UAE shuts down 230 social media accounts in 2025 for promoting recruitment services without licences
MoHRE urges employers and residents to deal only with licensed recruitment offices
The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) announced the closure of 230 social media accounts during the past year that were promoting domestic worker recruitment services, in cooperation with the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA).
The step was taken after it was established that the owners of these accounts had not obtained the necessary licences from the ministry and were not affiliated with any licensed recruitment offices authorised to practise the activity of recruiting this category of workers, which constitutes a clear violation of the Domestic Workers Law.
The ministry reaffirmed its strict oversight over entities providing domestic worker recruitment services through an integrated field and digital regulatory system that safeguards the legal rights of all concerned parties, while ensuring the delivery of leading and competitive services to employers and Emirati and resident families.
The ministry commended the efforts of TDRA and its cooperation in shutting down illegal accounts promoting domestic worker services on social media, noting that such collaboration unifies government efforts in addressing these violations.
In a statement, the ministry called on employers as well as Emirati and expat families in the UAE to ensure they deal only with licensed domestic worker recruitment offices, and to report any negative practices or misleading advertisements on social media promoting such services by contacting 600590000 or by reviewing the list of licensed offices available on the ministry’s website.
The ministry also highlighted the legal consequences and negative outcomes that employers may face when dealing with unlicensed domestic worker recruitment offices, including the loss of their legal rights, in addition to the risks associated with non-compliance with mandatory procedures such as medical examinations and background and conduct checks, which may pose serious risks to families.
Under the Labour Relations Regulation Law, engaging in recruitment or temporary employment of domestic workers is prohibited without obtaining the necessary licenses from the ministry. The law stipulates penalties of imprisonment for a term of no less than one year and a fine of not less than Dh200,000 and not more than Dh1 million, or either of these penalties, for anyone who practices mediation or temporary employment of domestic workers in the UAE without a license, in accordance with the law, its executive regulations, and implementing ministerial decisions.
