Probation in the UAE can last up to six months. During it your employer can end the contract with 14 days’ written notice, and you can leave with 14 days’ notice to leave the UAE or one month’s notice to join another UAE employer. These rules are in Article 9 of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, which covers the private sector across the UAE (Article 3).
The rules at a glance
| Situation | Notice | Article |
|---|---|---|
| Employer ends the contract | At least 14 days, in writing | 9(1) |
| You move to another employer in the UAE | At least 1 month, in writing | 9(3) |
| You leave the UAE | At least 14 days, in writing | 9(4) |
| Either side skips the notice | Pays the worker’s wage for the notice, or the days not given | 9(5) |
Other points from Article 9:
- Probation is at most six months from the day you start work.
- An employer can put you on probation only once.
- If you pass and keep working, the probation period counts in your service, for gratuity and everything else.
Moving to another UAE employer
You give at least one month’s written notice. The new employer pays your old employer the cost of recruiting you, unless you and the old employer agreed otherwise (Article 9(3)).
If you leave the UAE during probation and come back on a new work permit within three months, the new employer pays that same compensation, unless agreed otherwise (Article 9(4)).
The one-year work permit ban
A foreign worker who leaves the UAE without following Article 9 is not given a new work permit for one year from the date of leaving (Article 9(6)). The Ministry can exempt some workers (Article 9(7)). The Executive Regulations (Article 11) list who may be exempted:
- workers with skills or knowledge the UAE needs,
- workers sponsored by their parents,
- golden residency holders,
- other job categories set by a Ministerial resolution.
Pay and leave during probation
- Salary: paid as normal. Probation does not change your wage.
- Sick leave: unpaid during probation. The employer may grant unpaid sick leave on a medical report (Article 31(2)). Paid sick leave (15 days full, 30 days half) starts after probation.
- Annual leave: your employer may let you take leave from your balance during probation. If you do not pass probation, you keep the right to be paid for the leave balance you have left (Article 29(3)).
- Gratuity: needs at least one year of continuous service (Article 51), so it is not due if you leave during probation.
What compensation looks like
Compensation for skipped notice is the worker’s wage for the notice period or the part not given (Article 9(5)). The law defines wage as basic pay plus allowances (Article 1). Dividing the monthly wage by 30 for one day is the usual convention; the law does not give the divisor.
Example 1: your wage is AED 9,000 a month and your employer ends your probation with only 4 days’ notice instead of 14.
- Daily wage: 9,000 ÷ 30 = AED 300
- Days not given: 14 − 4 = 10
- Your employer owes you AED 3,000
Example 2: same wage, you join another UAE employer and give 10 days’ notice instead of one month (30 days).
- Days not given: 30 − 10 = 20
- You owe your employer AED 6,000
Work out your own figures with the notice period calculator, which has the probation cases built in. To see everything due when you leave, use the final settlement calculator.
Official text: Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 · Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022
Checked against the official text on 24 October 2026: Decree-Law Articles 1, 3, 9, 29, 31 and 51, and Executive Regulations Article 11.
Common questions
How long is the probation period in the UAE?
At most six months from the day you start work (Article 9(1) of Decree-Law 33 of 2021). An employer can put you on probation only once.
Can my employer end my contract during probation?
Yes, with at least 14 days' written notice before the date your service ends (Article 9(1)).
How much notice do I give to resign during probation?
At least one month in writing if you are moving to another employer in the UAE, and at least 14 days if you are leaving the UAE (Article 9(3) and (4)).
What if I leave probation without giving the notice?
The side that does not give the required notice pays the other compensation equal to the worker's wage for the notice period, or the part not given (Article 9(5)). A foreign worker who leaves the UAE without following the rules can be refused a new work permit for one year (Article 9(6)).
Do I get paid sick leave during probation?
No. Sick leave is unpaid during probation, although the employer may grant unpaid sick leave on a medical report (Article 31(2)).
Does probation count towards gratuity?
Yes, if you pass it and keep working: the probation period is counted in your service (Article 9(2)). Gratuity needs at least one year of continuous service, so leaving during probation gives no gratuity (Article 51).
Work out your own figure
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Open the calculatorarrow_forwardThis guide is general information, not legal advice. Check your own entitlement with MOHRE or a qualified adviser. See our Disclaimer.
