UAE employers must notify the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) if a worker unexpectedly abandons work for more than seven consecutive days without contact, under Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022 implementing Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021.
The regulation states that an employer must file a report when the absence exceeds seven consecutive days and the employer does not know the worker’s whereabouts or cannot reach the worker.
The absence from work form must be completed in line with procedures set by the ministry. The notification requirement is subject to Article 50 of the Decree-Law.
What are MOHRE work abandonment notification requirements
If a foreign worker leaves work for an illegitimate reason before the end of the contract term, the worker will not be issued another work permit for one year from the date of absence.
The restriction is tied to the reported abandonment of work and applies to the issuance of new permits during that period, unless specific exemptions apply.
The one-year restriction on new work permits does not apply in the following cases:
- The worker holds a family-sponsored residency visa.
- The worker applies for a new work permit at the same establishment.
- The worker possesses professional qualifications, skills, or knowledge that are in demand in the UAE.
- The worker is a Golden Visa holder.
- The worker belongs to professional categories determined by a resolution of the minister based on labour market needs.
How to submit the absence from work form to MOHRE
Employers are required to assess whether the absence meets the seven-day threshold with no contact and no known whereabouts. Once that threshold is met, the employer should submit the absence from work form to MOHRE following the procedures the ministry sets.
The filing records the period of absence and establishes the date from which any work permit restriction for a foreign worker may be calculated.
The framework forms part of the UAE’s updated labour regulations that structure employer reporting obligations and worker mobility in the private sector.
By setting a defined reporting threshold and detailing the consequences for abandoning a job before a contract ends, the rule outlines the steps employers must take and the conditions under which workers can obtain a new permit despite an absence.
Exemptions recognise specific residency statuses, in-demand skills and categories set by the minister aligned with labour market needs across the UAE.
