Probation Period in UAE

The probation period, as per UAE labor law, is restricted to six months only. After six months, there is no further extension of the probation period in UAE. If an employer is terminating its employee, it must give 14 days’ notice to the employee. On the other hand, if the employee is joining another company, a 30-day notice must be given before leaving the job. The leaves during probation are not paid. Moreover, the eligibility for gratuity also starts with at least 1 year of service with one employer/company.

Probation Period in UAE in 2026

The probation period is a specific time duration to check the compatibility of both the employee and the company with each other. The company trains new hires with different tasks in a specific period to know about their skills. On the other hand, employees get to know if the new environment is a good fit for them or not.

Even if you are a new employee working in a probation period in UAE, there are specific and defined rules to be followed on a strict note. The rules are made according to the labor law of the UAE. It is important to keep policies working in the job market.

The UAE Labor Law 2019 was updated in 2021. Today, all rules are followed as per Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021. According to recent rules, probation periods for short-term roles are 3 months. However, long and more important roles are defined with 6 months of probation. There is no further extension after this duration. The employee will either be hired or rejected from the company if he does not fit the role by following the rules.

Rules which are updated in 2021 for labor law are applicable for all types of jobs, whether they are part-time, full time or contract-based.

Time Duration for UAE Probation Period

The probation period in UAE usually starts in every company from the first day of your joining date. The time period varies from 3 months to 6 months depending upon the company’s policies. No company can extend the duration longer than 6 months as per labor law rules.

If the employee completes the probation period in UAE, the duration is added to his service period. The performance and services will have an effect on their gratuity in future.

The standard probation duration is:

1 or 3 months for shorter roles.
6 months for higher positions with no further extension.

An employer cannot put an employee on a probation period twice. As it is against labor law.

UAE Notice Periods & its Rules (Employee & Employer)

If an employer decides to terminate the new hire during the probation period in UAE, he must give notice for 14 days. If he does not give any notice, he is bound to provide compensation wage for 14 days to the terminating employee/new hire.
If an employee has decided to resign from the company and leave the UAE, he must provide 14 days’ notice before resignation. If he does not do that, he will have to give his 14 days’ wage as compensation for sudden resignation.
Suppose the employee is resigning for another company’s job. He must provide 30 days’ notice. Otherwise, a compensation of 30 days’ wage must be provided to the company.

Termination Rules during Probation

If any employer is not satisfied with the performance of a new employee, he can terminate him even during probation. A notice of 14 days is compulsory before termination. It is a recent rule of 2021 UAE labor law.

On the other hand, if an employee feels uncomfortable or not compatible with company rules, regulation and environment. He can also resign from the company. However, there are some strict rules to follow:

Employees must give a 1-month notice before resignation. Alternatively, he will have to provide compensation in the form of wages.
A 14-day notice is compulsory and must be followed strictly as per the rule. Otherwise, the employee will face a ban of 1 year on a new permit.
Suppose the new hire is from another country and is resigning during probation. The employer can bill him for every expenditure like visa and hiring cost.
If the employee leaves without completing 1 year of service, there will be no gratuity for him.
If he is fired, the employer will bear all costs of his visa.

UAR Labour Rules of Probation

Probation does not mean a new hire is only for work and no return benefits. Similar employment considerations can also apply to a domestic worker, although domestic workers may be covered by specific rules depending on their employment arrangement.

If an employee gets sick during the probation period in UAE, the leaves are unpaid. However, with boss agreement, it can be handled well.
Gratuity is not applicable if you leave the company before 1 year. The standard criteria for gratuity is a minimum of 1 year of service in a company.
If an employer has decided to terminate his employee, he must pay all the expenses of the visa.
A respectful working environment is right for every employee. There must be no bullying or harassment at the workplace.
Only 60 days of maternity leave, which is unpaid. However, maternity leave after probation will be paid.
On the probation is ended, the new hire can enjoy all rights as an employee. With a 30-day paid annual leave.

Job Transfer in Dubai during Probation

Suppose an employee has decided to leave the company for another. Suppose an employee has decided to leave the company for another. Before joining the new employer, employees should also make sure their UAE labour card details and employment records are properly updated.

There are stricter, clearer and defined rules for this:

Employees must give a notice of 1 month, or as compensation, he must give a lieu.
The old employer has the right to claim recruitment costs from the new one.
A 14-day notice is compulsory for resignation.
If you break these rules, employees will be bound to pay full wages and get a ban permit of 1 year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Employers must state clear policies for employees during the probation period in UAE.
Regular feedback helps in improving the working environment.
Every dispute must be handled professionally. Everything must be documented to resolve issues.
An employer must train his staff well to keep the business growing.

Employees must know clearly about the expectations of their employer from day 1.
Keep a performance track and provide input on goal achievement.
Notice rules must be followed strictly to avoid any issues during the probation period.
If you are leaving during probation, you must hand over all responsibilities clearly and inform your boss about it.

If an employee ignores the notice period, he will have to compensate with a fine or a ban from the job for 1 year.
Any longer probation than 6 months is illegal in the UAE (employer version).
If nothing is documented clearly, it will have serious issues later (employer version).
If you forget to inform the old company about your transfer, you will have to face high fines (employee version).