Domestic Worker Contract (UAE)

A Domestic Worker Contract in the UAE is an employment agreement between a household employer and a domestic worker — such as a housemaid, nanny, cook, driver, or gardener — governed by Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2022 on Domestic Workers (the Domestic Workers Law) and its executive regulations. This law, which came into force in 2023, replaced the previous domestic-worker provisions in older ministerial decrees and for the first time gave domestic workers in the United Arab Emirates a comprehensive statutory framework comparable to the protections available to private-sector employees under Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 (the UAE Labour Law).

Before Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2022, domestic workers in the UAE were largely excluded from the Labour Law's protections — there was no statutory minimum for rest hours, no mandated sick leave, and no clear framework for early termination claims. The 2022 Domestic Workers Law changed this substantially. Article 13 guarantees domestic workers at least 8 continuous hours of rest per 24-hour period and at least one fully paid weekly rest day. Article 14 grants a minimum of 30 calendar days of paid annual leave per year of continuous service, accruing at two days per month during the first year. Article 15 provides 30 days of sick leave per year after the first three months of service, with 15 days at full pay and 15 days at half pay. These provisions gave domestic workers rights that many had been negotiating informally without legal backing for years.

MOHRE — the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation — administers the Domestic Workers Law and maintains a standard contract form approved by the Ministry of Interior (MoI). Household employers must register the domestic worker engagement through MOHRE's Tadbeer network of licensed domestic worker agencies or through direct permit applications where permitted. The work permit and residency visa are obtained by the household employer as the domestic worker's sponsor, and the contract must be presented as part of the permit application process.

The Domestic Workers Law covers housemaids, housekeepers, nannies, private childcare workers, private cooks, private drivers, private security guards, gardeners, private tutors, and similar household roles. It does not cover workers employed in private businesses or commercial kitchens — those employees fall under Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021. The line between the two frameworks matters: a cook employed in a restaurant is covered by MOHRE's general labour inspectorate and the Wages Protection System, while a cook employed in a private household is covered by the Domestic Workers Law and a separate inspection regime.

The contract serves as the primary evidence in any dispute between the household employer and the domestic worker. The Abu Dhabi Judicial Department and the Dubai Courts operate specialist domestic worker dispute resolution panels, and MOHRE's Domestic Workers Centre handles amicable settlement as a first step. A complete, signed contract — covering salary, benefits, rest, leave, termination, and repatriation — reduces the scope for disputes and demonstrates the employer's compliance with Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2022.

A UAE Domestic Worker Contract is needed every time a household employer in the United Arab Emirates engages a live-in or live-out domestic worker and requires a written record of the employment terms compliant with Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2022 on Domestic Workers.

A written contract is a prerequisite for obtaining the domestic worker's work permit and residency visa. The General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) in Dubai and the corresponding authority in Abu Dhabi and other emirates require a signed contract as part of the domestic worker visa application. Without a signed contract, the sponsoring employer cannot obtain the permit, and the worker cannot legally enter the UAE as a domestic worker.

The contract is also needed to document the salary, rest hours, leave entitlement, accommodation, and repatriation arrangements that Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2022 mandates. Household employers who fail to provide the Article 13 daily rest hours, the Article 14 annual leave, or the Article 15 sick leave expose themselves to complaints at MOHRE's Domestic Workers Centre and potential fines under the enforcement provisions of the Domestic Workers Law.

A written contract is particularly important for documenting the repatriation obligation. Article 20 of Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2022 requires the employer to bear the cost of the worker's return air ticket to their home country at the end of the contract or on early termination (other than for worker gross misconduct). This obligation can represent a significant cost — a ticket from the UAE to the Philippines or Sri Lanka often exceeds AED 1,500 — and a written contract prevents disputes about whether the obligation was agreed.

The contract is essential when the household employer engages a domestic worker from a bilateral-labour-agreement country. The UAE has standard domestic worker contract forms agreed with the Philippines (Overseas Workers Welfare Administration / POEA requirements), Indonesia (BNPTKI requirements), India, Sri Lanka, and several other labour-sending countries. These standard forms set minimum wage and benefit floors that the household employer must meet. A UAE-specific contract that documents compliance with these floors protects the employer from complaints to the worker's home-country embassy.

