Federal Decree-Law No. (9) of 2022 Concerning Domestic Workers

Official-text notice. This is a comprehensive structured English legal-information rendering prepared from the current sources listed in this package. It is not represented as the controlling verbatim English text. The official Arabic text prevails for interpretation and application. Exact article wording, thresholds, exceptions, penalties and deadlines should be checked directly before live reliance.

Federal Decree-Law No. (9) of 2022 Concerning Domestic Workers

Verified legislative metadata

Purpose and legal effect

Regulates recruitment and employment of domestic workers, including recruitment agencies, permits, contracts, wages, working time, rest, leave, employer and worker duties, termination, disputes and protections.

Who and what the legislation applies to

• Domestic workers in occupations listed under the law/Executive Regulation.
• Employers and employer families.
• Domestic-worker recruitment agencies.
• MoHRE-licensed temporary employment/recruitment arrangements.

Important statutory definitions

• Domestic Work: service rendered by a worker to an employer/family at the workplace under the statutory framework.
• Worker: a person permitted by MoHRE to perform domestic work for wage.
• Employer: the person or family employing the domestic worker.
• Recruitment Office: a MoHRE-licensed agency recruiting or temporarily employing domestic workers.

Structured legislative map

Recruitment regulation

Licenses recruitment offices and regulates recruitment/mediation.

Work permits

Requires a Ministry work permit before lawful domestic employment.

Employment contract

Requires an approved contract and regulates language/form/content.

Recruitment fees

Prohibits charging workers unlawful recruitment or employment costs.

Wages

Requires payment under the contract and Ministry rules.

Working time and rest

Executive Regulation sets daily rest and weekly-rest rules.

Leave

Provides annual and other leave entitlements.

Employer duties

Includes dignity, safety, accommodation/food where applicable and return expenses.

Worker duties

Requires performance, care of property, confidentiality and lawful compliance.

Termination

Regulates lawful ending and financial consequences.

Disputes

MoHRE dispute procedures were amended in 2023.

Administrative enforcement

Allows file suspension and administrative penalties.

Executive Regulation

Cabinet Resolution No. (106) of 2022 details operational rules.

Key statutory points

• Domestic workers are governed by a specialised federal decree-law.
• A Ministry permit and approved contract are central to lawful employment.
• Recruitment agencies require MoHRE licensing.
• Workers must not be charged prohibited recruitment costs.
• Employers must preserve the worker’s dignity and physical safety.
• Workers are entitled to keep their own identity documents.
• Work, rest and leave are regulated by law and Executive Regulation.
• The worker may not be required to work for third parties except under lawful conditions.
• The dispute-resolution framework was amended in 2023.
• The current consolidated law also reflects a 2024 amendment.

Amendments, executive rules and current-law interaction

Amended by Federal Decree-Law No. (21) of 2023 and Federal Decree-Law No. (8) of 2024. Cabinet Resolution No. (106) of 2022 is the active Executive Regulation.

Practical compliance / procedure sequence

1. Use a licensed recruitment channel where recruitment services are involved.
2. Obtain the correct domestic-worker permit.
3. Execute the Ministry-approved employment contract in the required languages.
4. Pay wages and provide benefits/rest/leave as required.
5. Keep wage and leave records.
6. Do not deploy the worker to third parties unless legal conditions are met.
7. For disputes, follow MoHRE procedures before court as required.
8. On termination, settle wages/benefits and comply with return/transfer rules.

Dates and time limits

• Issued 5 September 2022.
• The decree-law took effect three months after publication, in December 2022.
• Cabinet Resolution No. (106) of 2022 was issued 30 November 2022.
• Dispute and appeal deadlines should be checked against the amended Article 23 and current MoHRE procedures.

Enforcement and legal exposure

MoHRE can impose administrative measures, including file suspension and penalties; violations can also create civil or criminal exposure depending on the conduct.

Practical scenarios

1. An employer cannot retain a domestic worker’s passport as a condition of employment.
2. A recruitment office must be licensed and follow Executive Regulation requirements.
3. A domestic-worker dispute should first be routed through MoHRE under the amended process.
4. An employer cannot send a domestic worker to another household except through a permitted arrangement.

Research method and source priority

This package is designed for website publication, research and client orientation. For a live filing, tax return, customs entry, labour dispute, pension calculation, licence, registration or court submission, use the current official Arabic text together with all applicable amendment instruments and implementation decisions.

Official-source verification for this package was carried out on 2026-09-10. Where the law is administered by a specialist regulator, regulator guidance and current electronic procedures should also be checked.