UAE Job Transfer Rules 2026: What MOHRE's May Guidance Says

On 12 May 2026, the UAE Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) used its official X account to publish guidance on the cases in which a private-sector worker may move to another establishment after the employment contract ends, and the cases in which a new work permit cannot be issued (MOHRE's post). The substantive law has not changed — Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 remains in force, and the procedures laid out in the main guide on changing jobs in the UAE stay current. The post summarises rules already in the Labour Law's Executive Regulation (Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022) and Ministerial Resolution No. 47 of 2022 rather than announcing a new decision.

This explainer summarises what MOHRE's post says, what remains unchanged, and how it affects workers currently weighing a move. For the definitive text and case-specific guidance, consult the official MOHRE portal at mohre.gov.ae or the MOHRE service line on 600 590 000.

What Has Not Changed

The legal architecture for private-sector employment in the UAE remains as set out under Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 and its implementing regulations:

• All UAE private-sector employment contracts are fixed-term, with a maximum length of three years per term (renewable).
• Probation caps at six months. During probation, the employer can terminate with 14 days' written notice; an employee needs at least one month's written notice to move to another UAE employer, or 14 days to leave the UAE.
• Notice periods post-probation are contract-specified and must fall between 30 and 90 days.
• The 6-month employer-imposed ban on moving between UAE employers, which existed under the old 1980 law, was abolished in 2022 and has not been reinstated.
• End-of-service gratuity accrues at 21 days of basic salary per year for the first five years of service and 30 days per year thereafter, capped at the equivalent of two years' wages.
• Arbitrary dismissal compensation remains at up to three months' wages, awarded only on a finding by MOHRE or a labour court.
• Non-compete clauses are enforceable for a maximum of two years and must specify a defined geographic and sectoral scope.

The Procedural Points

The rules below, on three procedural questions, come from the Labour Law and MOHRE's standing resolutions rather than from a new decision.

Early Termination by the Employee

An employee on a fixed-term contract who resigns before the contract expires must serve the contractual notice period (typically 30 to 90 days). Where the employee leaves without serving notice, they owe compensation in lieu of notice — equal to the wage for the unserved part of the notice period under Article 43 of the 2021 Law — plus any properly drafted training-cost recovery clause. This compensation is a claim between the parties, not a state-imposed fine, pursued through MOHRE's dispute process or the labour courts.

Transfer Timing

The outgoing employer must initiate work-permit cancellation within 14 days of the last working day. The new employer can apply for the replacement work permit using the cancellation paperwork. The standard grace period between cancellation and the new visa being issued is 60 days for most employees; ICP lists 90 days for skilled workers in levels 1–3. Children and spouses sponsored under the employee's residency must be cancelled or transferred to the new sponsor's coverage before the employee's own visa is cancelled.

What Counts as "Abandonment of Work"

A frequent question is the threshold for the employer's filing of an absconding or absence report. The 2021 Law and its regulations provide that a properly documented absence — more than seven consecutive days when the employer does not know where the worker is or how to reach them — can support such a report. Under Article 8 of Ministerial Resolution No. 47 of 2022, a work-abandonment report that is proven valid bars the worker from a new work permit for one year, unless an exemption applies — among them Golden visa holders, workers on family sponsorship and a new permit with the same employer. Workers who believe an absconding report has been wrongly filed can challenge it through the MOHRE complaints process, which is free.

Practical Implications

For an employee planning a move, the practical takeaways are unchanged in substance but worth restating:

• Get the new offer in writing before resigning. The offer letter must match the MOHRE Standard Contract that will eventually be filed; where they conflict, the MOHRE filing governs in any UAE dispute.
• Serve the contractual notice unless a buy-out is agreed in writing with both employers.
• Track the visa cancellation. The 14-day clock starts on the last working day, not on the resignation date.
• Audit the final settlement. Pro-rated final-month salary, untaken annual leave, gratuity for completed service over one year, unpaid overtime, and reimbursed business expenses must be paid within 14 days of the last working day. Sign the settlement only after verifying the figures.
• Keep the paperwork. MOHRE complaints depend on written evidence — the offer letter, the resignation letter with proof of receipt, the MOHRE Standard Contract, and the final settlement document.

What This Means If You're Mid-Contract

For workers currently within a fixed-term contract, MOHRE's 2026 guidance does not change the legal position: resignation is permitted, and the standard notice and gratuity rules apply. These rules matter most for cases that have been ambiguous in practice — short-service resignations during probation, disputed absconding reports, and the calculation of compensation in lieu of notice. If your situation involves one of those, consider taking formal legal advice or filing a MOHRE complaint. For the routine case — clean resignation, served notice, transferred visa — the path described in the main job-transfer guide remains the right reference.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I read MOHRE's 2026 guidance on job transfers?

The MOHRE portal at mohre.gov.ae is the official source. The MOHRE publication this page follows is a 12 May 2026 post on its official X account (@MOHRE_UAE) about moving to another establishment after the employment contract ends and the cases in which a new work permit cannot be issued; the binding rules sit in the Labour Law, its Executive Regulation and ministerial resolutions such as No. 47 of 2022. For interpretation of how these rules apply to a specific case, MOHRE's free complaint and consultation channels are the most direct route: the 600 590 000 service line, the MOHRE app, or a walk-in at a Tasheel centre.

Does this change the gratuity formula?

No. End-of-service gratuity remains 21 days of basic salary per year of service for the first five years and 30 days per year thereafter, capped at two years' wages. The calculation base is basic salary, not total package; this is unchanged from the 2021 Law.

Can my old employer block my move?

The default 6-month employer ban that existed under the old 1980 law was abolished and has not been reinstated. The only routes by which a former employer can affect a job move are: (1) enforcing a properly drafted non-compete clause within its two-year maximum and defined scope; (2) filing an absconding report if the employee left without notice or contact; (3) seeking recovery of contractual obligations (training-cost reimbursement, compensation in lieu of notice) through the labour court. None of these constitute a blanket labour ban of the kind that existed pre-2022.

What if I'm already in the grace period?

The grace period for finding new sponsorship after visa cancellation continues to apply: 60 days for most employees (ICP lists 90 days for skilled workers in levels 1–3). Golden, Green and Blue residence holders have 180 days. Within the grace period the employee is permitted to remain in the UAE, complete the new employment paperwork, and have the new visa issued. If the grace period is approaching expiry without a new sponsor in place, the employee can either switch to a dependent visa (where a spouse sponsor is available) or apply for an extension through ICP.

Does this affect free-zone or DIFC employees?

MOHRE's guidance covers the federal private-sector regime under Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021. Employees governed by DIFC Employment Law (2019) or ADGM Employment Regulations (2019) remain under those separate jurisdictions, which have their own notice, gratuity (DEWS in DIFC), and dispute-resolution frameworks. Free zones outside DIFC and ADGM generally apply the federal Labour Law, sometimes with additional zone-specific rules — check with the relevant free-zone authority.