Basic Employment Contract Template for the United Arab Emirates

A basic employment contract is the core written agreement that establishes an employment relationship in the United Arab Emirates. Under UAE Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, every employer must use a standardised contract that complies with local labour rules and protects both parties. This document forms the legal foundation of the working relationship and is required for work permit applications with the Ministry of Human Resources & Emiratisation (MOHRE). Use this template to draft a clear, compliant contract for a single hire, then download it and register it with MOHRE.

What is a basic employment contract?

A basic employment contract is a written agreement that records the essential terms both sides have agreed: who the employer and employee are, the job title and duties, the start date, salary, working hours, leave, probation and how either party can end the relationship. In the UAE it follows the MOHRE contract structure, so a basic version covers everything a standard hire needs without extra role-specific schedules. If you want a broader overview of the different formats available, our employment contract templates page is a useful place to start.

When do you need this document?

You need a basic employment contract whenever your business hires a worker in the UAE, whether on an unlimited-term or fixed-term basis. The contract term must be in place before the employee can begin work, and before you apply for a work permit or employment visa. If you are converting older arrangements to comply with the current labour rules, you will also need to sign new compliant contracts. Companies operating in mainland UAE or the free zones use this document to establish a legitimate employer-employee relationship and stay compliant from the start.

What should a basic employment contract include?

A compliant contract covers a defined set of mandatory terms. At a minimum, include the following:

• Clear identification of both parties, with the employer's licence details and the employee's full name, personal details and contact number.
• Job title, a written job description and reporting line.
• Salary in UAE dirhams, paid at least monthly, plus any allowances and benefits.
• Working hours, which generally cannot exceed eight hours a day or 48 hours a week, and overtime rates.
• Annual leave, sick leave and public holiday entitlements.
• Probation period, which cannot exceed six months for unlimited-term contracts.
• Notice periods and termination procedures for both sides.
• End-of-service gratuity calculation.
• Confidentiality and, where permitted, non-competition terms.

You can also address dispute resolution and specify the governing jurisdiction. Related documents such as a non-disclosure agreement often sit alongside the contract for roles that handle sensitive information.

How do you complete and register the contract?

Fill in the template with the employee's details and agreed terms, then have both parties sign it. The contract must be in Arabic or include an Arabic translation for official registration. Register it with MOHRE within 60 days of the employee's entry into the UAE, and provide bank account details so salary transfers meet the Wage Protection System. Note that income tax does not apply to individual salaries in the UAE, so the contract records gross pay without payroll tax deductions. Free zone employers follow their own authority's process while staying within the federal framework. Once complete, download the contract as a Word document or PDF for your records and for the visa and work permit steps.

Basic employment contract example

As a short example, a basic contract for a marketing coordinator in Dubai might state a monthly salary of AED 12,000 paid on the last working day of each month, a 45-hour working week across five days, 30 calendar days of annual leave, a six-month probation period and a 30-day notice period on either side. Those figures fill the standard fields of the template, and the rest of the document sets out duties, confidentiality and end-of-service gratuity.

Need help or more information?

If you want to check a particular clause or confirm which terms apply to your hire, GenieAI can review your draft against UAE rules and flag anything to fix before signing. This is practical support built into the drafting process rather than generic legal advice, so your commercial team can finalise the contract and move on. For pricing and plan details, see the GenieAI pricing page, or browse the wider template library to find related agreements.