Topic Summary
Mandatory Contract Registration Before Visa Issuance
Every MOHRE domestic worker contract must be signed and registered through a licensed Tadbeer centre or mohre.gov.ae before the domestic worker visa is issued, with no exceptions. Skipping this step means the visa process cannot proceed.
Federal Law No. 10 of 2017 Governs All Domestic Workers
Domestic workers in the UAE fall under a completely separate legal framework from the standard UAE Labour Law, governed exclusively by Federal Law No. 10 of 2017. This covers housemaids, nannies, drivers, cooks, gardeners, and private security guards employed in personal households.
Upfront Hiring Costs Run AED 15,000–25,000
Employers should budget between AED 15,000 and AED 25,000 in upfront costs when hiring a domestic worker through official Tadbeer channels. This figure covers recruitment, visa processing, and contract registration fees.
Three Statutory Duties Every Employer Must Meet
UAE law requires employers to provide suitable accommodation and food, maintain valid health insurance, and pay end-of-service gratuity of one month's wage per year after completing one year of service. These are legal obligations, not optional benefits, and breaching any one of them can trigger fines.
Non-Compliance Fines Reach Up to AED 10,000
Employers who breach Federal Law No. 10 of 2017 obligations face MOHRE fines of up to AED 10,000 per violation as of 2026. With over 146,000 active domestic worker visas in the UAE, compliance enforcement is active and high-volume.
One Contract Required Per Worker, Not Per Household
Each domestic worker employed in a household requires a separate MOHRE contract registration, even if multiple workers live under the same roof. A family employing both a housemaid and a driver must register two distinct contracts via Tadbeer.
Contract Must Detail Key Terms in Multiple Languages
The standard MOHRE domestic worker contract template must specify the worker's role, salary in AED, working hours, rest entitlements, accommodation, annual leave, and contract duration. MOHRE provides this template in Arabic, English, and the worker's home language across 12 languages.
In 2026, over 146,000 domestic worker visas are active across the UAE. MOHRE registers more than 18,000 new domestic worker contracts annually through licensed Tadbeer centres. Non-compliance with Federal Law No. 10 of 2017 carries fines of up to AED 10,000 (UAE Cabinet, 2026). The full hiring cost runs AED 15,000–25,000 upfront (Tadbeer, 2026). Every MOHRE domestic worker contract must be signed before the visa is issued. This guide covers every obligation you carry as an employer, updated 2026. For a broader introduction to MOHRE-registered service channels, see our Tasheel Centre Dubai guide.
The MOHRE domestic worker contract is a mandatory written agreement governed exclusively by Federal Law No. 10 of 2017 on Domestic Workers. It must be registered through a licensed Tadbeer centre or mohre.gov.ae before the domestic worker visa is issued, no exceptions.
Domestic Workers Under UAE Law - Overview
Domestic workers in the UAE are governed exclusively by Federal Law No. 10 of 2017 on Domestic Workers, a separate framework from the standard UAE Labour Law. It covers housemaids, nannies, drivers, cooks, gardeners, and private security guards employed in personal households, granting them enforceable contractual and residency rights under the domestic worker contract UAE framework. Registering a domestic worker contract with MOHRE is one of the compliance steps UAE business owners and residents must follow. For more detail, see our guide on maid visa costs for UAE business owners.
Who Qualifies as a Domestic Worker Under Federal Law No. 10 of 2017
The law applies to a specific list of roles. These are the covered categories under the domestic worker law UAE:
The key legal distinction: domestic workers are employed by natural persons (individuals or families), not companies or commercial entities. Their sponsorship runs under a personal residency visa, not a company employment visa, which means a completely different MOHRE registration pathway applies. With over 146,000 active domestic worker visas in the UAE in 2026, this is a high-volume compliance area that catches many employers off-guard. For more detail, see our guide on Musaned and domestic worker sponsorship in the UAE. For more detail, see our guide on sponsoring a domestic worker as a UAE company owner. For more detail, see our guide on Tawjeeh certificate for UAE domestic worker sponsors.
A UAE national family hiring a Filipino housemaid and an Indian driver must register two separate MOHRE domestic worker contracts, one per worker, via Tadbeer, regardless of whether both workers live in the same household. Federal Law No. 10 of 2017 replaced ad hoc arrangements and introduced mandatory written contracts for the first time, making the domestic worker contract UAE a legally enforceable instrument rather than an informal agreement.
How Domestic Worker Law Differs from the Standard UAE Labour Law
Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, the main UAE Labour Law, explicitly excludes domestic workers in its scope provisions. Federal Law No. 10 of 2017 is the sole governing statute. This matters practically: if you file a domestic worker complaint through the standard MOHRE complaints portal (mohre.gov.ae), you'll be redirected to the Domestic Worker Dispute Centre, which runs on different timelines and procedures.
