Notice period in the UAE: 30 to 90 days, and what you are owed

After probation, either side can end a UAE employment contract for a legitimate reason with written notice of between 30 and 90 days, the length your contract sets (Article 43 of the UAE Labour Law). You keep your full wage throughout.

The rules in short

• Length: as agreed in the contract, not less than 30 days and not more than 90 (Art. 43(1)).
• The same for both sides, unless a difference is in the worker’s favour (Art. 43(2)).
• The contract continues during notice: you are paid your full wage and you work if your employer asks you to (Art. 43(2)).
• Waiving or shortening it is allowed by agreement, but you keep all your rights for the notice period in your contract (Art. 43(2)).

If one side does not give notice

The side that skips the notice pays the other a notice period allowance equal to the worker’s wage for the whole notice period, or the part not worked, even if no harm was done (Art. 43(3)). It is calculated on your last wage (Art. 43(4)).

Note the difference from gratuity. The law defines wage as your basic wage plus the allowances in your contract (Art. 1). Gratuity is calculated on the basic wage only (Art. 51). The end-of-service gratuity calculator uses basic pay.

A day a week to look for work

If your employer ends the contract, you may take one unpaid working day a week during the notice period to look for a new job. You choose the day and tell your employer at least three days before (Art. 43(5)).

When you are paid

Your wages and all other entitlements are due within 14 days of the contract ending (Art. 53). That includes unused annual leave, calculated on basic wage (Art. 29(9)); see annual leave in the UAE.

During probation different notice rules apply: see probation period in the UAE.

These rules cover the UAE private sector. They do not apply to federal and local government employees, the armed forces, police and security services, or domestic workers (Article 3). Your contract can give you more than the law, never less.

Checked against the text of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 on 24 September 2026. The 2024 amendment replaced Articles 54 and 60 only; none of the articles cited here. General information, not legal advice. See our editorial policy.