Ask Gulf News: Can a 15-year-old legally work in the UAE

Question: I have a daughter 15 years old and she was accepted to work for an advertisement agency. Is it legally permissible for her to work and get a work permit? What are the conditions required to employ a child?  Please advise. 

Answer: According to Article 5 of the UAE Labour Law, it is prohibited to employ children under the age of 15. Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation does not issue work permits to children below this age. However, the law permits children aged 15 to 18 to work under official work permits issued by the Ministry, provided that certain conditions are applied including time of employment and work nature. 

These conditions are:

a. Written consent of the child’s guardian or custodian.

b. A certificate issued by the medical entity proving the health fitness of the child to undertake the required work.

c. The actual working hours shall not exceed 6 hours per day and shall include one break or more, which shall not be less than one hour in total, and this period(s) shall be defined, so that the child does not work for more than 4 consecutive hours.

d. The child shall not work between 7 pm and 7 am.

e. The child shall not be employed in dangerous or arduous works, or in works which, by their nature, are likely to harm his health, safety or morals and which are defined by a resolution of the Minister in coordination with the concerned authorities.

f. The child shall not work overtime, be kept in the workplace after the prescribed hours or work on weekends or official holidays.