Limited vs unlimited contracts — which applies in the UAE?

Since Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, all private-sector employment contracts in the UAE are fixed-term (limited). Older unlimited contracts had to be converted to fixed-term contracts, which can be renewed.

What are the probation rules for an employment contract?

Probation can last up to six months. During probation the employer must give 14 days' notice to terminate; an employee leaving to join another UAE employer must give one month's notice.

What notice period should an employment contract set?

The contract can set a notice period between 30 and 90 days. It must apply to both parties and be stated clearly in the contract.

Does an employment contract need MOHRE registration?

Yes. Mainland employers must issue the contract through MOHRE (free-zone employers through their free-zone authority). Use DocMak to draft and agree terms, then make sure the registered contract matches.

Is the DocMak Employment Contract Maker really free?

Yes — the first 20 PDF exports every 30 days are free. Upgrade to Pro (AED 49/month) if you issue more documents or want saved history.

Can I add my company logo and branding?

Yes. Upload your logo once and DocMak embeds it at the top of every PDF you download. Pro users can save it permanently in their reusable company profile alongside brand colour, address and signatory details.

What format does the employment contract download in?

A clean, print-ready PDF that renders identically on desktop, tablet and mobile. Selected builders also export to Word (DOCX). You can print directly from the browser or share the document over WhatsApp and email.

Is the Employment Contract Maker usable across the GCC, not just the UAE?

Yes. Defaults follow UAE practice (AED salaries, emirate addresses), but every field is editable so the Employment Contract Maker works for KSA, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait and Iraq — swap the currency, labour-law references and language.

Does the Employment Contract Maker support Arabic or bilingual layouts?

Selected DocMak builders ship native Arabic RTL and bilingual (English + Arabic) layouts, which are preferred for employment contracts destined for UAE courts, KSA ministries and Qatari banks. Where not built in, you can add an Arabic mirror block manually.

Where is my employment contract stored?

Free users keep nothing on DocMak servers — the PDF is generated in your browser and downloaded directly. Pro users can opt in to save full letter history to the dashboard for instant retrieval and audit.

Can I edit an employment contract after I download it?

Open the Employment Contract Maker again, change any field, and re-download. Pro users can reopen any saved letter from the dashboard, tweak it, and re-export — useful for revisions, addendums and reissues.

Employment Contract FAQ — GCC Questions Answered

Limited vs unlimited contracts — which applies in the UAE?: Since Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, all private-sector employment contracts in the UAE are fixed-term (limited). Older unlimited contracts had to be converted to fixed-term contracts, which can be renewed.
What are the probation rules for an employment contract?: Probation can last up to six months. During probation the employer must give 14 days' notice to terminate; an employee leaving to join another UAE employer must give one month's notice.
What notice period should an employment contract set?: The contract can set a notice period between 30 and 90 days. It must apply to both parties and be stated clearly in the contract.
Does an employment contract need MOHRE registration?: Yes. Mainland employers must issue the contract through MOHRE (free-zone employers through their free-zone authority). Use DocMak to draft and agree terms, then make sure the registered contract matches.
Is the DocMak Employment Contract Maker really free?: Yes — the first 20 PDF exports every 30 days are free. Upgrade to Pro (AED 49/month) if you issue more documents or want saved history.
Can I add my company logo and branding?: Yes. Upload your logo once and DocMak embeds it at the top of every PDF you download. Pro users can save it permanently in their reusable company profile alongside brand colour, address and signatory details.
What format does the employment contract download in?: A clean, print-ready PDF that renders identically on desktop, tablet and mobile. Selected builders also export to Word (DOCX). You can print directly from the browser or share the document over WhatsApp and email.
Is the Employment Contract Maker usable across the GCC, not just the UAE?: Yes. Defaults follow UAE practice (AED salaries, emirate addresses), but every field is editable so the Employment Contract Maker works for KSA, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait and Iraq — swap the currency, labour-law references and language.
Does the Employment Contract Maker support Arabic or bilingual layouts?: Selected DocMak builders ship native Arabic RTL and bilingual (English + Arabic) layouts, which are preferred for employment contracts destined for UAE courts, KSA ministries and Qatari banks. Where not built in, you can add an Arabic mirror block manually.
Where is my employment contract stored?: Free users keep nothing on DocMak servers — the PDF is generated in your browser and downloaded directly. Pro users can opt in to save full letter history to the dashboard for instant retrieval and audit.
Can I edit an employment contract after I download it?: Open the Employment Contract Maker again, change any field, and re-download. Pro users can reopen any saved letter from the dashboard, tweak it, and re-export — useful for revisions, addendums and reissues.

Business use cases for an employment contract

How founders, freelancers and SMEs across the UAE, KSA, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain and Iraq use an employment contract day to day.

HR teams at UAE SMEs

Small HR teams in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah issue an employment contract every week. A ready layout with the employee's details, reference number and signatory block saves time and keeps every letter consistent.

Banks, embassies and visa applications

Employees ask for an employment contract when they open a bank account, apply for a loan or credit card, or apply for a visa. A clear purpose line and the authorised signatory's stamp avoid the letter being rejected.

