Last updated: 25 October 2026
The annual leave UAE labour law gives private sector employees is 30 days of fully paid leave for each year of service, set out in Article 29 of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021. If you have worked more than six months but less than a year, you earn two days for every month instead.
Your employer can set the dates, with at least one month’s notice. Any leave you have not taken when the job ends must be paid out, calculated on your basic salary.
This guide explains each rule in plain words, with a worked example of leave pay. It is not legal advice.
Annual leave UAE labour law entitlement at a glance
How much leave you get depends on how long you have worked for the same employer. These are the minimums in the law; a contract or company policy can give more, but not less.
| Length of service | Annual leave under the law |
|---|---|
| Up to 6 months | No legal entitlement yet (your employer may still agree to give leave) |
| More than 6 months, less than 1 year | 2 days for each month of service |
| Each full year of service | At least 30 days with full pay |
| Part of the final year, when the job ends | Leave in proportion to the time worked, paid on basic salary |
| Part-time work | In proportion to your actual working hours, as set in the contract |
The law has applied to the private sector since 2 February 2022. Rights you had built up before that date under the old law are protected.
How annual leave builds up in your first year
Your first leave entitlement starts once you pass six months of service. From then until your first anniversary, you earn two days for each month you have worked.
Someone who has worked for nine months, for example, has earned 18 days. Once you complete a full year, the entitlement becomes at least 30 days for that year and for every year after it.
Annual leave during probation
Your employer can agree to let you take leave from your balance while you are still on probation, but it does not have to. If you take some leave and then do not pass probation, you keep the right to be paid for the rest of the balance you had earned.
Annual leave for part-time workers
Part-time workers also get annual leave, worked out on the actual hours they spend working for the employer. The number of days should be written into the employment contract, following the rules in the Implementing Regulation of the law (Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022).
Who decides when you take your leave
Your employer sets the dates of your annual leave, based on work needs and in agreement with you. The law expects leave to be taken in the year it is earned.
- One month’s notice: the employer must tell you the leave dates at least a month in advance.
- Rotation: the employer can also give leave in turns across the team, so the business keeps running.
- Agreement: the law says dates are set in agreement with the worker, so you can propose dates, but you cannot simply leave without approval.
In practice, many expats in the UAE plan their home trip months ahead and get the dates approved in writing. That email is your proof if a dispute starts later.
Public holidays during annual leave
Public holidays that fall inside your annual leave count as part of the leave. They are not added on at the end, unless your contract or company rules say they should be.
So if you take 30 days off and Eid falls in the middle, the Eid days are inside your 30 days.
Public holidays outside your leave are paid days off. If you are asked to work on one, the employer must give you another day off for it, or pay that day’s normal wage plus at least 50% of your basic wage for the day.
Pay during annual leave: full wage, not just basic
While you are on annual leave, you are paid your wage for the period. Under the law, wage means your basic salary plus the cash allowances and benefits in your contract, such as housing and transport.
Basic salary alone is used in a different situation: when unused leave is paid out at the end of your service. That difference matters, because for many expats the basic salary is only half or two thirds of the monthly package.
Carrying over annual leave to the next year
You can carry unused leave into the next year if your employer approves and the company’s rules allow it. Under Article 19 of Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022, as reported by Gulf News and Khaleej Times, you can carry forward up to half of your annual leave. With a 30-day entitlement, that means up to 15 days.
Instead of carrying days over, you and your employer can agree that you are paid cash for them. That payment is worked out on the wage that applied when the leave fell due.
The two-year rule
An employer cannot stop you from using leave you have built up over more than two years. The exception is when you yourself choose to carry it forward again or take a cash payment for it, under the company rules and the Implementing Regulation.
The law does not say that unused leave simply expires. Any days you are still owed when the job ends are paid out, as explained next.
Payment for unused leave when you leave the job
If your job ends before you have used your leave, the employer must pay you for every accrued day you did not take, however many there are. You are also paid for the part of the final year you worked, in proportion to the time spent.
Both are calculated on your basic salary, without allowances. The rule applies whether you resign or your employer ends the contract.
Your employer must pay your final wages and all other entitlements, including this leave pay, within 14 days of the contract ending. Leave pay is part of the same final settlement as your end of service gratuity, which you can work out with our UAE gratuity calculator.
Worked example: leave encashment on basic pay
Amir’s contract gives him a basic salary of AED 6,000 and allowances of AED 3,000, so AED 9,000 a month in total. He resigns after 3 years and 4 months. He has 10 untaken days left from earlier years.
- Daily basic wage: AED 6,000 / 30 = AED 200.
- Leave for the final part year: 30 days x 4/12 = 10 days.
- Total unused leave: 10 earlier days + 10 days for the final part year = 20 days.
- Leave pay: 20 days x AED 200 = AED 4,000.
His allowances are not part of this payment. Had he taken those 20 days as leave while still employed, he would have been paid his full wage of AED 9,000 a month for them.
The law does not fix how a monthly salary becomes a daily rate. Dividing the basic salary by 30 is the usual method, and it is the same one used for gratuity, but check your contract and company policy for the method your employer uses.
Leaving within the first year
A worker who leaves after nine months has earned 2 days x 9 months = 18 days. On a basic salary of AED 3,000, the daily basic wage is AED 100, so unused leave pay would be 18 x AED 100 = AED 1,800 if none of those days were taken.
