Labour And Immigration

A divided US appeals court has ruled that the Trump administration cannot detain migrants indefinitely under mandatory detention rules without giving them a chance to seek release on bond after 90 days.

The 2–1 decision by a panel of the New Orleans-based 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals restricts the government’s ability to hold thousands of immigrants in custody while their deportation proceedings are ongoing. The ruling could have significant implications for detainees held by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), particularly in states within the court’s jurisdiction, including Texas and Louisiana.

The case centres on how federal immigration law is interpreted and whether certain non-citizens can be held in mandatory detention as “applicants for admission” without eligibility for bond hearings. The Department of Homeland Security had expanded that interpretation last year, arguing it applied not only to recent arrivals at the border but also to some migrants already living in the United States.

That position was later adopted by the Board of Immigration Appeals, leading immigration judges nationwide to order mandatory detention in such cases.

The UAE’s revamped residency system has opened new pathways for professionals seeking longer-term stability in the country, and one of the most significant options is the Green Visa.

The UAE’s employment landscape has shifted decisively from the rigid, one-size-fits-all contracts of the past. Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (“Labour Law”), which came into force on February 2, 2022, and has since been amended by Federal Decree-Laws No. 14 of 2022, No. 20 of 2023 and No. 9 of 2024, together with its Executive Regulations under Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022, now formally recognises six distinct work models: full-time, part-time, temporary, flexible, remote and job-sharing arrangements.


For employers, this flexibility has become an important business tool, offering greater operational agility and workforce efficiency. But it also introduces a new layer of legal and compliance obligations that did not exist under the repealed Federal Law No. 8 of 1980. This article examines the principal legal considerations employers must address when structuring and managing flexible work arrangements in the UAE.

Part-time, Temporary, Flexible and Remote Work Arrangements

Article 7 of the Labour Law, read with the Executive Regulations, defines each non-traditional work model by reference to working hours, duration and the nature of the role. Part-time work allows an employee to work for one or more employers for a specified number of hours or days that are fewer than those of a full-time role. Temporary work is linked to a defined project or period and ends automatically once the task is completed. Flexible work allows working hours or days to vary according to the employer’s operational requirements and business needs. Remote work permits employees to perform all or part of their duties outside the conventional workplace, whether on a full-time or part-time basis.

Job-sharing, meanwhile, allows two or more employees to divide the responsibilities of a single role, with wages apportioned accordingly. Each employee in such an arrangement is treated under the part-time framework.

Losing a job in the UAE does not necessarily mean an immediate end to one’s residency options. For many professionals exploring ways to remain in the country and continue earning, the freelance visa has emerged as a practical legal alternative, allowing individuals to work independently without being tied to a single employer.

Under the UAE’s employment framework, freelancing is recognised as a formal and regulated mode of work. The legal basis for this comes under Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022, which implements Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Employment Relations. The law specifically identifies the freelance permit as one of the approved work permit categories in the country.

The freelance permit allows individuals to undertake self-employment without sponsorship from a specific company or employer and without the requirement of a traditional employment contract. Instead, freelancers can generate income by offering services for a defined period, carrying out specific assignments, or completing tasks for individuals or businesses. Importantly, the law makes it clear that freelancers are not considered employees of the parties they provide services to.

The same resolution further defines freelancing as an independent and flexible work arrangement designed to support labour market adaptability and modern work models. It also empowers authorities to regulate the procedures for registration, renewal and cancellation of freelance permits through the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation and other competent authorities.

In Dubai, individuals seeking a freelance work permit or freelance licence must apply through the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism or designated free zone authorities, depending on the nature of the professional activity. These permits are generally issued under specific business or professional categories and remain subject to regulatory approvals.

A freelance residence visa can usually be obtained only after securing a valid freelance permit or certificate from the relevant licensing authority. This visa then allows the holder to legally reside in the UAE while carrying out freelance work.

