Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation

Call 600 590 000 or 80084 with the case reference. MOHRE can escalate to the formal mediation stage and, for claims up to AED 50,000, issue a final enforceable decision without Labour Court referral.

WPS is the legal record. Cash payments outside WPS do not count. If the employer paid through a different channel, they must register it on WPS retrospectively (which they usually cannot) or risk Category C reclassification.

Get the original employer to formally approve the probation exit through MOHRE; with their approval the one-year ban is lifted. Without approval, the ban runs the full year.

Use the zone authority's labour portal (DMCC, JAFZA, DIFC, ADGM, IFZA, RAKEZ, etc.). MOHRE has no jurisdiction over free-zone employers.

UAE Pass binds to a SIM. Inactive SIM (post long trip) blocks OTP. Reactivate at Etisalat or du, or move to eSIM on the same number.

Contract changes require worker's UAE Pass signature; one-sided employer changes are blocked. Worker must accept the change in the MOHRE app for it to take effect.

Open the MOHRE smart app, sign in with UAE Pass or Emirates ID, and find the digital labour card under 'My Services'. The card is downloadable as a PDF and is accepted by banks, landlords and government counters. The same screen shows the registered contract, WPS salary history and any active labour ban.

Through the MOHRE smart app or eservices.mohre.gov.ae under 'Services for Employees > Labour Complaint', or by calling 600 590 000. MOHRE retrieves the employment record from your Emirates ID and work permit number, gives you a case number immediately, attempts mediation within 14 working days, and since January 2024 can issue a final enforceable decision on claims up to AED 50,000 without the Labour Court.

Largely obsolete in the traditional sense. The six-month ban that used to lock workers out was removed by the 2022 labour reform. The only routine ban that still applies is a one-year MOHRE work-permit ban on workers who resign during probation without notice, and it can be lifted with the original employer's written approval. Travel bans (for criminal cases) are entirely separate and handled by the relevant emirate's police. When a contract ends, calculate the end-of-service gratuity owed with our UAE gratuity calculator.

No. Free zone workers get their work permits and labour records from the zone authority itself (DMCC, JAFZA, DIFC, ADGM, IFZA, RAKEZ and dozens more) and do not appear on MOHRE. The residence visa, however, is still federal and runs through ICP.

Five days late on payroll triggers automatic suspension of new work permits for the establishment, which can block hiring and renewals. Eleven days late adds financial fines and reclassification to Category C. Sixteen days late triggers automatic labour dispute registration on every affected employee's file. Twenty-one days late can trigger asset attachment and a Public Prosecution referral. Workers can verify WPS status through the MOHRE app and use it as evidence in any related complaint.

MOHRE accepts WPS salary history screenshots (the primary evidence), bank statements showing non-receipt of expected salary, the registered employment contract from the worker's MOHRE profile, and any signed pay slips or HR communications confirming the agreed salary. WhatsApp messages from HR about delayed salary are accepted as supporting evidence. File via the MOHRE smart app, eservices.mohre.gov.ae, or hotline 600 590 000 - all channels are free and produce a case reference immediately. Mediation is attempted within 14 working days; for claims up to AED 50,000 MOHRE can issue a final enforceable decision since January 2024 without referring to the Labour Court, which typically resolves cases within 30-60 days. Larger claims escalate to the Labour Court, which takes 6-9 months. For the WPS evidence path specifically, see our MOHRE labour card guide.

MOHRE offers two gig-economy permit categories for residents already on another visa: a freelance permit (AED 300-500 per 6-month window for individuals working for multiple clients) and a part-time permit (AED 500-750 per 6-month window for residents working part-time alongside their main employment, with the main employer's NOC). Both legalise side income that would otherwise be unauthorised. The application is filed via the MOHRE smart app or Tasheel, requires a basic activity description and proof of skills (degree, portfolio, references), and approval is typically 5-10 working days. Free-zone freelance permits (RAKEZ, twofour54, IFZA, DAFZA, others) are a separate path with different cost structures - typically higher annual fees but bundled with a residence visa. The MOHRE path is for residents already on another visa; the free-zone path is for those without an existing UAE residence.

