Nanny Employment Contract (UAE)

A Nanny Employment Contract in the UAE is a formal written employment agreement between a household employer and a nanny engaged to provide full-time or part-time childcare in a private household in the United Arab Emirates. The Nanny Employment Contract UAE is governed primarily by Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2022 on Domestic Workers (the Domestic Workers Law) and the UAE Civil Code, Federal Law No. 5 of 1985, and supersedes the earlier informal or agency-standard agreements that were common before the 2022 law came into force.

Nannies are expressly included in the definition of domestic workers under Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2022, which lists 'private childcare worker' and 'nanny' among the categories of workers covered by the law. Before 2022, nannies and childcare workers in UAE households were covered by older ministerial decrees and the general terms of the MOHRE domestic worker permit system, but enjoyed fewer defined statutory rights than their counterparts employed in licensed nurseries and childcare centres, who fall under UAE Ministry of Education and KHDA regulation.

The Domestic Workers Law of 2022 brought nannies into a comprehensive statutory framework for the first time. Article 13 guarantees at least 8 continuous hours of rest per 24-hour period — a critical protection for live-in nannies who were previously expected to respond to night-time childcare needs without any formal rest guarantee. Article 14 grants a minimum of 30 calendar days of paid annual leave per year of continuous service. Article 15 provides 30 days of sick leave per year after three months of service (15 days full pay, 15 days half pay). Article 20 requires the household employer to bear the cost of the nanny's return air ticket at the end of the contract or on early termination.

MOHRE — the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation — administers the Domestic Workers Law and its implementing regulations under Cabinet Resolution No. 106 of 2022. Nannies must be registered under a domestic worker work permit issued by MOHRE in the name of the sponsoring household employer. The General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) in Dubai and the equivalent authority in Abu Dhabi issue the residency visa. Together, the permit and visa create the legal framework for the nanny's presence in the UAE as a sponsored domestic worker.

The Nanny Employment Contract is the primary evidence in any dispute between the household employer and the nanny about working conditions, wages, or termination terms. MOHRE's Domestic Workers Centre handles amicable settlement as the first step. The Abu Dhabi Judicial Department and the Dubai Courts operate specialist domestic worker dispute panels for contested cases. A complete, signed contract — covering all statutory entitlements under Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2022 — demonstrates compliance with UAE domestic worker law and reduces the scope for costly disputes.

A UAE Nanny Employment Contract is needed whenever a household employer in the United Arab Emirates engages a nanny or private childcare worker for regular childcare duties in the family home.

The contract is required as part of the domestic worker work-permit application to MOHRE. The General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs cannot issue a domestic worker visa without the signed employment contract, which forms part of the permit application documentation. For nannies recruited from abroad through a Tadbeer-licensed agency, the Tadbeer centre will use the standard MOHRE-approved contract form; this private Nanny Employment Contract supplements that form with the agreed childcare-specific terms.

The contract is particularly important for live-in nanny arrangements. Live-in nannies are present in the household 24 hours a day, which creates an unusually close proximity between the employee and the employer's family. A detailed written contract that specifies the daily rest guarantee (at least 8 continuous hours under Article 13 of the Domestic Workers Law), the weekly day off, the private room entitlement (for live-in nannies), and the conduct expectations for both parties reduces the risk of the relationship becoming exploitative or contentious.

The contract is essential when the nanny is engaged to care for infants or very young children. Infant care requires specific competencies and raises particular safeguarding concerns. A contract that documents the nanny's qualifications, the specific childcare tasks required, the household rules for the children's care, and the emergency procedures provides a framework for accountability that protects the children and gives the employer legal recourse if the nanny fails to meet the agreed care standard.

The contract is needed when the nanny is from a country that has a bilateral labour deployment agreement with the UAE — including the Philippines, Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Ethiopia. These agreements set minimum salary floors, contract term requirements, and repatriation obligations. A signed contract that meets the bilateral-agreement standards is required by the labour-sending country's overseas worker authority (such as the Philippines Overseas Workers Welfare Administration / POEA) before approving the nanny's departure for the UAE.

Finally, the contract is needed at the end of the engagement to document the termination terms and the repatriation obligation. Article 20 of Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2022 requires the employer to pay the return air ticket; a contract that records this obligation prevents disputes when the nanny departs.

A UAE Nanny Employment Contract that complies with Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2022 on Domestic Workers should contain the following key elements. The forms-legal.com UAE Nanny Employment Contract template includes each of these provisions.

Party identification requires the employer's full name, Emirates ID number, and household address. The nanny section must state the full name as on the passport, nationality, and passport number. Emirates ID details are added after visa issuance.

Children and duties should identify the children by name and age, and describe the primary childcare responsibilities: infant care, after-school care, full-time toddler supervision, light household assistance, or a combination. Clear duty definition prevents disputes about whether the nanny is expected to perform general household cleaning in addition to childcare.

Contract term must state the start date, end date, and duration — typically two years for a standard domestic worker contract matching the UAE domestic worker visa period. The contract may be renewed by mutual written agreement.

Monthly salary must state the gross amount in AED. Salary floors under applicable bilateral agreements must be met. The employer must also provide accommodation (or a housing allowance), meals, and medical care under Article 10 of Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2022.

Accommodation for live-in nannies must specify that the employer provides a private room with reasonable privacy and living conditions. For live-out nannies, the agreement should specify any accommodation allowance.

Rest and leave provisions must confirm the Article 13 guarantee of at least 8 continuous hours of rest per 24-hour period, at least one paid weekly rest day, the Article 14 annual leave entitlement (30 calendar days per year after year one), and the Article 15 sick leave entitlement (30 days after three months of service).