Finally, a written contract is needed to establish the framework for early termination. The Domestic Workers Law sets out the grounds for termination without notice by either party in Articles 17 and 18, and a contract that mirrors those provisions gives both the employer and the worker clarity about their rights if the relationship breaks down.

A UAE Domestic Worker Contract compliant with Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2022 on Domestic Workers and MOHRE's standard contract requirements must contain the following elements. The forms-legal.com UAE Domestic Worker Contract template covers each mandatory provision and tracks the statutory rights introduced by the 2022 law.

Party identification requires the employer's full name, Emirates ID number, and household address. The domestic worker section must state the full name, nationality, and passport number exactly as shown on the passport. Emirates ID information is added after the worker's arrival and visa issuance.

Worker role must specify the domestic worker category from the list recognised by Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2022: housemaid (domestic worker — general), nanny or childcare worker, cook, driver, gardener, or private security guard. The role on the contract must match the work-permit occupation issued by the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs.

Contract term must state the start date, end date, and duration — typically two years for a standard domestic worker engagement. The contract may be renewed by mutual written agreement, with renewals counting as continuous service for annual-leave and gratuity purposes under the Domestic Workers Law.

Monthly salary must be stated in AED. There is no statutory minimum wage for domestic workers in the UAE's federal framework, but bilateral agreements with the Philippines, Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, and other labour-sending countries impose minimum salary floors. The employer must also provide accommodation (or a housing allowance), meals (or a food allowance), and medical care under Article 10 of Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2022.

Daily rest hours must confirm the minimum of 8 continuous hours of rest per 24-hour period under Article 13. Weekly rest must confirm at least one paid day of rest per week, with the specific day agreed by the parties.

Annual leave must grant at least 30 calendar days of paid leave per year after the first year of service, with the two-day-per-month accrual in the first year under Article 14. The employer determines leave timing but must allow the worker to take all accrued leave.

Sick leave must grant 30 days per year after three months of service (15 days full pay, 15 days half pay) under Article 15. The employer may not deduct wages during the statutory sick leave entitlement.

Repatriation clause must confirm that the employer bears the cost of the return air ticket at the end of the contract or on early termination (unless the worker is terminated for gross misconduct under Article 18).

Termination provisions must set out the notice period for early termination (minimum one month), the Article 18 grounds for immediate termination by the employer (assault, theft, serious misconduct), and the Article 17 grounds on which the worker may leave without notice (non-payment for two months, assault, exposure to serious risk).

Confidentiality and data protection clauses must require the worker to maintain household confidentiality and comply with Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021 on the Protection of Personal Data.

Filling in a UAE Domestic Worker Contract requires the household employer to have the worker's passport and, for new hires, the recruitment agency's standard offer documents. For workers already in the UAE, the existing residency visa details are also needed. Work through each section in order.

Begin with the contract date, start date, contract term, and end date. The standard two-year term is the most common for domestic workers in the UAE and aligns with the two-year residency visa issued by the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs. Enter the end date by adding the selected term to the start date.

Complete the employer details using the full name as on the Emirates ID, the Emirates ID number in the standard format (784-YYYY-XXXXXXX-X), and the household address. For employers living in a villa compound, include the villa number and district.

Fill in the worker details with the full name, nationality, and passport number exactly as shown on the passport. The nationality must match the passport. Enter the worker role as listed on the work-permit application.

In the salary and benefits section, enter the agreed monthly salary in AED. If the worker's home country has a bilateral agreement with the UAE that sets a minimum salary floor — for example, the Philippines requires a minimum salary for OFW domestic workers — ensure the stated salary meets or exceeds that floor. Select the weekly rest day, the daily rest hours (minimum 8 continuous hours under Article 13), and the accommodation arrangement.

