UAE
Fujairah – Amendments to the Human Resources Law
Impact date: 1 January 2026 Fujairah has issued Law No. (2) of 2025 amending the Human Resources Law for employees of the Government of Fujairah (the “Law”). The Law focuses on promotion of Emirati employees, remote work, part-time work and hybrid work.
The Law also increased child allowance to AED 600 for UAE nationals in Fujairah, and included different types of leave available for Emirati employees. Amongst other types of leave, the Law included bereavement leave, iddah leave for a Muslim female employee of four months and ten days, national service leave, five-day paternity leave, and maternity leave lasting 90 days.
Employer implications/action needed Public-sector employers with operations in Fujairah, or based in Fujairah, (“employers”) will need to adjust their internal HR policies and procedures to accommodate different types of leave provided by the Law. Employers should also accommodate remote working, hybrid-working, and part-time working in deploying human resources.
Employer risk The Law does not provide for consequences of non-compliance.
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Minimum wage increase
Impact date: 1 January 2026 The MoHRE has announced a minimum wage of AED 6,000 for Emiratis employed in the private sector. The requirement will apply to services related to issuing, renewing, and amending citizen work permits.
The MoHRE also clarified that the minimum wage increase applies only to work permits of UAE nationals with a two-year validity, whether newly issued, renewed, or amended.
Employer implications/action needed Employers should ensure that Emirati employees are paid a monthly salary of at least AED 6,000.
Employer risk If the salary of Emirati employees is not corrected by 30 June 2026, enforcement measures will take effect from 1 July 2026. These include excluding the Emirati employee from Emiratisation quota calculations until the salary is adjusted, and placing a restriction on the employer that blocks the issuance of new work permits.
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Abu Dhabi - Recruitment and talent retention
Impact date: 1 January 2026 The Abu Dhabi Government has enacted Law No. 8/2025 on Human Resources (the “HR Law”) aimed at modernizing the public sector’s employment framework. Aiming to create clear pathways for career progression based on capability, the HR Law provides for a number of measures, including accelerated promotion for high performers, performance-based allowances for distinguished contributions, and reduced probation periods for outstanding new graduates.
Other changes include updated leave provisions for marriage leave, bereavement support, and caregiving flexibility.
Employer implications/action needed Public sector employers in Abu Dhabi should adjust their internal HR policies and procedures to align with the HR Law, such as making remuneration structures variable to account for exceptional performance of employees and providing for different types of leave.
Employer risk The Law does not provide for consequences of non-compliance.
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