From falcon caretakers to private drivers: UAE names 19 domestic worker roles
Violations can bring fines, imprisonment and penalties reaching Dh10 million
DUBAI – The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has officially outlined 19 occupations that fall under the domestic worker category, covering a far wider range of roles than traditional household jobs such as maids, cooks and nannies.
The classification is set out on the UAE government's official platform alongside information on the rights of domestic workers and the responsibilities of employers and recruitment agencies. It also comes with a detailed framework of penalties for violations, with some offences carrying fines that can ultimately reach Dh10 million.
The rules apply under Federal Decree-Law No. (9) of 2022 on Domestic Workers. The legislation establishes obligations for the different parties involved in domestic employment, from recruitment agencies bringing workers into the country to employers providing accommodation, wages and healthcare. Workers themselves are also required to comply with their employment agreements and a number of specific obligations.
For anyone hiring or working in one of these occupations, understanding which jobs fall within the domestic worker framework is therefore important.
19 occupations
According to the UAE government platform, the country's domestic worker category includes the following 19 occupations:
- Housemaid
- Sailor
- Guard
- Shepherd
- Jockey
- Tamer
- Falcon caretaker
- Worker
- Housekeeper
- Cook
- Nanny/babysitter
- Farm worker/grower
- Gardener
- Personal trainer/coach
- Private tutor
- Home nurse
- Personal assistant
- Private agricultural engineer
- Personal/family driver
The list extends well beyond roles commonly associated with domestic service. Alongside housemaids, housekeepers, cooks and babysitters, it includes occupations connected with agriculture, animal care, education, healthcare, personal services and private transport.
Roles such as falcon caretaker, jockey, tamer and shepherd reflect the range of work that can be performed for private households. A private agricultural engineer is also included, while personal trainers, private tutors, home nurses and personal assistants are covered under the same domestic worker framework.
The classification is significant because domestic workers are governed by specific legislation that sets out their employment rights as well as duties for their employers and recruitment agencies.
The UAE government also urges employers to recruit domestic workers through agencies licensed by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation.
Worker rights
Federal Decree-Law No. (9) of 2022 establishes several entitlements for domestic workers.
Workers are entitled to a paid weekly rest day. If an employer requires a worker to work on that rest day, the worker must receive either an alternative day of rest or payment equivalent to one day's wage.
Daily rest is also provided for under the law. A domestic worker must receive at least 12 hours of rest each day, including at least eight consecutive hours.
Annual leave is another key entitlement. Workers are entitled to 30 days of paid annual leave each year, with the payment due before the leave is taken. Where the worker's service period is between six months and one year, the entitlement is calculated at two days of leave for each month of service.
The law also addresses travel between the UAE and the worker's home country. A domestic worker is entitled to a round-trip ticket to their home country once every two years. Alternatively, where both parties agree to terminate the employment agreement after annual leave, the arrangement can involve a one-way ticket.
Wages must be paid according to the standard contract and within 10 days from the due date.
Employers must also provide adequate housing and subsistence.
Domestic workers are entitled to up to 30 days of sick leave a year. The first 15 days are paid, while the following 15 days are paid at half the wage.
Another important protection concerns personal documents. Workers are entitled to retain possession of their personal identification papers, including passports and IDs.
Agency duties
Recruitment agencies have several responsibilities before and after a domestic worker enters the UAE.
Before bringing a worker out of their home country, an agency must inform the worker about the nature of the job and the wages. It must also obtain proof of the worker's physical capabilities, health, and psychological and professional preparedness.
The agency must arrange the necessary medical examinations within a period not exceeding 30 days before the worker's entry into the UAE.
Workers must also be familiarised with UAE societal customs and traditions. Agencies are required to inform them about the authorities to which they can submit complaints and must treat workers properly while protecting them from violence.
Wage payments must be made through the mechanisms and channels specified by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation.
If circumstances require a worker to return to their home country, the recruitment agency can also be responsible for the related costs. The agency must provide a substitute for the worker or refund the amounts paid by the employer, according to the applicable provisions.
