II. LABOUR APPLICATION
1. By whom is the Law enforced?
The Law is a federal legislation applicable to all the emirates of the federation. It is enforced by the Ministry of Labour and Social Affair (the "Ministry"). Labour related litigations are adjudicated by the federal and local courts of the UAE.
2. What is the primary pre-requisite for employment?
An application must be made to the Ministry of Labour to employ any expatriate employee in the UAE. The application is to be approved by the Ministry of Labour before the employee enters the UAE. Employment permits are valid for three years subject to renewals for similar periods.
In the case of national employees, an employment contract may be entered into at any time. Employment contracts for non-nationals must be drawn in the format approved by the Ministry of Labour on an application made by the employer. Employment contracts for national employees need not, however, be in writing and the terms and conditions of employment may be proved by any means of proof admissible by law. A labour permit for an expatriate employee will not be issued by the Ministry of Labour unless a formal written labour contract is filed with the Ministry.
