Q: Good morning sir, I had been working as a senior site engineer for a good contracting company in Dubai. Meanwhile, I was totally trapped by Al Faisaliyah contracting company, Dubai. The company gave me a better offer and position and told me to join fast. When I got an offer letter I resigned from the last employer and exit from the UAE for getting a visa from the new company. But the company sent me one visit visa and told me that when I arrive in the UAE they will immediately change it to the employment visa. When I joined here they told me they will change it as early as possible. Last two months I had to work believing their words. Now I came to know it was totally a trap and they have no labour quota because of 4-month pending salaries to staff. When I realized they are cheaters, I resigned and told them I cannot work illegally here. Also, they didn’t pay me the salary for two months. All the staff here are working with expired visa and same like me. Now I want my salary. Is there any legal way to move???

Q: I need your suggestion and advice regarding my case. I was working in Abu Dhabi and I got an interview call from Dubai. I attended 2 interviews and I was selected, then received an offer letter. Based on that I resigned from my job and served a one-month notice period. I joined the new company, and after 11 days they refused to offer me the job. Now, I don't know what I can do. I lost my previous job because of them. I want to know what legal rights I have and what legal action I can take against the new company. Regards, Zaheer Ahmed 0563236923

Q: I have resigned from “A” after receipt of a job offer from “B”. Then, I kept my family visa on hold and asked "A" to cancel my visa almost 1 week before my last working day. I submitted my visa cancellation paper along with a singed MOI contract to “B”. Now "B" is not responding well and asks me to stay with “A” because of the present COVID 19 lockdown situation. After wasting lots of time, B confirmed that they have applied for a work permit, however, I haven’t received any official confirmation from B's HR. I have checked online on MOHRE website and it shows pre-approval for a work permit. If "B" will not be responding, should I need to worry about my job and visa status? In case "B" will not be responding, do I need to leave the UAE before my visa expiry date. i.e 30 days after visa cancellation? If I stay in the country and join "B" someday, who must pay the overstay fine; B or I? If "B" did not recruit me, then do I have the right to take legal action and ask for compensation towards damage?

Q: I signed an offer letter and a copy of a contract in a company located in Dubai Design District. I resigned from my current company located in Jebel Ali and will be ending my noticed period on April 4, 2021. Now the new company is really unclear about when I can start joining them. If the company does not pursue my hiring, but I have already resigned and lost my job, are there any legal complaints and claims I can file?

Q: I am working in a company and their management is the worst. They made an interview in India and called me. After calling me here, they again made interviews and made me work for 1 month. And now, they're telling me I am not capable of work and they are mentally torturing me. I have given them 1.5 lack in office in India and here they are not paying me any salary. I am going into depression as I am not getting any solutions. The only solution coming to my mind is a suicide, I don’t have any other options left. I have taken money in interest and people are daily coming to my house for money. Please guide me in a proper way on what I can do.

Q: Hello, I got a new employer who gave me an offer letter and told me to cancel my previous job. After my cancellation, he changed and added me duties that were not in my offer letter. When I refused to do them he said he couldn’t employ me because I can’t do what he is adding me to do. I am in a situation where I don’t have a visa and I don’t have a job. What should I do?

Q: Hi, I joined a new company under the visa of my previous employer from December 4, 2024, to January 7, 2025, after resigning from my previous company. My previous employer canceled my visa on February 16, 2025, after I had completed my work with them on November 28, 2024. I have not received my salary for the month I worked with my new employer (from December 4, 2024, to January 7, 2025). On January 7, 2025, my new employer terminated my contract, citing that I did not meet their requirements, even though I had worked and performed my duties during the period of my employment. Despite reaching out repeatedly via email and messages, my new employer has only responded with vague references to dates.

Three new ministerial decrees containing a new set of rules for the labour market were issued by the UAE Ministry of Labour last year and came into force on the 1st of January this year. The decrees are expected to alter the contractual relationship between employers and workers in the UAE.

An interview-format article covering the topic of filing an employment court case in the UAE. This is from the legal podcast of lawyer Ludmila Yamalova, the founder of Lawgical with LYLAW.

The UAE has adopted a major reform in its legislative system that brought about 40 new laws and amendments to the company law, criminal law, personal status, among others. The amendments aim to develop the legislative structure in various sectors, the labor law being one of these, was the most recent. We try in this article to shed light on the changes introduced with the new labor law and their significance on both, the employer and employee.

The provisions of this Law, known as "UAE Labour Law", govern the relationship between employers and employees and other labour matters in the United Arab Emirates. There are special labour related regulations applicable in some of the free zones in the UAE.

According to this Decree, tentative approval to admit a foreign worker for the purpose of employment in the UAE cannot be granted until an Employment Offer that conforms with the Standard Employment Contract is duly signed by the employee and presented to the Ministry of Labour.

By this Decree Ministry of Labour of the UAE has removed the six-month labour ban for those who changed the job before completing two years of service. Labour ban will be still applicable for workers that qualify for skill level 4 and 5 under various circumstances.

The provisions of this Decree-Law, known as "New UAE Labor Law", govern labour relations in the private sector of the United Arab Emirates. The New Labor Law repeals the previous UAE Labor Law (Federal Law No. (8) of 1980).