Employment Contract Drafting

Unlimited contracts are gone and the three year cap on fixed term contracts was removed in 2022. Most templates still in circulation are out of date.

Get Contracts Drafted WhatsApp

Back to Services

UAE employment moved onto a new footing with Federal Decree-Law 33 of 2021, which abolished the unlimited contract and put every private sector employee on a fixed term. It then changed again: Federal Decree-Law 14 of 2022 removed the three year maximum the 2021 law had set, so a fixed term contract now runs for whatever period the parties agree and is renewable. That second change is the one the market missed, and templates still circulating that cap a term at three years are working from superseded law. The contract you file with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation is also not the whole arrangement. It is the standard form the ministry needs. Anything you actually want to rely on, being notice, probation, intellectual property, confidentiality and post employment restraint, belongs in a supplementary agreement that does not contradict it.

Abstract geometric line drawing: a document sheet with five ruled clauses and a signature bar, the third clause marked in teal, gold hairlines on dark navy.

Key Features

Written to the law as it now stands under Federal Decree-Law 33 of 2021 as amended by Federal Decree-Law 14 of 2022, so the term is what you agreed rather than a cap that no longer exists
The ministry standard form and your own supplementary agreement drafted as a pair, since the second cannot contradict the first without risking both
Probation, notice, working pattern and leave set explicitly against the statutory minimums, because a contract silent on a point falls back to the law and not to your intention
Confidentiality, intellectual property and post employment restraint drafted to be enforceable rather than copied from a foreign template that will not be
You supply the role, the package, the term you intend, the working pattern and the start date, which is what the ministry form and the agreement are both built from

Benefits for Your Business

A contract written to current law, not to the version that was replaced in 2022.
Your intellectual property owned by the company rather than by the person who wrote the code.
Terms you can rely on in a dispute, because they were drafted to be enforceable here.
The ministry filing handled with the drafting, rather than as a separate errand.

General information, not legal advice. UAE private sector employment is governed by Federal Decree-Law 33 of 2021 as amended, read on 16 September 2026, and administered by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation. Free zones with their own employment rules differ, and we confirm which regime applies to you before drafting.

UAE labour contract rules at a glance

Rule	What the law says
Contract type	Fixed term only; unlimited contracts were abolished
Length	Any term the parties agree, renewable (the 3 year cap was removed in 2022)
Probation	Up to 6 months, and it cannot be extended
Notice in probation	14 days by the employer; 30 days if the employee moves to another UAE employer
Notice after probation	At least 30 days and no more than 90 days
End of service	Gratuity after 1 year of service

The MOHRE contract and your own agreement

On the mainland, every employee has a standard contract filed with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE). Most employers also use a supplementary agreement for confidentiality, intellectual property and working rules. The two must not contradict each other. Free zone companies use their zone's contract, and DIFC and ADGM have their own employment laws. Work permits and visas are handled by our PRO team.

Frequently Asked Questions

What types of employment contract exist in the UAE?

Only fixed term contracts. Unlimited contracts were abolished by Federal Decree-Law 33 of 2021, and the term can be any length the parties agree.

How long is the probation period in the UAE?

Up to 6 months, and it cannot be extended.

What is the notice period in the UAE?

After probation, at least 30 days and no more than 90 days. During probation, 14 days by the employer, or 30 days if the employee is moving to another UAE employer.

Is the MOHRE contract enough?

It covers the legal basics. Most employers add a supplementary agreement for confidentiality, intellectual property and restraints, drafted so it does not contradict the MOHRE contract.

Do free zone companies use MOHRE contracts?

Usually not. Free zone companies use their zone's employment contract, and DIFC and ADGM have their own employment laws.