UAE labour law annual leave rules are important for private-sector employees covered by the UAE Labour Law. Whether you’re planning a holiday, carrying forward unused leave, or preparing to resign, understanding your annual leave entitlement can help you avoid mistakes and make sure you receive the benefits you’re legally entitled to.
You’ve been in your job for a couple of years. You’ve taken a long weekend here and there, but most of your leave is still sitting untouched. Then you decide to resign. What happens to those days?
It’s one of the most common questions people in the UAE ask about work, and the answers are scattered across the law, government pages and company policies that don’t always match. This guide pulls it together. You’ll find out how many days you’re entitled to, how leave pay works, what the carry-forward rules are, and what you should receive in your final settlement when you leave. Everything here is based on Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 and its executive regulations, which cover private-sector employees across the UAE.
UAE Labour Law Annual Leave: How Many Days Do You Get?
Short answer: Under UAE labour law, a full-time private-sector employee is entitled to 30 days of paid annual leave for each year of service. If you’ve worked more than six months but less than a year, you get two days for every month of service.
That comes straight from Article 29 of the UAE labour law annual leave provisions. It also says that if your service ends before you’ve used your balance, you’re owed leave for the part of the final year you worked.
The 30-day rule in plain terms
| Length of service | Annual leave entitlement |
| Under 6 months | No statutory entitlement (your employer may allow some) |
| 6 to 12 months | 2 days per month of service |
| 1 year or more | 30 days per year |
| Leaving mid-year | Proportional leave for the part of the year worked |
These are the minimum rights under UAE labour law annual leave rules. Your contract or company policy can offer more, and when it does, the better terms apply. The law is clear that its rights are a floor, not a ceiling.
Calendar days, not working days
Under UAE labour law annual leave rules, the 30 days are calendar days. Weekends and public holidays that fall inside your leave period count as leave days, unless your contract says otherwise. Weekends and public holidays that fall inside your leave period count as leave days, unless your contract says otherwise. So 30 days of leave doesn’t mean six working weeks. It means roughly one calendar month away from work.
If your company counts working days instead, it has to give you at least the equivalent of 30 calendar days, which works out to around 22 working days.
Who’s covered (and who isn’t)
The labour law applies to private-sector employees on the mainland and in most free zones that use MOHRE work permits. It doesn’t cover federal or local government employees, armed forces and police, or domestic workers. Staff in DIFC and ADGM follow their own employment laws, which are similar but not identical.
For a broader overview of employment regulations, see our guide to UAE labour law for employers.
Annual Leave During Probation in the UAE
UAE labour law annual leave rules during probation can be confusing. The probation period can last up to six months, and the statutory entitlement starts once you’ve completed six months of service. The probation period can last up to six months, and the statutory entitlement starts once you’ve completed six months of service. So in strict legal terms, you don’t earn annual leave in the early months.
Still, many employers let you take some leave during probation. The law allows it. If your employer lets you take leave from your balance during probation and you don’t pass probation, you keep the right to be paid for whatever remains of your balance.
What should you do in practice? Check your offer letter. Some contracts give a fixed number of days from the start. If yours is silent, ask HR in writing before booking flights.
Annual Leave Salary in the UAE: How Leave Pay Works
Under UAE labour law annual leave rules, annual leave is paid leave. During your holiday you’re entitled to your wage, and that’s where a lot of confusion starts, because UAE law uses two different terms.
- Basic wage: the amount in your contract, excluding allowances.
- Wage: the basic wage plus cash allowances and benefits set out in your contract, such as housing or transport.
For leave you actually take while still employed, you’re entitled to your wage. Most employers keep paying your normal full package, and that’s the safest reading of the law.
Once you leave the company, the calculation changes. More on that below.
A simple formula for daily rate
The law treats a month as 30 days. So your daily rate is your monthly figure divided by 30:
- Daily rate = monthly salary ÷ 30
- Leave pay = daily rate × number of leave days
If you earn AED 9,000 a month in total, one day of leave is worth AED 300.
Annual Leave Carry Forward in the UAE
Short answer: Under UAE labour law annual leave rules, you can carry unused annual leave into the next year only with your employer’s approval, and no more than half of your yearly entitlement, which is up to 15 days.
Under UAE labour law annual leave rules, you’re generally expected to use your leave in the year it falls due.. Your employer can set the dates, but it has to tell you at least one month in advance.
What the carry forward rules say
- Carrying leave over needs your employer’s agreement and has to follow the company’s own leave rules.
- The executive regulations cap the amount at half the annual entitlement.
- You and your employer can also agree on a cash payment instead of carrying the days over.
If you plan to roll leave into next year, get it in writing. A casual “sure, that’s fine” in the corridor won’t help you much later on.
The two-year rule
Employers can’t keep blocking your leave forever. Under Article 29(8), an employer can’t prevent you from taking your entitled leave for more than two years, unless you choose to carry it forward or take cash for it. If your manager keeps saying “not now” year after year, that’s a problem on their side, not yours.
Unused Annual Leave After Resignation in the UAE
This is the part most readers came for.
UAE labour law annual leave rules provide that if you resign or are terminated, your employer must pay you for the annual leave you earned but didn’t take.
Article 29(9) says a worker who leaves before using their leave is entitled to be paid for those days, regardless of how many there are.
How the payout is calculated
When employment ends, the payment for unused leave is based on your basic salary only, not your total package. The UAE government’s own guidance says the same thing. This is where the difference between “basic wage” and “wage” really matters. If your package is AED 12,000 but your basic salary is AED 7,500, the payout uses the AED 7,500.