In the leave and notice section, select the annual leave entitlement (minimum 30 calendar days under Article 14) and the notice period for early termination. One month is the standard minimum. If the worker is being recruited from abroad through a Tadbeer-licensed agency, the agency's standard contract form may already include these fields; use the agreed values.

Both parties should sign two originals. The employer should keep one with the residency visa documentation. The worker should retain the other. MOHRE's Domestic Workers Centre keeps a digital record of the standard contract terms once the permit is issued.

Domestic Worker Contract UAE — Legal Requirements. Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2022 on Domestic Workers is the principal statute governing domestic employment relationships in the United Arab Emirates, supplementing the UAE Civil Code (Federal Law No. 5 of 1985) for matters not specifically addressed. The law came into force in 2023 and for the first time granted statutory rights to domestic workers comparable in scope to those available to private-sector employees under Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021.

Article 13 of Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2022 guarantees at least 8 continuous hours of rest per 24-hour period and at least one fully paid weekly rest day. Article 14 grants a minimum of 30 calendar days of paid annual leave per year of continuous service, accruing at two days per month in the first year. Article 15 provides 30 days of sick leave per year after three months of service, with 15 days at full pay and 15 days at half pay.

Article 17 lists the grounds on which the domestic worker may leave without notice while retaining all entitlements: non-payment of wages for more than two months; assault, mistreatment, or sexual harassment; and exposure to a serious risk. Article 18 lists the employer's grounds for immediate termination without notice: assault on household members, theft, serious breach of duty, and similar gross misconduct. Outside these grounds, early termination requires the agreed notice period.

Article 20 requires the employer to bear the cost of the domestic worker's return air ticket at the end of the contract or on early termination (except where the worker is dismissed under Article 18). Cabinet Resolution No. 106 of 2022 sets the implementing regulations for the Domestic Workers Law, and MOHRE's Tadbeer network of licensed agencies oversees recruitment and placement. Personal data is governed by Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021. Disputes are handled through MOHRE's Domestic Workers Centre and, if unresolved, by the competent civil courts or the specialist domestic worker panels of the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department or Dubai Courts.

UAE Domestic Worker Contract — Common Mistakes. Domestic worker disputes in the United Arab Emirates have increased since Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2022 came into force, as workers and advocacy groups become more aware of the statutory rights the law grants. The following errors generate the most frequent complaints at MOHRE's Domestic Workers Centre and the specialist domestic worker panels of the Dubai Courts and the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department.

1. Failing to provide the mandated daily rest hours. Article 13 of Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2022 requires at least 8 continuous hours of rest per 24-hour period. Requiring the worker to be available on call throughout the night, or waking them for household tasks during the rest period, violates this provision and generates MOHRE complaints.

2. Withholding the passport. Confiscating a domestic worker's passport is illegal under UAE law, including the Domestic Workers Law and the anti-trafficking provisions of Federal Decree-Law No. 29 of 2021 on Combating Human Trafficking. The employer may ask the worker to keep the passport in the household safe for safekeeping by mutual agreement, but may not retain it involuntarily.

3. Deducting recruitment agency fees from wages. A household employer who deducts the cost of the domestic worker's recruitment or visa from the worker's monthly salary is making an unlawful deduction. Recruitment costs are the employer's responsibility. MOHRE may order reimbursement of all deducted amounts.

4. Failing to pay the return air ticket. Article 20 of Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2022 makes the return ticket the employer's obligation on contract end or early termination (other than for worker gross misconduct). Refusing to buy the ticket is one of the most common complaints filed at the MOHRE Domestic Workers Centre.

5. Transferring the worker to another household without consent. Lending or transferring the domestic worker's services to a relative or friend without the worker's written consent is illegal under the Domestic Workers Law and may constitute trafficking or forced labour under Federal Decree-Law No. 29 of 2021.

6. Ignoring sick leave entitlements. Article 15 mandates sick leave after three months of service. Threatening to deport or terminate a worker for taking lawful sick leave is a violation of the Domestic Workers Law and may result in penalties for the employer.