Free-zone companies

DMCC, JAFZA, DAFZA, ADGM and other free-zone employers follow their free-zone authority's HR rules. An employment contract on company letterhead with the licence number works for both free-zone and mainland processes.

Groups with staff across the GCC

Companies with employees in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Oman can keep one consistent employment contract format and adjust the currency, labour-law reference and language for each country.

Required sections in a professional employment contract

Every employment contract should contain these building blocks so it holds up in front of clients, banks, courts and regulators across the GCC.

Company letterhead

Company name, logo, trade licence number, address and contact details.

Reference and date

A unique HR reference number and the issue date.

Employee details

Full name, nationality, passport or Emirates ID number, job title and employment dates.

Purpose and content

The main statement of the employment contract and, where relevant, who it is addressed to.

Authorised signatory

Name, designation, signature and company stamp of the HR manager or another authorised person.

Employment Contract checklist

Printed on company letterhead with trade licence number
Reference number and issue date are shown
Employee name, nationality and ID number match their passport or Emirates ID
Job title and dates match the employment contract
Purpose and addressee are clear
Salary details are included only where needed and agreed
Signed and stamped by an authorised signatory
Arabic version or attestation arranged where required

Employment Contract format & delivery

Page size: A4 (210 × 297 mm), portrait — the GCC business standard.
File format: PDF/A print-ready output; can be re-flowed to DOCX on request.
Fonts: System-safe fonts (Inter, Arial, Times) so the PDF renders identically on any device.
Colour mode: sRGB for on-screen sharing; safe for CMYK print at 300 DPI.
Language: English by default; Arabic RTL and bilingual layouts available on selected builders.
File size: Under 500 KB for a typical single-page letter — easy to send over WhatsApp and email.

GCC compliance considerations

Tax, language, data-protection and attestation rules that shape how an employment contract is drafted, retained and shared across the GCC.

UAE Labour Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021)

Sets the rules for private-sector employment in the UAE, including fixed-term contracts, probation, notice periods, leave and the employer's duty to issue a service certificate. Make sure an employment contract is consistent with the employee's MOHRE contract.

MOHRE and free-zone authorities

Mainland employers register contracts and work permits with MOHRE; free-zone employers follow their free-zone authority. Details in HR letters should match those records.

Attestation for use abroad

An employment contract used outside the UAE usually needs attestation by MOFA and the destination country's embassy. Sign, stamp and date the original before attestation.

Employee data privacy

Share salary and personal details only for the stated purpose and with the employee's consent, in line with the UAE Personal Data Protection Law.

Industry-specific variations of an employment contract

How the employment contract adapts to trading, construction, professional services, technology, retail and real estate.

Construction and contracting

Large workforces mean frequent letters for visa renewals and bank accounts. Keep an employment contract short and consistent across sites.

Hospitality and retail

High staff turnover makes a standard letter template essential for joining and leaving employees.

Healthcare

Licensing bodies such as DHA, DOH and MOHAP often ask for employment and experience letters with exact dates and job titles.

Technology and professional services

Employees moving between employers or countries need accurate dates, titles and salary details for visas and background checks.

Country-specific guidance (7 GCC markets)

Labour law, language and attestation rules for an employment contract in each GCC market.

United Arab Emirates

Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 governs private-sector employment. Mainland employers use MOHRE; free-zone employers follow their free-zone authority.

Saudi Arabia

The Saudi Labour Law and the Qiwa platform govern contracts. Arabic is the official language of HR documents.

Qatar

Law No. 14 of 2004 and its amendments apply. Letters for government use are usually needed in Arabic.

Oman

Royal Decree 53/2023 (Labour Law) applies, with Omanisation targets by sector.

Kuwait

Law No. 6 of 2010 governs private-sector work. HR letters for official use are typically attested.

Bahrain

Law No. 36 of 2012 applies, with the LMRA handling work permits.

Iraq

The Labour Law No. 37 of 2015 applies; Arabic copies are expected for official processes.

Continue exploring the employment contract cluster

Related documents, format vs sample references, GCC country variants and glossary terms — everything you need to master the employment contract in one place.

Documents used alongside an employment contract

Template vs example

Two ways to reference an employment contract

Employment Contract templateBlank
The blank, editable structure you fill in yourself — ideal when you already know what belongs in each field.
Employment Contract exampleFilled
A filled-in GCC sample with realistic values — use it as a reference before drafting your own.
Employment Contract guideWalkthrough
Complete walkthrough of fields, compliance and best practice.

Across the GCC

Employment Contract rules and regional hubs

Glossary terms

Key terms around an employment contract

MOHRE: The UAE Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, which registers mainland employment contracts and work permits.
Fixed-term contract: The standard UAE private-sector contract under Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, with a defined start and end date that can be renewed.
Probation: An initial trial period of up to six months, with shorter notice periods than the rest of the contract.
Gross vs basic salary: Basic salary is the base pay used for gratuity; gross salary adds housing, transport and other allowances.
End-of-service gratuity: A payment due to eligible employees when employment ends, calculated on basic salary and length of service.
Attestation: Official authentication of a document by MOFA and, where needed, the destination country's embassy.

Browse the full DocMak glossary

Related on DocMak

Employment Contract — Frequently Asked Questions