Repatriation clause must confirm the employer's obligation under Article 20 of Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2022 to bear the return air ticket cost at contract end or early termination (other than for gross misconduct).

Safeguarding provisions should specify the household rules for communication between the nanny and the children, emergency contact procedures, and any restrictions on the nanny's use of social media involving the children, in compliance with Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021 on the Protection of Personal Data.

Termination provisions must mirror the Article 17 and Article 18 grounds and state the agreed notice period.

Completing the UAE Nanny Employment Contract requires the household employer to have the nanny's passport details, the children's names and ages, and the agreed salary before filling in the template. For nannies recruited from abroad through a Tadbeer-licensed agency, the agency will provide a standard contract form; this template supplements that form with additional agreed terms.

Begin with the contract date and the agreed start date. For new hires arriving from abroad, the start date is typically the date of the nanny's arrival in the UAE after the visa is issued. For existing arrangements being formalised, the start date may be the date of the original engagement or an agreed date from which the new terms take effect.

Complete the employer section with the full name as on the Emirates ID, the Emirates ID number in standard format 784-YYYY-XXXXXXX-X, and the household address. For villa residences, include the villa number, compound name, district, and emirate.

Fill in the nanny's full name exactly as on the passport, nationality as stated on the passport, and passport number. The nationality must match the passport document.

In the children and duties section, list each child by first name and approximate age. For infants, note the age in months if under one year. Select the duty description that best reflects the agreed arrangement: full-time infant and toddler care, after-school supervision, full household management, or live-in 24/5 care.

In the salary and benefits section, enter the agreed gross monthly salary in AED. Check whether the nanny's home country has a bilateral labour deployment agreement with the UAE that sets a minimum salary floor — for example, the Philippines POEA requires a minimum salary for deployed household workers — and confirm the stated salary meets or exceeds that floor. Select the accommodation arrangement and the weekly rest day.

Signed originals should be exchanged. The employer retains one signed copy with the visa documentation. The nanny retains the other. MOHRE and the Tadbeer centre will maintain their own records of the standard permit contract.

Nanny Employment Contract UAE — Legal Requirements. Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2022 on Domestic Workers is the principal statute governing nanny employment in UAE households, supported by Cabinet Resolution No. 106 of 2022 (implementing regulations) and the foundational UAE Civil Code (Federal Law No. 5 of 1985).

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. All three provisions apply to nannies as 'private childcare workers' within the scope of the Domestic Workers Law.

Article 10 requires the employer to provide adequate accommodation, meals, and appropriate medical care. Health insurance is mandatory in Dubai under Dubai Law No. 11 of 2013 on Health Insurance and in Abu Dhabi under Federal Law No. 23 of 1999. The employer as sponsor must include the nanny in the household health insurance policy or procure a separate policy.

Article 17 lists the grounds on which the nanny may leave without notice and retain all entitlements: non-payment for more than two months; physical, sexual, or verbal assault; and exposure to a serious risk. Article 18 lists the employer's grounds for immediate termination: assault on household members, theft, and serious breach of duty. Article 20 requires the return air ticket at contract end or early termination (except under Article 18).

For nannies from bilateral-agreement countries (the Philippines, Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal), the labour-sending country's overseas worker authority sets minimum salary and benefit standards that the UAE employer must meet. Violation of bilateral-agreement standards may result in a complaint to the sending country's embassy in the UAE.

Safeguarding obligations under UAE law and any applicable Ministry of Education guidelines for private childcare providers apply to nannies providing full-time care. Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021 on the Protection of Personal Data governs the handling of children's personal information.

UAE Nanny Employment Contract — Common Mistakes. Nanny disputes in the UAE's domestic worker system generate a significant proportion of MOHRE Domestic Workers Centre complaints. The following errors are the most commonly cited.

1. No written contract or a contract that omits statutory minimums. Many UAE households engage nannies on informal terms, especially when transitioning from one nanny to another within the household's existing visa quota. Informal arrangements that do not confirm the Article 13 rest guarantee, Article 14 annual leave, or Article 20 repatriation obligation create disputes at termination. A complete Nanny Employment Contract prevents this.

2. Requiring the nanny to be available for childcare around the clock. Article 13 of Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2022 requires at least 8 continuous hours of rest per 24-hour period. Expecting a live-in nanny to respond to night-time infant care needs throughout the night without a compensating rest arrangement violates Article 13. Arrangements that consistently deny rest — even informally — expose the employer to MOHRE complaints and compensation claims.

3. Passport confiscation. Retaining the nanny's passport against her will is illegal under UAE law and may constitute a trafficking offence under Federal Decree-Law No. 29 of 2021 on Combating Human Trafficking. The employer may ask the nanny to keep the passport in the household safe voluntarily, but cannot compel retention.

4. Deducting visa costs from wages. Work permit and residency visa costs are the employer's responsibility under the domestic worker framework. Deducting these costs from the nanny's monthly salary constitutes an unlawful wage deduction. MOHRE can order reimbursement of all deducted amounts.

5. Failure to pay the return air ticket. Article 20 of Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2022 makes the return air ticket the employer's obligation at contract end or early termination other than for gross misconduct. This is among the most frequently litigated obligations at the MOHRE Domestic Workers Centre.

6. Social media posts featuring the children without the nanny's knowledge. Household employers who post videos or photos on social media featuring the nanny may be processing the nanny's personal data without consent under Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021. Similarly, the agreement should prohibit the nanny from posting images of the children without the employer's express written consent.