For those planning to bring their families under their sponsorship, the UAE permits freelance visa holders to sponsor spouses and children, provided they meet the standard residency and financial requirements. This typically includes furnishing proof of stable income or contractual earnings, with the minimum threshold generally set at Dh4,000 per month without accommodation or Dh3,000 with accommodation.

Applicants may also need to provide supporting documents, including tenancy contracts, attested relationship certificates and other immigration records, depending on the case. Since sponsorship approvals remain subject to immigration regulations, individuals are advised to verify the latest procedural requirements with the relevant residency authorities before applying.

Indian passport and consular services in the UAE have been thrown into temporary disarray following a legal dispute in India that has stalled the planned transition to a new outsourcing provider.

From Wednesday night, the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi announced that Indian nationals in the UAE would be required to visit the Embassy and Consulate directly for passport, visa, attestation and other consular services. The services, it said, would be provided on a limited, walk-in basis from their own premises starting Thursday, July 2.

The decision, described officially as being taken for “administrative reasons”, follows the expiry of existing outsourcing contracts on June 30, which were previously handled by BLS International for passport services and SGIVS Global Services for attestation work.

Under a new tender process conducted by the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi, Alhind Tours and Travel LLC had been selected as the single service provider to operate Indian Consular Application Centres (ICACs), with a scheduled takeover from July 1. The transition was intended to ensure uninterrupted services for the estimated 4.5 million Indian expatriates in the UAE.

However, the handover has been held up due to ongoing litigation in India, including proceedings before the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court.

Two companies, E Trav Tech and Verasys, challenged the evaluation process used in awarding the contract, particularly the technical qualification criteria under the Request for Proposal. The petitioners sought disclosure of detailed evaluation marks and reasons for their disqualification, arguing that these had not been communicated to them.

While the Delhi High Court upheld the government’s discretion in evaluating bids and declined to order disclosure of detailed score breakdowns at this stage, it ruled that rejected bidders are entitled to be informed of the reasons for their disqualification. It also noted that although the tender framework requires such disclosure, it does not specify a timeline for doing so.

The matter escalated to the Supreme Court after E Trav Tech challenged the High Court’s decision. On June 24, the apex court declined to rule on the merits but directed maintenance of the status quo, effectively freezing changes to the existing arrangement until further orders. It also asked the High Court to expedite hearing of the case.

Following this, the Delhi High Court resumed hearings on June 29 and listed the matter for priority consideration on July 1. The case was later adjourned to July 2, with no interim relief granted so far.

As a result, the outgoing service providers have ceased operations following the expiry of their contracts, while the incoming provider, Alhind, is unable to assume charge due to the court-mandated status quo. This has left Indian missions in the UAE without an outsourced partner, forcing them to temporarily handle services in-house.

The Embassy and Consulate have introduced a walk-in system between 9am and 12.30pm, operating on a first-come, first-served basis. Applicants are required to bring completed forms and full documentation, with entry restricted to applicants alone, except for parents accompanying minors. Payments will be accepted in cash at revised rates that came into effect on July 1.

Officials have described the arrangement as temporary, with further updates on the transition to Alhind’s system expected once clarity emerges from the ongoing court proceedings in India.

The missions handle a high volume of consular work, having processed over 1.58 million services between January 2022 and December 2024, including more than 364,000 passport-related transactions in 2024 alone.

Until the legal dispute is resolved, Alhind’s takeover remains on hold, leaving Embassy and Consulate staff to manage operations directly, while both outgoing and incoming service providers remain in a state of uncertainty pending further court directions.

The US Supreme Court dealt President Donald Trump a significant setback on Tuesday, rejecting his attempt to restrict birthright citizenship, while also allowing states to ban transgender student athletes from competing in women’s sports and striking down further campaign finance restrictions.

The court’s nine-month term concluded with a series of consequential rulings, delivering both victories and setbacks for Trump on key issues including presidential powers, immigration, tariffs and financial oversight.

