Q: Hello, I received a job contract and I'd like to know if it is legal in terms of the UAE labour law to put such a statement in it: "The employee will bear the visa expenses, relocation expenses and all other applicable expenses incurred by the agency during the recruitment phase, in case of leaving before completing the first year". In case I sign such a contract, will I be legally obliged to pay visa expenses for leaving the job before completing one year period? Thank you.

Q: Dear sir/madam, My employer terminated me without notice. She is asking for a refund of the visa expenses. Do I need to pay them as they are the ones who broke the contract?

Q: Hello, I signed a 2-year contract in a private LLC. Now I'm on a probation period. I need to leave my job and move to my country. Is it possible to resign during the probation period? Do I need to compensate the fees for breaking the contract with my employer? Thanks

Q: Dear Sir/Madam, I am an expatriate in Dubai. I joined a company in Dubai, and my contract started in November 2023. It is a limited contract. Due to some issues with the management, they informed me that I would have to leave the company in March 2024, which I did. Upon asking them to cancel my visa so I can return home, they said I have to pay around 5000 AED towards the visa expenses. I have asked them for the exact amount, but they haven’t provided it yet. My passport is with them. I would like to check whether I have to pay the visa expense to them. Since I am not aware of the formalities, I haven’t approached the Labour Department to get my passport back to leave. I fear they may cause more trouble if I initiate a complaint. I would like to seek your valuable advice on how to proceed to claim my passport and exit UAE. Please help!

Q: Salam, My company has filed a complaint against me in MOHRE related to training fees. This is the clause mentioned in my contract: "The Second Party shall be obliged to pay back the value of the training (which is estimated at an amount of 10000 AED) when they terminate the employment contract based on their own free will (within One Year) from the date of commencement of their contract, without prejudice to the First Party's legal or contractual obligations. (the amount agreed on for the value of the training period must be commensurate with the employment period of the employee)" My question is: 1. I served 11 months in the company. Can they demand the full 10,000 or it should be less due to 11 months (as per the last line of the clause)? 2. I didn't even get training from the company. I learned normally by working on projects with seniors. No training session was conducted for me. Should I still have to pay? My case is in MOHRE. Thanks

Q: Respected Sir, I am working in a private company in Dubai and I decided to resign from my job after a six-month probation period and a one-month notice period. My employment contract and offer letter do not mention any compensation but a caution deposit is mentioned. I am confused that after proper resignation, the company asked for compensation and they have not accepted my offer letter situation. What should I do, Sir? Please help me

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.

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).