect of working in the country from recruitment to housing, ensuring that all workers from foreign countries are treated respectfully and able to report instances of mistreatment easily. Charging recruitment fees to prospective employees is illegal in the UAE. The confiscation of workers' passports is prohibited and workers do not require their employer's permission to leave the country.

Other reforms for workers from foreign countries include:

• Ratifying several conventions of International Labour Organization's related to the rights of workers.
• Passing several laws and resolutions to regulate employment relationships and define the rights and obligations of the parties in a balanced manner. Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations in the Private Sector, known as the ‘UAE Labour law’, tackles issues related to harassment, bullying, physical violence and psychological abuse against employees. The law prohibits forced labour and discrimination on the basis of gender, race, colour, sex, religion, national or social origin or disability. It also spells out employers’ obligations towards employees and bans the employment of children below the age of 15.
• Issuing Federal Decree Law No. (13) of 2022 Concerning Unemployment Insurance Scheme
• proposing six specific commitments for adoption within the Global Compact for Migration. These include:

• implementation of recruitment practices that are compliant with international standards
• access for all migrant workers to information on their rights and obligations prior to departure and post arrival
• ensuring safe and decent work conditions for all migrant workers, specifically for domestic workers.

• holding Abu Dhabi Dialogue (ADD) and working closely with countries where the labour originate from, to tackle specific challenges that face the migrant labour in the Asia-Gulf migration corridors
• introducing a domestic law which establishes the principle of informed consent, ensuring that workers are aware of the terms of the contract, nature of work, the workplace, the remuneration and the period of daily and weekly rest.
• enforcing the wages protection system to ensure employees are paid in full and on time. Read more in Ministerial Resolution No. 346 of 2022 Regarding the Amendment of Certain Provisions of Ministerial Resolution No.43 of 2022 Regarding the Wages Protection System
• introducing an insurance system to protect the benefits and rights of the private sector employees and domestic helpers
• enforcing provisions for safety and health of workers
• allocating over USD 5 billion to ensure that temporary worker accommodations are in line with and exceed international standards
• implementing a standard employment contract which spells out how contracts can be terminated and make it easier for workers to switch employers
• promoting gender equality in the workplace
• combatting human trafficking at the regional and international levels
• supporting the rights of people of determination by guaranteeing them an equal opportunity to work and providing suitable working and health conditions

Find out more about worker’s protection in these resources:

• Labour rights in the UAE - Embassy of the United Arab Emirates, Washington DC
• Labour rights - Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Find out in these reports a set of policies and programmes implemented by MoHRE from 2016 onwards and their impact on reforming the labour market:

• Workers’ Welfare Report 2017-2018 (PDF, 200 KB)
• Service directory for domestic workers.

Efforts to enhance work conditions for migrant workers and nationals

The UAE made enormous efforts to enhance the work conditions for all employees and create job opportunities. Some of these efforts are:

• In 2015, the UAE government injected AED 300 billion to foster a knowledge economy, driven by innovation to prepare the UAE for a world after oil
• It developed several strategies to diversify its national income based on a sustainable economy and to increase work opportunities.

The UAE adopted Emiratisation programmes which mandate the inclusion of Emiratis in the job sector, particularly in the private sector. The latest was NAFIS, a comprehensive federal programme which includes reforms and financial incentives to drive work opportunities for both: young and experienced Emiratis in the private sector. 

Useful links

• Tips to avoid labour and visa fraud - this portal
• Channels to contact MoHRE
• Awareness and guidance material for the protection of workers - MoHRE