Can my employer charge me training fees even if I didn’t receive any certification?

The clause you mentioned in your employment contract is common among some companies that invest in employee training.

However, its implementation is subject to legal restrictions and conditions. The amount should be proportional to the duration of the work.

Since you have completed 359 days out of 365 (one year), this means you have completed approximately 98.3% of the period. Therefore, the amount you may be required to pay (if the company is found to be entitled to it at all) will be very small, if at all.

Proof of Training: Most importantly, the company is demanding a refund for the training, but you haven't received a training certificate. This places the burden of proof on the company to prove that it actually provided you with training of this value (AED 10,000), that the training was specifically designed for you and provided added value to you, and that there is proof of the cost of the training.

The absence of a training certificate, or any documents proving the nature, duration, and costs of the training, significantly weakens the company's position.

You have to complete one year to be on the safe side and avoid paying the training fee; otherwise, you need to pay the employer as per UAE law.

Hello,

The training fee clause in your contract is based on the condition that the employee leaves within one year of employment, which you are very close to completing.

Since the company has failed to provide you with training certification, they may not be entitled to demand the full amount, or they might only be able to charge a pro-rata amount depending on how much of the contract was completed.

You can argue that the company has not fulfilled its obligations to provide proof of the training, and therefore, they cannot enforce the full repayment of AED 10,000.

Since you’ve almost completed the contract term (359 days), it may be worth contesting the full charge.

You're in a legally strong position, and here's why:

1. Training Recovery Clauses Must Meet Conditions:

Under UAE Labour Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 & Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022), the company can only recover training fees if:

- Actual training took place,

- It was documented,

- And the amount claimed is proportionate to the duration served (you worked almost the full year).

If no real training was provided or no certificate issued, their claim is legally weak.

2. Unlawful Delay of Cancellation:

By refusing to cancel your visa and blocking your labor cancellation, they may be violating MOHRE guidelines. You’ve done the right thing by filing a complaint.

The company cannot force you to stay or blackmail you with an unjustified training fee.

Share your WhatsApp number so we can help you:

- Draft a strong written statement to MOHRE,

- Defend the counter-claim, and

- Push for immediate labor card cancellation and visa release.

You don’t have to pay unjustified fees. Let us help you protect your rights.

Dear Questioner,

Thank you for your message!

Regarding the training fee clause in your labor contract, UAE Labour Law allows employers to recover training costs if an employee voluntarily terminates their contract within the agreed period.

However, this amount must be proportionate to the duration of your actual service.

Since you have completed 359 days (almost a full year) of service and have not received any training certification, the company’s demand for the full AED 10,000 may not be fully justified.

Here are the steps you can take:

- Document Your Service and Communications,

- Gather all evidence showing your length of service, any training provided, and your attempts to obtain certification.

- Respond to the Labour Department Complaint, and

- Provide your evidence and explain that you have fulfilled almost the entire contractual period and that no certification was issued. This may reduce or eliminate your liability for the training fee.

Legal Assistance:

If the company insists on the full payment and the labour department process delays continue, you may need to seek legal representation to defend your case and negotiate or contest the amount in a labor dispute committee.

Labour Card Cancellation:

Continue following up persistently with the Labour Department to expedite the cancellation of your labour card, which is your right after resignation.

If you would like, we can assist you in drafting your defense and representing you during the dispute process.

Please let us know how you wish to proceed.

Best regards,

Mohammed Salah

Legal Consulting

Dear Inquirer,

We are pleased to serve you and address your inquiries.

They have to prove that you actually received training as stated in the contract in order to claim those amounts.

contact us via email at Connect@nja.ae or call our offices in Dubai at 042779119 , Sharjah at 065252229 or RAK at 072212659

To expedite the booking process, please enter the code "Dr.Sh" when requesting an appointment.

Jasim Al Haddad Advocates & Legal Consultants

Dear Questioner,

Thank you for explaining your situation!

From what you've shared, you've nearly completed one full year of service, and despite the clause in your contract referring to a training fee of AED 10,000, the company has not provided any certification or evidence of actual training.

In such cases, the company must prove that real training was conducted, that you genuinely benefited from it, and that the amount claimed is proportionate to the time you worked. Without those elements, their demand may not be enforceable.

As for your resignation and the delay in cancellation, your complaint to the Ministry was the correct first step. Now that they’ve filed a counterclaim, it becomes even more important to properly respond and protect your position.

If handled correctly, we can push back on their AED 10,000 demand and expedite the cancellation of your labour card, ensuring you don’t suffer unnecessary delay or liability.

I’d be happy to assist you further, respond officially to their complaint, and represent you in the legal process.

Please reach out to me directly on WhatsApp or call me at [-----------] so we can discuss your case in detail and move forward confidently.

Under UAE law, if you have completed the agreed-upon service period and did not receive the training or certification specified in your contract, you may have legal grounds to dispute the company’s demand for the training fee.

If you have already filed a complaint with the Ministry of Labor and the process is delayed, you can follow up on the complaint or file a new one, providing all evidence that the required training was not received.

We recommend contacting us via WhatsApp for detailed legal advice and assistance in handling this issue. Our center specializes in labor-related cases, and we have the expertise to help you!

Thank you for contacting us via Legal Advice Middle East!

Your situation involves a strategic dispute over the enforceability of a training clause, which we’ve previously encountered in a nearly identical case.

In that instance, the employee completed 11 months of service without ever receiving the promised training or certification, and the employer attempted to claim full reimbursement.

We successfully defended our client by proving a lack of actual training delivery and disproportionality of the penalty compared to the service duration.

There are several legal angles we can pursue. First, the company’s demand for AED 10,000 is questionable if no certified training was provided or if the clause lacks a clear cost breakdown.

Second, the fact that you served 359 days makes the claim excessive and arguably unenforceable, especially if the clause stipulates that repayment should be commensurate with the employment duration.

The most strategic path is to argue before the Labour Department that the training was neither delivered nor certified, and even if it were, the repayment must be pro-rata.

We can assist in filing a rebuttal to the employer’s claim, provide legal representation before the relevant committee, and push for immediate cancellation of your labour card.

To guide you precisely, we would need to review your full contract, company correspondence, and any proof of training (or lack thereof). Our multilingual consultants are available in Arabic, English, Russian, Hindi, and Chinese.