For employees across the UAE, reporting a workplace violation can often feel like an impossible choice. Speaking up may risk exposure, while staying silent allows the wrongdoing to continue. This anxiety is heightened by the fact that a worker’s job and residency visa are directly tied to their employment, making the threat of retaliation far more serious than in many other jurisdictions.

Choosing the wrong reporting route can unintentionally reveal a worker’s identity to the very employer they are trying to hold accountable. Navigating the correct channel is therefore not just a procedural step, but a matter of personal and professional survival.

For employees on the UAE mainland, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) is the primary authority responsible for employment-related complaints. Many workers assume that all MoHRE complaints are entirely anonymous, but this is not entirely accurate. The Ministry verifies the employee’s identity to review employment records and assess the complaint. However, the worker’s name is legally protected and cannot be disclosed to the employer. As a result, the process often feels anonymous from the employee’s perspective, even though MoHRE knows who filed the complaint.

For systemic violations such as delayed salaries, underpayment, unlawful deductions or safety breaches, MoHRE encourages workers to report through the MoHRE App or mohre.gov.ae, which requires UAE Pass. These channels allow the Ministry to conduct unannounced inspections and impose penalties without disclosing the informant’s identity. Where the issue is personal, such as withheld wages, unpaid leave or unreleased end-of-service benefits, MoHRE requires the complainant’s name to mediate and issue a binding decision. Such cases can be filed via WhatsApp on 600590000, through the call centre on 80084, or at a Tas’heel centre. Under Decree Law No. 20 of 2023, MoHRE has the authority to issue enforceable decisions for claims of up to Dh50,000.

In the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), workers benefit from some of the strongest whistleblower protections in the UAE. Misconduct can be reported through the AMANAH Portal at Amanah.portal@adgm.com, and reports may be submitted entirely anonymously. The system covers corporate fraud, financial crimes, regulatory breaches, unfair treatment, contractual violations, and workplace health and safety failures. ADGM’s framework strictly prohibits retaliation in any form, whether dismissal, demotion or adverse treatment. Complaints are handled either by the ADGM Registration Authority or the Financial Services Regulatory Authority, depending on the nature of the issue. For workers in ADGM, this portal offers one of the most direct and legally protected reporting routes available.

In the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), many employees assume an external anonymous reporting channel is available to everyone. In reality, the only fully anonymous external route is operated by the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA), and it applies exclusively to DFSA-regulated entities such as investment firms, brokerages, asset managers and insurers.


Retail outlets, hospitality businesses and general corporate offices within the DIFC are not covered by this mechanism. Employees of DFSA-regulated firms may report financial misconduct or money-laundering concerns by emailing whistle@dfsa.ae from an unidentifiable personal account. For all other organisations in the DIFC, reporting must be made through internal channels. DIFC employment regulations require employers to maintain confidential reporting procedures and protect workers from retaliation, although these are not external or anonymous in the same way as the DFSA system.

Several UAE free zones also operate their own anonymous reporting channels. At the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC), any individual connected to a DMCC-licensed business — whether as an employee, supplier or contractor — may report fraud, safety hazards or other misconduct by emailing members.whistleblowing@dmcc.ae. No name, Emirates ID or phone number is required, making the channel accessible even to those in informal or third-party roles. Ajman Free Zone offers a similar online Whistleblower Portal that accepts reports of fraud, harassment, discrimination and workplace safety risks without requiring personal details. The mechanism was designed with particular sensitivity to low-wage and vulnerable workers, who face the greatest risk if their identity is exposed. In free zones without an external anonymous channel, organisations are expected to maintain internal confidential reporting procedures that protect employees from adverse treatment.

Across the UAE, the reporting landscape is far from uniform, and workers must identify the correct channel for their specific jurisdiction before coming forward. What remains consistent across all frameworks, however, is the regulatory intent: employees should be able to report misconduct without fear of exposure or retaliation. Whether through MoHRE’s digital channels, ADGM’s AMANAH Portal, the DFSA’s dedicated whistleblower email or free zone-specific mechanisms, a reporting route exists. Understanding which one applies is the first — and most important — step towards speaking up safely.