Three employer obligations under the domestic worker law UAE are statutory duties, not optional extras: providing suitable accommodation and food, maintaining health insurance, and paying end-of-service gratuity of one month's wage per year of service after completing 1 year. Breach of any of these carries MOHRE fines of up to AED 10,000 (UAE Cabinet, 2026). Keep your company compliance calendar UAE updated to track visa and contract renewal dates.
Statutory duties
Not optional extras: providing suitable accommodation
Maintaining health insurance
Paying end-of-service gratuity of one month's wage per year of service after completing 1 year
MOHRE Domestic Worker Contract - What It Must Include
The MOHRE domestic worker contract is a mandatory written agreement registered through Tadbeer or mohre.gov.ae. It must state the worker's role, salary in AED, working hours, rest entitlements, accommodation arrangements, annual leave, and contract duration. MOHRE provides the standard maid contract UAE template in Arabic, English, and the worker's home language, currently available in 12 languages at mohre.gov.ae.
Mandatory Clauses in Every Domestic Worker Contract UAE
Every MOHRE domestic worker contract must include the following clauses, missing any one of them means the contract doesn't satisfy MOHRE's standard template requirements:
Here's a practical example of where employers go wrong: if you hire a nanny at AED 1,500 per month with live-in accommodation, the contract must explicitly state "private furnished room with meals provided." A vague reference to "suitable accommodation" does not satisfy MOHRE's requirements and can invalidate the contract registration. The maid contract UAE template must be signed before the domestic worker visa is issued, not after arrival.
Employer Obligations, Requirement, Provision, and Legal Basis
Requirement | What Employer Must Provide | Legal Basis |
|---|---|---|
Written contract | MOHRE-registered contract in worker's language | Federal Law No. 10 of 2017, Art. 7 |
Accommodation | Private furnished room (live-in) or housing allowance (live-out) | Federal Law No. 10 of 2017, Art. 13 |
Food | Three daily meals or food allowance in lieu | Federal Law No. 10 of 2017, Art. 13 |
Medical insurance | Health insurance card valid for visa duration | Federal Law No. 10 of 2017, Art. 14 |
End-of-service gratuity | One month's wage per year of service (after 1 year) | Federal Law No. 10 of 2017, Art. 25 |
Return air ticket | One ticket to country of origin at contract end | Federal Law No. 10 of 2017, Art. 26 |
Annual leave | 30 paid calendar days per year after 1 year of service | Federal Law No. 10 of 2017, Art. 21 |
Sick leave | 30 days per year (15 full pay, 15 half pay) after probation | Federal Law No. 10 of 2017, Art. 22 |
A family terminating a cook's contract after 3 years without cause owes 3 months' gratuity plus 1 return air ticket to the country of origin. Both are enforceable at the MOHRE Domestic Worker Dispute Centre, and MOHRE can impose fines of AED 5,000–10,000 for breach (UAE Cabinet, 2026). For help tracking MOHRE obligations, our MOHRE inquiry system UAE guide walks through the portal step by step.
How to Hire a Domestic Worker in UAE - Step by Step
To hire a domestic worker in UAE, you must recruit through a MOHRE-licensed Tadbeer centre, sign a MOHRE-registered contract, obtain an entry permit via ICP, complete a medical fitness test, and register the 2-year residency visa with GDRFA. The full process takes 4–8 weeks and costs AED 15,000–25,000 in total.
Step-by-Step Domestic Worker Hiring Process
A Dubai-based family hiring an Ethiopian nanny through the Tadbeer centre in Al Quoz can expect the full process, from contract signing to visa stamp, to take approximately 5–7 weeks, assuming no medical fitness complications. For help with MOHRE portal queries at any stage, our MOHRE inquiry system UAE guide covers the exact steps.
Employer Eligibility Requirements for Sponsoring a Domestic Worker
An expat family where the primary visa holder earns AED 8,000 per month qualifies to sponsor one domestic worker, but must document income of at least AED 9,000 before sponsoring a second. This salary threshold is verified against the sponsor's Emirates ID-linked income records at ICP.
Tadbeer Centres - The Official Route for Domestic Worker Recruitment
A Tadbeer centre is a MOHRE-licensed domestic worker recruitment and support centre operating under the UAE Ministry of Human Resources. Tadbeer centres at tadbeer.ae are the only authorised channel for bringing domestic workers into the UAE from abroad, handling recruitment, MOHRE domestic worker contract registration, visa processing, and mediation services.
What Services Tadbeer Centres Provide
Over 70 licensed Tadbeer centres operate across the UAE in 2026. Tadbeer's Abu Dhabi branch on Hamdan Street, for example, offers a 3-month replacement guarantee, if a housemaid returns home or terminates within 90 days, the centre provides a replacement worker at no additional recruitment fee. Use the centre locator at tadbeer.ae to find your nearest branch.
