Employees, administration and logistics

Once you get your visa, you can then apply for an Emirates ID, the UAE Government-issued identity card, which is mandatory for all UAE citizens and residents: find out more.

Each bank has different requirements to open an account and can be contacted for further information.

Some of the top national banks in Dubai/UAE are:

• Emirates National Bank of Dubai (ENBD)
• Dubai Islamic Bank (DIB)
• Mashreq Neo
• Emirates Islamic Bank
• WIO

Some of the top International banks in Dubai/UAE are:

• HSBC Middle East
• BNP Paribas Middle East
• Standard Chartered Bank
• Citibank N.A.
• Royal Bank of Canada
• Credit Suisse AG
• Arab African International Bank
• Habib Bank A.G. Zurich

Stay updated on the rules small businesses and enterprises must follow when hiring and managing employees in the emirate.

Emiratisation: What it means for the business

Emiratisation is a nationwide initiative, managed by the UAE Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, to increase the participation of Emirati citizens in the private sector. In Dubai, it applies to mainland companies but not to those in free zones.

Mainland companies must have a minimum of 2% of Emirati employees in their skilled workforce and have rules related to advertising for, hiring and on-boarding Emiratis. This means:

• For 0-50 skilled workers, hire at least one Emirati employee
• For more than 50 up to 100 skilled workers, the goal is to recruit a minimum of two UAE national employees
• For 101-150 skilled workers, employ at least three UAE nationals
• If you have more than 151 skilled workers, recruit one Emirati for every 50 workers.
• If your company has 20-49 employees within the below 14 targeted activities, then you will need to hire at least one UAE national in 2024 and a second in 2025:
  • Information and technology
  • Financial and insurance activities
  • Real estate activities
  • Professional, scientific and technical activities
  • Administrative and support services
  • Education
  • Health and social welfare activates
  • Arts and entertainment
  • Mining and quarrying activities
  • Manufacturing
  • Construction
  • Wholesale and retail trade
  • Transportation and storage
  • Accommodation and hospitality industry activities

Failure to comply can result in a monthly fine of AED 6,000 (US$1,633.76) per vacancy. The fine increases by AED 1,000 (US$ 273.9) each year starting from the launch of the Emiratisation initiative in 2022.

You can also explore NAFIS, which is a federal programme aimed at enhancing the competitiveness of the Emirati human resources in the private sector, with a dedicated recruitment portal that connects talents to their potential employers.

Employee rights and benefits

In Dubai, employee welfare takes precedence:

• Health insurance: It is mandatory for all businesses to provide health insurance to their employees in Dubai, while many companies also choose to extend this coverage to employees’ family members. Please check our Healthcare in Dubai guide for further information.
• Annual leave: After six months, all Dubai-based employees are legally entitled to two day’s leave for each month worked, increasing to 30 days annually after 12 months.
• Maternity leave: Female employees are entitled to 60 days’ leave, with 45 days at full pay and 15 at half pay. Both male and female employees are entitled to parental leave of five working days, which they can take within six months from the date of the birth of their child.
• Sick leave: Full-time employees are entitled to up to 90 days of annual paid sick leave after their probation, the first 15 days at full pay, the next 30 days on half pay and no pay for the remaining 45 days.
• End of service entitlements (gratuity): Expat employees working in the UAE for at least 12 months are entitled to an end-of-service gratuity. This is a one-off payment based on their basic salary, increasing in value from the fifth year onwards and can be calculated using this gratuity calculator.

Employment options

According to the UAE Labour Law which came into effect in 2022, mainland companies in Dubai can offer the following types of employment:

• Full time: Work exclusively for one employer on a full-time basis.
• Part time: Flexibly work for one or more employers for a specific number of hours or days.
• Temporary work: Work on specific assignments, with contracts ending upon completion.
• Flexible working: Adapt working hours or days depending on the business needs.
• Remote work: Work outside the workplace, whether fully or partially.
• Job sharing: Divide tasks among workers as agreed upon, in advance. The rules of a part-time work model apply to job-sharing contracts.

Check out the UAE government portal for more information on mainland employment rules. Free zone rules will vary according to the specific zone.

The 'Work Bundle' streamlines employee residency procedures and work permits within private sector companies holding commercial licences issued by the Dubai Department of Economy & Tourism. This comprehensive bundle provides a unified platform for handling employment services in a single application.

Tailored workspaces for start-ups and SMEs

Start-ups and SMEs can access shared workspaces across Dubai, with both mainland and free zone spaces available. Use the interactive map below to see some of the city's options – where spaces are in a free zone, the zone's initials are in brackets after the facility's name.