Resigning or being dismissed while on leave
If you or your employer give notice to end the contract while you are on leave, the notice period only starts the day after your scheduled return. Both sides can agree otherwise.
Return on time, too. If you do not come back when your leave ends and you have no legitimate reason, you are not paid for the days of absence after the leave.
Sick leave in short
Sick leave is separate from annual leave and follows Article 31. After probation, you can take up to 90 days of sick leave a year, continuous or in parts.
- The first 15 days are on full pay.
- The next 30 days are on half pay.
- The remaining 45 days are unpaid.
You must tell your employer within three working days and give a medical report. There is no paid sick leave during probation, though the employer can give unpaid sick leave on a medical report. Sick pay is not due when the illness comes from your own misconduct, such as alcohol or drug use. Once the 90 days are used and you still cannot return, the employer may end your service, but must pay all your entitlements.
Other leave types under UAE labour law
Beyond annual and sick leave, the law and the UAE Government’s types of leaves page list these leave types for private sector workers.
| Leave type | Entitlement | Paid? |
|---|---|---|
| Maternity | 60 days: 45 on full pay, 15 on half pay; extra time for related illness or a sick child. Details in our maternity leave UAE guide | Partly |
| Parental (father or mother) | 5 working days, taken in one go or in parts within 6 months of the birth | Yes |
| Bereavement | 5 days for a spouse; 3 days for a parent, child, brother, sister, grandchild or grandparent, from the date of death | Yes |
| Study | 10 working days a year to sit exams at an approved UAE institution, after at least 2 years with the employer | Yes |
| National service | For UAE nationals, for the period of national service | Yes |
| Hajj | Up to 30 days, once with the same employer | No |
| Unpaid leave | Any other leave the employer agrees to; it does not count towards your service | No |
For parental, bereavement and study leave you need proof from the relevant authority, such as a birth or death certificate. Umrah has no specific rule in the law: the employer may approve it, take it from your annual leave or give it as unpaid leave.
Unpaid leave days are left out of your service period, which lowers your end of service gratuity.
Who these annual leave rules cover
These rules apply to private sector employees under the UAE Labour Law, expats and nationals alike. They do not apply to employees of federal and local government entities, the armed forces, police and security services, or domestic workers, who have their own laws.
The financial free zones, the DIFC and ADGM, have their own employment laws with separate leave rules. If you work there, check your free zone’s rules directly.
If your leave is refused or not paid
Start by raising it with HR in writing, quoting Article 29 and your leave balance. If the employer keeps refusing leave you have built up over two years, or does not pay your unused leave in the final settlement, you can file a labour complaint with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE).
Our MOHRE complaint guide explains how to file through the app, the website or 600590000, and what happens after you file.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Expecting holidays to be added on. Eid or National Day inside your leave counts as leave, unless your contract says otherwise.
- Using your total salary to estimate leave pay on exit. Unused leave is paid on basic salary only.
- Leaving without written approval. Book your dates through HR and keep the approval, especially for long trips.
- Forgetting leave in the final settlement. Check that every untaken day and the part year are in the figures before you sign.
Frequently asked questions
How many days of annual leave do you get in the UAE?
Private sector employees in the UAE get at least 30 days of fully paid annual leave for each year of service, under Article 29 of the UAE Labour Law. Between six months and one year of service, the entitlement is two days for each month worked. A contract or company policy can give more leave than this, but not less.
Can I take annual leave before completing one year in the UAE?
Yes, you can take annual leave before completing one year in the UAE once you have worked more than six months, because you earn two days for each month from that point. During probation, leave is only possible if your employer agrees. If you then fail probation, you are still paid for the rest of the leave balance you earned.
Do public holidays count as annual leave in the UAE?
Yes, public holidays that fall during your annual leave count as part of the leave under UAE labour law, so they are not added to the end. The exception is when your employment contract or company rules give a better deal. Public holidays outside your leave are separate paid days off, and working on one earns another day off or extra pay.
Is unused annual leave paid when you resign in the UAE?
Yes, unused annual leave is paid when you resign in the UAE, and also when your employer ends the contract. You are paid for every accrued day you did not take, plus leave for the part of the final year you worked. The payment is calculated on your basic salary, without allowances, and is due within 14 days of the contract ending.
Can I carry forward annual leave to next year in the UAE?
Yes, you can carry forward annual leave to next year in the UAE if your employer approves and the company rules allow it. Under Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022, the limit is half of your annual leave, which is 15 days on a 30-day entitlement. You and your employer can also agree on cash for the days instead.
Is annual leave salary calculated on basic or gross salary?
Annual leave salary in the UAE is paid on your full wage for leave you take, and on basic salary only for unused leave paid out when the job ends. The full wage includes allowances such as housing and transport set in your contract. Dividing the basic salary by 30 gives the usual daily rate, but check your contract.
Key takeaways
- Annual leave UAE labour law rules give at least 30 days of paid leave a year, or 2 days a month between six months and one year of service.
- Your employer sets the dates with you and must give at least one month’s notice.
- Public holidays inside your leave count as leave unless your contract says otherwise.
- You can carry forward up to half of your leave with approval, or agree on cash for it.
- Unused leave is paid on basic salary when the job ends, within 14 days, whether you resign or are dismissed.
Sources
- Types of leaves in the private sector, The Official Portal of the UAE Government (u.ae)
- Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 regarding the regulation of employment relationships, text published by the UAE Government
- Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE)
- Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, Articles 1, 3, 28 to 35 and 53; Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022, Article 19
