Many families moving to the UAE hire someone for childcare, housework or driving. This employment relationship is not governed by the ordinary Labour Law; it has its own law, which both protects the worker and creates obligations for the family. This article is based on the "Domestic workers" page of the official UAE Government portal (`u.ae`), checked on 25 October 2026.
Who is a domestic worker?
The law covers 19 occupations:
| Group | Occupations |
|---|---|
| Housework | Housemaid, housekeeper, cook, worker, nanny |
| Outside the house | Personal or family driver, gardener, farm worker, guard |
| Personal services | Personal trainer or coach, private tutor, home nurse, personal assistant, private agricultural engineer |
| Special occupations | Sailor, shepherd, jockey, animal tamer, falcon carer |
Contract and recruitment
| Subject | Official rule |
|---|---|
| Contract | On the model approved by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation; a copy is given to the worker |
| Contract contents | Including the type of work, contract duration, salary, payment method, leave, probation (if any), rest periods and termination conditions |
| Contract with the recruitment office | The recruitment office signs a contract with the employer covering the worker's relocation costs, the office's fee and the recruitment time |
| Breach by the recruitment office | The employer may refuse to employ the worker; the office must provide a replacement or refund the fee, without affecting the employer's right to compensation |
| Service centres | Domestic worker service centres approved by the ministry offer dedicated recruitment services |
Salary and rest
| Subject | Official rule |
|---|---|
| Salary payment | As per the contract, within 10 days of the due date |
| Weekly rest | One paid rest day a week |
| Daily rest | 12 hours a day, of which at least 8 hours are consecutive |
| Annual leave | At least 30 days with pay |
| Sick leave | At most 30 days a year |
| Travel ticket | A return ticket home once every 2 years |
Prohibited practices
- employing anyone under 18;
- discrimination based on race, colour, gender, religion, nationality or disability;
- sexual harassment, verbal or physical;
- forced labour or human trafficking;
- exposing the worker to physical harm;
- assigning work not in the contract;
- employing the worker in an occupation outside the law's scope without ministry approval;
- taking money from the worker, directly or indirectly, except as the law or contract allows;
- a recruitment office taking a commission from the worker.
Complaints and disputes
| Subject | Official rule |
|---|---|
| Channel | The ministry's online query and complaint platform (`eservices.mohre.gov.ae`) |
| Complainant | Either party |
| Settlement | The ministry tries to reach an amicable settlement within two weeks |
| Referral | If unresolved, the case goes to the competent court with the ministry's recommendation |
| Deadline | A claim is not accepted after three months from the end of employment |
| Court fees | Domestic workers are exempt from court fees at all stages |
The three-month limit for domestic workers is much shorter than the one-year limit for private sector employees; the article "Labour complaints and disputes in the UAE" explains the rule for private sector employees.
Insurance or a guarantee for a domestic worker
The "Insurance against defaulting employers" page of the UAE Government portal sets out the special cover for domestic workers separately:
| Subject | Official rule |
|---|---|
| Premium | AED 105 per certificate |
| Policy validity | 30 months |
| Cap | AED 20,000 per claim, including the total of all claims during the cover |
| Cover | End-of-service gratuity and unpaid wages for up to the last 120 days, unpaid repatriation costs and treatment of occupational injury or disease, repatriation of the body in case of death, the ticket of an absconding worker who was reported and found during the cover, and other legal financial dues |
| Channel | Documents and refunds through domestic worker recruitment offices, service centres or the ministry's app |
The same page says the insurer's payment does not release the employer, who must repay the insurer; but the file suspension and the AED 3,000 guarantee on renewal that apply to companies do not apply to domestic workers.
Two examples
These examples are hypothetical and only apply the official rules above.
Example 1: a nanny paid monthly. Her October salary falls due on 1 November under the contract.
| Question | Answer under the official rules |
|---|---|
| Last day for payment | Within 10 days of the due date, that is by 11 November |
| Daily rest | 12 hours, at least 8 of them consecutive |
| Weekly rest day | One day with pay |
| Annual leave | At least 30 days with pay |
Example 2: a driver leaving after two years. A family has employed a driver for two years.
| Subject | Result |
|---|---|
| Return ticket | Under the law, due from the employer once every 2 years |
| Deadline for a claim after employment ends | Three months |
| Court fees for the driver | Exempt |
Practical points
- Sign the contract only on the ministry's approved model and give the worker a copy.
- Choose a recruitment office among the ministry-approved centres and get a written contract.
- Pay the salary within 10 days of the due date and keep the receipt.
- Do not take any money from the worker, directly or indirectly, unless the law or contract allows it.
- Do not assign the worker tasks outside the contract.
Royal Golden does not give legal advice. This article is general information, and the decision on any case rests with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation and the competent UAE courts.
Sources
- UAE Government portal, Domestic workers — https://u.ae/en/information-and-services/jobs/Workplace-regulations/domestic-helpers (checked on 25 October 2026)
- UAE Government portal, Insurance against defaulting/non-compliant employers — https://u.ae/en/information-and-services/jobs/Workplace-regulations/insurance/insurance-system-for-employees-in-the-private-sector (checked on 25 October 2026)