Employment Contract (UAE Private Sector) — 2026 template

This template is intended for onshore UAE (outside the DIFC and ADGM financial centres, which apply separate common-law regimes) unless a field below provides otherwise. Arabic is the language of UAE courts and notaries: an English document used before them must be accompanied by a certified legal translation into Arabic.

Important: private-sector employers must also issue the standard employment contract through the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) or, in a special economic zone, the competent zone authority. This agreement supplements it and must not grant the employee less than the law: provisions less favourable to the employee than the Decree-Law are void.

1. Parties

Employer: [Employer company name], MOHRE establishment no. [Establishment number], trade licence no. [Trade licence number], [Employer address] (the "Employer").

Employee: [Employee full name], nationality [Nationality], passport no. [Passport number], Emirates ID [Emirates ID number] (the "Employee").

2. Position and Term

2.1. Position: [Job title]; duties: [Main duties]; place of work: [Work location].

2.2. This is a fixed-term contract (Art. 8) for [Contract term] from [Start date] to [End date], renewable by agreement for a similar or shorter period. If the parties continue performance after expiry without a new agreement, the contract is deemed extended on the same terms.

3. Probation

3.1. The Employee is on probation for [Probation period], which may not exceed six months and may be applied only once (Art. 9).

3.2. During probation the Employer may terminate on at least 14 days' written notice; the Employee may resign on at least 14 days' notice, or at least 30 days' notice if leaving to join another employer in the UAE.

4. Working Time and Rest

4.1. Working hours: [Daily hours] hours per day, [Weekly hours] hours per week, not exceeding 48 hours per week; weekly rest day(s): [Rest days].

4.2. Overtime is paid at the normal wage plus at least 25 % of the basic wage, or at least 50 % for work between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m. (subject to the statutory exceptions for shift workers).