UAE Clarifies Private Sector Notice Period Rules Under Federal Labor Law

A regulatory breakdown published by Gulf News on Monday, October 26, 2026, clarified the statutory notice period rules under Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, which regulates employment relationships in the UAE.

Under Article 43 of the law, standard notice periods in private sector employment contracts must range between a statutory minimum of 30 days and a maximum of 90 calendar days.

Article 9 outlines requirements during the probation period. An employee resigning during probation to join another employer within the UAE must serve 30 days of written notice, and the new employer must compensate recruitment costs. Conversely, employees leaving the country entirely during probation must provide at least 14 days of notice.

Additionally, when an employer terminates an employment contract, the worker is legally entitled to one unpaid working day off per week during the notice period to search for alternative employment.