Here’s a quick UAE labour law annual leave calculation example.
- Basic salary: AED 9,000 a month
- Daily rate: 9,000 ÷ 30 = AED 300
- Unused leave at exit: 12 days
- Payout: 12 × 300 = AED 3,600
Now the final year. Say you resign after three years and four months, and you’ve used all your leave for the first three years. You still have leave coming for the four months worked. Many employers calculate this at 2.5 days per month (30 ÷ 12), which gives 10 days. The law says “proportional” rather than naming that exact figure, so check how your company calculates it and ask to see the working.
When must you be paid?
Your employer has 14 days from the end of your contract to pay all dues, including wages, gratuity and unused leave. That deadline sits in Article 53 of the labour law.
Your final settlement usually bundles together:
- Salary owed up to your last day
- Payment for unused annual leave
- End-of-service gratuity, if you’ve completed at least one year
- Any notice pay owed, if applicable
Notice period and leave
The notice period must be between 30 and 90 days, as set in your contract, and you’re entitled to your full wage during it. If you’re planning to resign, it’s also useful to understand the rules for terminating an employment contract in Dubai.
The law doesn’t give a blanket yes or no. It often depends on your employer’s policy, so settle it in writing when you resign. One related detail: if notice is given while you’re already on leave, the notice period doesn’t start counting until the day after you’re due back.
Don’t sign before you check
Your employer generally can’t cancel your work permit until you’ve confirmed you received your dues. That means you’ll be asked to sign something. Read the figures first. If the leave payout looks short, say so before you sign, and ask for the calculation in writing. The law also says waivers of your statutory rights are void if they break the law, but it’s far easier to fix a mistake before you sign than after.
What the Abu Dhabi 13-Year Ruling Means for Unused Leave
In a case decided in December 2024 (Cassation No. 73/2024), the Abu Dhabi Court of Cassation ordered an employer to pay a former employee for 13 years of untaken leave. Lower courts had limited the award to the last two years. The higher court disagreed, largely because the employer couldn’t produce leave approvals, records or payment proof. The reported award was around AED 59,000.
Two lessons come out of this.
- Employers carry the burden of proving leave was taken or paid out. If the records are missing, courts may assume the leave is still owed.
- The ruling binds courts in Abu Dhabi. How Dubai and other emirates will treat the same issue isn’t fully settled.
Don’t treat this as a guarantee of a similar result in your own case. Every dispute turns on its facts. But it’s a strong reason for both sides to keep clean records.
Practical Tips to Protect Your Annual Leave
A few habits make a big difference, whether you’re an employee or an HR manager.
- Track your balance. Ask HR for a leave statement at least once a year, and keep your own copy.
- Get approvals in writing. Emails and HR portal records count. Verbal agreements are hard to prove.
- Document carry forward. If you’re rolling days over, confirm the number of days and the year they roll into.
- Know your basic salary. Check that the basic figure in your contract matches what payroll uses, since it drives both leave payout and gratuity.
- Mind the clock. Claims under the labour law must be brought within two years of the employment ending, so don’t wait if something looks wrong.
- Raise it early. If your settlement is late or short, you can take it up with MOHRE, which handles disputes up to AED 50,000 directly.
UAE Annual Leave: Frequently Asked Questions
How many days of annual leave do you get in the UAE?
Under UAE labour law annual leave rules, full-time private-sector employees get 30 calendar days of paid annual leave per year of service. Employees with six to twelve months of service get two days for each month worked.
Do you get paid for unused annual leave if you resign?
Yes. You’re paid for all accrued, unused leave, including the proportional amount for your last partial year. The payout is calculated on your basic salary and is due within 14 days of your contract ending.
Can your employer refuse to let you take annual leave?
Your employer can choose the dates based on business needs, with one month’s notice. But it can’t keep you from taking leave for more than two years unless you agree to carry it forward or receive cash instead.
How much annual leave can you carry forward in the UAE?
Up to half of your annual entitlement, so a maximum of 15 days on a 30-day entitlement, and only with your employer’s approval.
Is annual leave counted in calendar days or working days?
Calendar days. Weekends and public holidays within your leave period count as part of the leave unless your contract is more generous.
Final Thoughts: Know Your Leave Before You Need It
UAE labour law annual leave rules are fairly simple once you separate the main points: 30 days a year, leave pay on your wage while you’re working, carry forward capped at half with employer approval, and a basic-salary payout for unused days when you leave, due within 14 days.
Understanding UAE labour law annual leave rules is only the first step. Here’s what to do next. Pull out your contract today and check your leave terms. Ask HR for your current balance. And if you’re planning to resign, work out your expected payout before your last day, using the example above as a guide.
Not sure whether your final settlement adds up? Use our end-of-service and leave calculator to estimate your dues, or contact MOHRE if you think you’re owed more. To understand the other major component of your final settlement, read our guide to end-of-service gratuity in the UAE.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Laws and regulations can change, so check the latest rules with MOHRE or a qualified labour lawyer for your specific situation. Last reviewed: October 2026.
Sources used (for your references section): Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 (Arts. 1, 9, 13, 29, 35, 43, 51, 53, 54, 65, 67); u.ae annual leave guidance; Gulf News; Morgan Lewis, Clyde & Co and Khaleej Times coverage of Cassation No. 73/2024.
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