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MOHRE offer letter and employment contract in the UAE
Before a mainland company can get a work permit, it issues a job offer on the standard form of the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, signed by both sides. The employment contract that follows must match that offer. Every employer registered with MOHRE needs both documents for each employee it hires.
At a glance Fact sheet
- Authority
- Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE)
- Governing law
- Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 on the regulation of labour relations
- Contract term
- Fixed term, renewable or extendable by agreement
- Probation
- No longer than six months
- Language
- Arabic, with a second language the worker understands if you add one
- Record keeping
- Offer and contract kept for at least two years after the employment ends
Overview
Hiring on the mainland starts with paper before it starts with a visa. The employer writes a job offer on the form approved by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, the candidate signs it, and the offer goes in with the work permit application. Once the permit is approved, the employment contract is issued on the ministry's standard contract form.
The two documents are tied together. The contract has to conform to the offer the worker signed. You may give more in the contract than you promised, and you may add annexes for matters such as confidentiality or commission, as long as nothing in them conflicts with the Labour Law. An offer that promises one package and a contract that records another does not meet that rule.
Under the current Labour Law, contracts are for a fixed term. They can be renewed or extended, and if both sides carry on after the end date the contract is treated as renewed on the same terms. The law also recognises several work models, including full-time, part-time, temporary, flexible, remote and job sharing. The model you pick shapes the contract and the work permit.
Why employers ask Caliph to prepare these documents
Offer and contract say the same thing
We draft both from one agreed set of terms, so the salary, job title and benefits in the contract match what the candidate signed.
Pay set out the way you will pay it
Basic salary and each allowance are written separately. What you register is what you must then transfer through the Wages Protection System every month, so we settle it before you sign.
Annexes that stay within the law
Extra clauses on confidentiality, commission or non-compete are written as annexes that respect the Labour Law, including the limits it puts on non-compete terms.
The right work model
Full-time, part-time, temporary, flexible or remote. We match the contract type to how the person will really work and to the permit you apply for.
Copies kept as the rules require
Employers must keep the offer and the contract for at least two years after the employment ends. We file your copies so you can produce them when asked.
What we need from you
- The candidate's passport copy and a recent photo with a white background
- The job title, which must fit the activities on your trade licence
- Basic salary and each allowance, as separate figures
- The contract term, start date, working hours and place of work
- The probation period, notice period and annual leave you have agreed
- Attested qualification certificates, where the job level requires them
- Any extra terms you want as an annex, such as confidentiality or non-compete
Regulated professions such as medicine and teaching need approval from their own authority as well. Your consultant tells you if that applies to the role.
From job offer to registered contract
Agree the terms
You and the candidate settle the role, pay, term and probation. Your consultant checks them against the Labour Law before anything is typed.
We issue the job offer
The offer is prepared on the ministry's standard form, with any annexes attached.
The candidate signs
The worker reads and signs the offer. A candidate can confirm that an offer is genuine through MOHRE's own channels.
The offer goes in with the work permit
The signed offer is submitted to MOHRE as part of the work permit application.
The contract is prepared and signed
After approval, the employment contract is issued on the standard form to match the offer, and both sides sign it.
The contract is registered
The signed contract is submitted to the ministry and becomes the official record of the job.
Copies are filed
Employer and employee each keep a copy. We store yours in the company file with its end date.
Good to know
- Unlimited contracts signed under the previous law had to be converted to fixed-term contracts. If you still hold an old one, ask us to review it.
- Free zone employers generally follow the contract forms and rules of their free zone authority, and DIFC and ADGM have employment regulations of their own.
- An employer may not charge a worker for recruitment or employment costs, directly or indirectly.
Questions people ask
Is an offer letter mandatory in the UAE?
For employers registered with MOHRE, yes. The job offer must be issued on the ministry's approved form and signed by the worker, and it is submitted when the employer applies for the work permit. An informal email offer does not replace it, although many companies send one first.
Can the employment contract be different from the offer letter?
The contract must conform to the signed job offer. An employer may add benefits beyond what the offer promised and may attach annexes that do not conflict with the Labour Law. A contract with a lower salary or fewer benefits than the offer does not conform, so the terms should be final before the offer is issued.
Are unlimited contracts still allowed in the UAE?
No. Under Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, private sector employment contracts are for a fixed term. The term can be renewed or extended by agreement, and service under each renewal counts as continuous. Employers with older unlimited contracts were required to move them to fixed-term contracts.
How long can the probation period be?
Probation may not be longer than six months and cannot be extended beyond that. If the employee stays on afterwards, the probation period counts as part of their service. Notice rules during probation differ depending on who ends the contract and why, so ask your consultant before acting.
In which language is the employment contract written?
Arabic is the approved language for employment contracts. A second language that the worker understands can be added alongside it, and the two texts should match. If they differ, the Arabic text is the one that applies, so we check both versions before you sign.
Do free zone companies use the MOHRE contract?
Generally not. Free zone employees are sponsored through the free zone authority and follow that authority's employment rules and contract forms, which are kept in line with federal law. DIFC and ADGM have their own employment regulations. Caliph prepares the contract in the format your zone requires.
- UAE Government portal, employment contracts in the private sector
- UAE Government portal, employment of expatriates in private companies
Reviewed by Caliph Business Solutions on . Rules differ by activity and by authority. Your Caliph consultant confirms what applies to you.
Ready to establish your company in the UAE?
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