Recruitment agencies are specifically prohibited from demanding or accepting commissions from workers in exchange for obtaining employment. They also cannot impose expenses on workers for this purpose, either directly or through third parties.
Employer duties
Employers also have a defined set of responsibilities under the domestic worker law.
They must provide suitable accommodation, meals and appropriate clothing. Employers are also responsible for the worker's medical treatment or must provide health insurance.
The law requires employers to treat workers properly and prohibits them from requiring a domestic worker to work for other people.
Where a worker suffers a work injury or occupational disease, the employer must pay the necessary compensation.
An employer cannot assign a worker to a profession different from the nature of the agreed work unless the worker gives consent.
The law also contains provisions concerning the death of a domestic worker during service. In such circumstances, the employer must pay the worker's heirs the wage for the month in which the worker died, along with any other entitlements due to the worker.
Employers are prohibited from receiving any amounts or prices from workers, whether directly or indirectly.
They must also notify the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation about any violation committed by the worker.
Worker duties
Domestic workers are not only protected by the law; they must also comply with specific obligations.
A worker must perform the agreed work personally and follow the employer's directions while exercising the necessary care. They must not stop working without an acceptable excuse.
Workers are required to safeguard the employer's property, work tools and anything placed in their custody or at their disposal. They must take the necessary measures to preserve those items and ensure their safety.
Privacy is also covered. Workers must respect the privacy of the workplace and cannot disclose secrets learned through their employment, including after their employment has ended.
Work tools cannot be used outside the workplace without the employer's approval, and workers must keep such tools in the locations designated for them.
In emergencies, workers are required to provide necessary aid and assistance in cases involving disasters or dangers threatening the workplace or the safety of people inside it.
They must also refrain from working in any capacity except under a work permit issued by the Ministry and in accordance with the conditions attached to that permit.
Penalties
The domestic worker legislation provides for substantial penalties for violations, with the severity depending on the offence.
A person can face up to six months in jail and a fine ranging from Dh20,000 to Dh100,000 for certain offences. These include providing incorrect information or documents with the intention of recruiting a worker into the UAE.
The same range can apply to obstructing or preventing an official responsible for enforcing the law and its regulations, including through force, violence or threats. Divulging a work secret learned by a public servant responsible for enforcement can also attract the same punishment, even after the person has left the job.
Other violations carry fines ranging from Dh50,000 to Dh200,000. These include hiring a worker who is not authorised to work for the employer, recruiting or hiring a worker and subsequently leaving them without work, and using a work permit for purposes other than those for which it was issued.
The same penalty range applies to closing or ending the business of a worker recruitment agency without completing the procedures required to settle workers' rights, recruiting a worker under the age of 18 in violation of the law, and facilitating a worker's abandonment of employment or providing shelter for the purpose of exploiting the worker or enabling unauthorised employment.
More serious offences can result in up to one year in jail and a fine ranging from Dh200,000 to Dh1 million.
This includes engaging in worker mediation or temporary employment activities without a licence. It can also apply to exploiting or misusing electronic powers granted to access Ministry systems, or enabling others to do so, where this results in a breach involving procedures, work relationships or Ministry systems.
The legislation also provides for fines of between Dh5,000 and Dh1 million for violations of provisions of the Decree-Law, its Executive Regulations or implementing decisions.
Where applicable, the fine can be multiplied by the number of workers involved in the violation, up to a maximum of Dh10 million.
Recruitment agencies that fail to comply with provisions of the law, its Executive Regulations or implementing decisions can face a fine of Dh50,000 to Dh200,000.
Repeat violations can carry an even heavier financial consequence. If the same offender commits another violation before one year has passed from the date of the judgment, the penalty is doubled.
Resolving disputes
The legislation also sets out a route for resolving disputes between domestic workers and employers.
If a disagreement arises, either party can submit a labour complaint to the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation. The ministry will attempt to resolve the dispute between the parties.
If the matter cannot be resolved through the ministry's intervention, it can then be referred to the competent court for further action.
The framework therefore covers the employment relationship from recruitment and entry into the UAE through working conditions, wages, leave, accommodation, documentation and dispute resolution, while imposing financial and criminal penalties where the rules are breached.