Tadbeer vs. Private Recruitment Agency - Key Differences
Tadbeer centres are MOHRE-supervised, fees, processes, and worker welfare standards are regulated. Private recruitment agencies without Tadbeer licensing are not authorised to process domestic worker visas from abroad. Using an unlicensed agency is a real compliance risk: MOHRE treats it as an unlicensed labour supply arrangement, carrying fines of up to AED 10,000, plus potential visa rejection.
Worth flagging: if you're hiring a domestic worker already in the UAE (a transfer of sponsorship), you can process this directly through MOHRE at mohre.gov.ae without using a Tadbeer centre. Tadbeer is mandatory only for overseas recruitment. Tadbeer packages are typically all-inclusive, recruitment fee, visa fees, medical test, and insurance are bundled into a single quoted price. See our Tasheel Centre Dubai guide for related MOHRE service centre context. For more detail, see our guide on maid and domestic worker visa process in Dubai.
Is it legal to hire a domestic worker without Tadbeer?
For overseas recruitment, no. Only MOHRE-licensed Tadbeer centres are authorised to process domestic worker entry permits from abroad. Hiring through an unlicensed agency or direct social media arrangement carries fines of up to AED 10,000 and risks visa rejection. Transfer of sponsorship for workers already in the UAE can be processed directly at mohre.gov.ae without a Tadbeer centre.
Domestic Worker Rights Under UAE Law
Under Federal Law No. 10 of 2017, domestic workers in UAE have the right to a written MOHRE-registered contract, paid annual leave of 30 days, weekly rest, medical insurance, suitable accommodation and food, end-of-service gratuity, and a return air ticket, all enforceable at the MOHRE Domestic Worker Dispute Centre.
Core Statutory Rights Every Domestic Worker Holds
A domestic worker who has suffered verbal abuse can walk into any Tadbeer centre or call MOHRE's toll-free helpline 800 60 to file a complaint. The employer does not need to be present. MOHRE mediators will attempt settlement within 2 weeks; unresolved cases are referred to UAE courts. Employers found liable face fines of AED 5,000–10,000 plus mandatory back payment of all outstanding dues.
Dispute Resolution Through MOHRE Domestic Worker Dispute Centre
The Domestic Worker Dispute Centre is a dedicated channel, separate from the standard MOHRE complaints system, accessible at mohre.gov.ae under "Domestic Worker Services" or in person at MOHRE offices. A housemaid owed 4 months of unpaid wages can file here and MOHRE will freeze the employer's ability to sponsor additional domestic workers until the debt is resolved. Workers can also request emergency shelter at MOHRE-affiliated safe houses during dispute proceedings.
Domestic Worker Working Hours and Rest Days
Under Federal Law No. 10 of 2017, domestic workers in UAE are entitled to a maximum 10 working hours per day, a minimum 8 consecutive hours of rest per day, 1 paid rest day per week (typically Friday), and 30 paid annual leave days after completing 1 year of service.
Daily and Weekly Rest Entitlements in Detail
A live-in cook who works 10 hours daily from Sunday to Friday has exceeded the legal weekly rest entitlement. The employer must provide a substitute day off or compensate with an additional day's wage. This is one of the more common domestic worker rights UAE violations seen in practice, and it's fully enforceable at the MOHRE Domestic Worker Dispute Centre.
Annual Leave and Public Holiday Entitlements
A housemaid completing her 2-year contract with 45 unused leave days is entitled to receive 45 days' salary as a cash payment. MOHRE treats this as a mandatory financial obligation, not a discretionary bonus. Keep this in your company compliance calendar UAE, it catches many employers by surprise at contract renewal.
Domestic Worker Salary and Accommodation Requirements
There is no single federal minimum wage for domestic workers in UAE, salary is set by nationality, role, and market rate, typically ranging from AED 700 to AED 2,500 per month. Employers must provide either a private furnished room with meals included or a housing and food allowance stated in the MOHRE domestic worker contract.
Typical Salary Ranges by Role and Nationality in 2026
Domestic worker salary UAE figures are sourced from Tadbeer published rates (Tadbeer, 2026). There is no federal minimum wage for domestic workers as of 2026. A Dubai family hiring a Filipino nanny with English proficiency should budget AED 1,800–2,200 per month in salary alone, the language and childcare skill premium places this role at the top of the domestic worker salary UAE range. Salary must be stated as a fixed AED figure in the maid contract UAE, not a range.
Citations
Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation.. mohre.gov.ae. MOHRE UAE, 2024.
UAE Cabinet.. uaecabinet.ae. UAE Cabinet, 2023.
Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security.. icp.gov.ae. ICP UAE, 2024.
General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs Dubai.. gdrfad.gov.ae. GDRFA Dubai, 2024.
Dubai Health Authority.. dha.gov.ae. DHA UAE, 2024.
For related guidance, see our page on MOHRE domestic worker contract.
Frequently Asked Questions