An absconding report filed by an employer triggers a one-year MOHRE work-permit ban and immediate visa cancellation, but it can be disputed. File the dispute via the MOHRE smart app or eservices.mohre.gov.ae under 'Services for Employees > Dispute Absconding Report', or call 80084 with the case reference. MOHRE accepts as supporting evidence: WhatsApp messages with HR proving notice was given, written resignation letter with acknowledged receipt, attendance records contradicting the absence claim, salary delay or harassment evidence justifying departure under Article 121 of the Labour Law, medical certificates if absence was health-related, evidence of constructive dismissal. The mediation typically resolves within 14 working days. If MOHRE rules in your favour the absconding report is lifted and the ban removed; if upheld, escalation goes to the Labour Court. Filing the dispute immediately on receiving notice (the employer is required to notify the worker) is essential - older disputes face higher evidentiary burden.

End-of-service gratuity in the UAE under Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 is calculated on the worker's basic salary (not total salary including allowances). The formula: for the first 5 years of service, 21 days of basic salary per year; for each year beyond 5 years, 30 days of basic salary per year; total capped at 2 years' total basic salary (about 730 days of basic pay). A worker resigning before 1 year completed receives nothing; between 1-3 years receives 1/3 of the calculated amount; between 3-5 years receives 2/3; 5+ years receives the full amount. For dismissed workers the proportional reduction does not apply - full gratuity is owed. Pro-rated for partial years. The MOHRE smart app's End-of-Service Calculator queries the contract and salary on file and produces an estimated figure. For verification use our UAE gratuity calculator. WPS-paid salary history serves as evidence of basic vs total split if disputed.

MOHRE classifies private-sector establishments into three categories based on compliance and Emiratisation performance. Category A: high compliance, full WPS payment history, meeting Emiratisation quotas - work permit fee AED 250, fast-tracked approvals, fewer audits. Category B: standard compliance, meets baseline requirements - work permit fee AED 500, standard processing. Category C: low compliance, WPS violations, missed Emiratisation targets, prior penalties - work permit fee AED 5,000, additional documentation requirements, longer processing times, higher scrutiny on every transaction. From 1 June 2026 a five-day WPS salary delay triggers automatic reclassification to Category C. For workers the practical impact is significant: Category A employers process renewals faster and rarely have hiring blocks; Category C employers can have permits suspended which stalls a worker's own residence renewal through no fault of the worker. Check your employer's category on eservices.mohre.gov.ae before accepting an offer for risky positions.

Open the MOHRE smart app, sign in with UAE Pass or Emirates ID, and navigate to My Services > Digital Labour Card. The card is downloadable as a PDF and includes the worker's full name, photo, employer details, job title, contract type, work permit number, and validity dates. The PDF carries a QR code that any verifier (bank, landlord, government counter, traffic stop) can scan to confirm authenticity. The card replaced the old plastic labour cards in 2023 and is accepted everywhere the plastic card was. If the digital labour card does not appear in My Services, the worker is most likely a free-zone employee (DMCC, JAFZA, DIFC, ADGM, IFZA, RAKEZ) - free-zone workers do not appear on MOHRE and need to use the zone authority's portal for the equivalent document. The MOHRE app card refreshes automatically when the work permit is renewed; no separate download or renewal action is needed.

Open the MOHRE smart app > My Services > Labour Ban Status. The screen shows: active bans (the one-year MOHRE work-permit ban on probation resignations is the only routine ban that still applies), absconding records (filed by previous employers), and any historic bans that have already expired. Each entry shows the case reference, filing date, expiry date, and the option to dispute if active. The eservices.mohre.gov.ae web portal shows the same data. The hotline 600 590 000 can also confirm status with Emirates ID verification over the phone. If an active ban or absconding record exists that you believe is incorrect, file a dispute via the same screen with supporting evidence (WhatsApp messages, written resignation, attendance records). MOHRE mediation typically resolves within 14 working days. The traditional 6-month labour ban that was removed by the 2022 reform should no longer appear; if it does, the record is historic and not enforceable. Recruiters citing 'old' bans should be checked against the actual MOHRE status.

For workers, the MOHRE smart app handles virtually everything: digital labour card download, WPS salary history view, contract view, complaint filing, ban status check, freelance permit application, contract amendment acceptance. The app is free and the equivalent of a Tas'heel visit for worker-side actions. Workers rarely need Tas'heel directly. For employers, Tas'heel centres are the standard channel for: work permit applications and renewals, quota management, employee onboarding, contract registration, Emiratisation reporting. PROs typically route 80%+ of employer transactions through Tas'heel with AED 150-300 service fees per application. Direct employer use of eservices.mohre.gov.ae bypasses the typing-centre fee but requires the employer's MOHRE establishment credentials. The choice for employers: Tas'heel for convenience and PRO services, eservices.mohre.gov.ae for fee optimisation and direct control. For workers the app is the default; Tas'heel is rarely needed except for employer-driven complex cases.