For many employees in the UAE, the end of an employment relationship can bring confusion over pending salaries, medical leave entitlements and even the pressure to leave the country immediately. In some cases, workers find themselves facing threats from employers who attempt to force their departure or warn them of “absconding” complaints if they refuse to travel on a date chosen by the company.

Under the UAE’s current Labour Law, however, employees are protected by clear legal provisions governing both sick leave entitlements and their right to remain in the country after termination.

One of the most misunderstood areas is sick leave salary. Article 31 of the UAE Labour Law provides that a worker is entitled to sick leave of up to 90 days in a year, whether continuous or intermittent, subject to medical proof. The law divides this entitlement into three stages. The first 15 days must be paid in full, the next 30 days are payable at half salary, and the remaining 45 days may be unpaid.

This means that if an employee falls ill and remains medically unfit for work, the employer is legally obliged to pay according to this structure. The entitlement does not disappear merely because the employment contract is terminated, provided the sick leave period falls within the legally recognised timeframe and is properly documented.

The law also allows an employer to terminate the service of an employee after the completion of the prescribed sick leave period if the worker remains unable to resume duties. However, such termination does not remove the employer’s obligation to settle all outstanding financial dues.

These dues include salary arrears, payment for accrued annual leave, end-of-service benefits and repatriation expenses where applicable. The employee must receive these entitlements in accordance with the law before the employment relationship is fully concluded.

Another common concern is whether an employer can force a worker to leave the UAE immediately after termination by booking an air ticket and setting a departure date. The answer is no.

Under Article 13(2) of the UAE Labour Law, employers are expressly prohibited from withholding an employee’s official documents or forcing them to leave the State at the end of the employment relationship. This provision was introduced as part of the broader reforms aimed at strengthening worker protections and preventing coercive practices.

In practical terms, this means that an employer may arrange a return ticket as part of contractual or legal obligations, but the worker cannot be compelled to board that flight against their will. The choice of whether to remain in the UAE, whether to seek another job, or whether to leave at a later date remains with the employee, subject to immigration regulations.

Equally important, an employer cannot file an absconding complaint simply because a former employee refuses to travel on the company’s chosen date. Absconding reports are tied to unauthorised absence during an active employment relationship, not to a worker’s decision to stay in the country after the contract has ended.

Workers facing such threats should keep copies of all correspondence, medical records and termination documents. If an employer withholds dues or attempts to force travel, the employee may file a complaint before the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, which has the authority to intervene and ensure compliance with the law.

The UAE’s updated labour framework makes one point clear: termination of employment does not strip workers of their legal rights. From sick leave pay to freedom of movement, the law continues to protect employees even after their final working day.

An Abu Dhabi Labour Court has ordered a company to pay an employee Dh28,220 in compensation for overtime and work carried out on official holidays.

According to court records, the employee filed a case seeking payment for overtime and weekend holiday work over a five-month period. He argued that he had regularly worked beyond normal hours and was not compensated in accordance with labour laws.

The court appointed an expert to review the claim. The report found that the employee had worked 15 hours a day, along with an additional four overtime hours, over a total of 1,258 working days. However, the expert noted there were no formal documents showing that the company had assigned him extra duties, despite records confirming the extended hours.

Under UAE labour law, an employer may only require an employee to work more than two overtime hours a day under specific conditions.

The expert further found that the employee had worked on 102 official holiday days. Under the law, employees working on holidays are entitled either to a compensatory day off or payment for that day’s wage plus 50 per cent of their basic salary.

In its ruling, the court held that the employee was entitled to Dh17,690 for overtime work. It also found that he had worked on 100 holiday days without formal assignment and was therefore entitled to Dh10,530.

The total compensation awarded amounted to Dh28,220.

Qatar's Ministry of Labour has said that amendments to Labour Law No. (9) of 2026, issued by Amir His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, represent a significant step in the development of the country's labour legislation, aimed at enhancing economic competitiveness and improving the efficiency and stability of the labour market.