How to File a Labour Complaint With MOHRE in the UAE

Who runs this process

Before you start

• You are, or were, employed by a UAE private-sector employer registered with MOHRE
• You have a genuine dispute over a labour entitlement, for example unpaid wages, gratuity, notice pay, or wrongful termination
• You are within the limitation period to claim: a 2024 amendment to the labour law extended the deadline to file a labour claim to two years from the date the entitlement fell due, up from the earlier one year, so do not wait
• You have gathered the documents that prove the relationship and the claim: labour contract, Emirates ID, passport, and salary or Wage Protection System records

The journey

Each step is marked by who acts: YouEmployerYou + employer Steps on the highlighted spine sit inside the 14-day window.

1. 1
   YouYour own records and your employer or HR

   Gather your evidence and raise it with your employer first

   You, the worker, before any formal filing

   Before you file, collect the documents that prove the employment and the amount you are owed: your labour contract, Emirates ID, passport copy, salary and Wage Protection System transfer records, any termination or resignation letter, and written messages about the dispute. Raise the issue directly with your employer or HR first, because many disputes are settled at this stage without a formal complaint. Keep an eye on the deadline: a 2024 amendment to the labour law extended the limitation period to file a claim to two years from the date the entitlement fell due, up from the earlier one year, so the sooner you act the stronger your position.

   You get

   A complete evidence file and a clear statement of what you are owed and why

   Typical time

   a few days to gather documents (indicative, confirm on the portal)

   Fee

   Fee varies, confirm at the official portal · paid by you (There is no fee to prepare your own case or to speak to your employer)

   Deadline

   File within the limitation period. A 2024 amendment to the labour law extended the deadline to claim to two years from the date the entitlement fell due, up from one year. The official u.ae summary still shows the older one-year figure, so confirm the current limit before you rely on it. (confirm on the portal)

   Watch out for

   • Waiting past the two-year limitation period, after which the claim can no longer be heard
   • Relying on verbal promises instead of keeping written proof of salary, hours, and any agreement

   Domestic Worker: Domestic workers, such as housemaids, drivers, and nannies, are covered by the separate domestic workers law and their disputes are handled through Tadbeer service centers and MOHRE's domestic worker channel rather than the standard private-sector route.

   Full guide: Gather your evidence and raise it with your employer first

2. 2
   YouMOHRE app, website, call center, or a Tas'heel service center

   File the labour complaint with MOHRE

   You, through any MOHRE channel

   Register the complaint with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation through the MOHRE app, the website at mohre.gov.ae, the call center on 600 590 000, the toll-free Labour Claims and Advisory Call Center on 80084, or in person at a Tas'heel service center. State the dispute clearly: what happened, when it started, the amount you are claiming, and the outcome you want. MOHRE registers the complaint and gives it a reference number, then moves it to the settlement stage. Filing an individual labour complaint does not carry a government fee.

   You get

   A registered labour complaint with a reference number

   Typical time

   same day to submit (indicative, confirm on the portal)

   Fee

   Fee varies, confirm at the official portal · paid by you (MOHRE does not charge a fee to register an individual labour complaint. Confirm the current position on the MOHRE app or at mohre.gov.ae)

   Watch out for

   • Filing at MOHRE when your employer is in the DIFC or ADGM, which run their own courts
   • Leaving out the amount claimed or the remedy you want, which slows the review

   Free Zone: If your employer is registered in a standard free zone, you usually file first with the free zone authority's own labour or disputes office, which tries to mediate. If it cannot resolve the matter it refers you on to the labour court, often with a No Objection Certificate.

   DIFC Adgm: The DIFC and the ADGM are financial free zones with their own employment laws and their own courts. Disputes there are handled by the DIFC Courts or the ADGM Courts, not by MOHRE.

   Domestic Worker: Domestic workers file through MOHRE's domestic worker complaint channel and Tadbeer centers under the domestic workers law rather than the standard private-sector service.

   Full guide: File the labour complaint with MOHRE

3. 3
   AuthorityMinistry of Human Resources and Emiratisation

   MOHRE tries to settle the dispute amicably within 14 days

   MOHRE, working with both you and your employer

   After you file, MOHRE examines the complaint and contacts both you and your employer to try to reach an amicable settlement. The law sets a window of 14 days from the application for this stage. If both sides agree, the settlement is recorded and is binding on them. During the dispute the ministry can also direct that wage payment arrangements be handled for a limited period while the matter is resolved. Cooperate, respond promptly, and keep your evidence to hand, because a fair settlement here is faster than court.

   You get

   An amicable settlement recorded by MOHRE, or an unresolved dispute that moves to the next stage

   Typical time

   up to 14 days from the date of the application

   Fee

   Fee varies, confirm at the official portal · paid by you (The MOHRE settlement stage does not carry a fee for the worker)

   Watch out for

   • Ignoring MOHRE's calls or messages, which can stall the settlement
   • Accepting a quick settlement that drops entitlements you are actually owed, such as gratuity or notice pay

   Free Zone: In a standard free zone the equivalent mediation is run by the free zone authority. If it fails, the authority refers the case onward rather than issuing an enforceable decision itself.

   Full guide: MOHRE tries to settle the dispute amicably within 14 days

4. 4
   AuthorityMinistry of Human Resources and Emiratisation

   MOHRE issues a binding decision or refers the case to court

   MOHRE, at the end of the 14-day window

   If the dispute does not settle, what happens next depends on the size of the claim. For a claim under AED 50,000, MOHRE can issue a final binding decision that carries an executory formula, giving it the same enforcement weight as a court judgment. For a claim of AED 50,000 or more, MOHRE refers the dispute to the competent court with a memorandum summarizing the case, the arguments of both sides, and the ministry's recommendation. A party who disagrees with a MOHRE decision can challenge it before the Court of Appeal within a short window of the decision, so confirm the exact appeal deadline when you receive the decision.

   You get

   A binding MOHRE decision for a claim under AED 50,000, or a referral memorandum sending the case to the labour court

   Typical time

   issued at the end of the 14-day settlement window

   Fee

   Fee varies, confirm at the official portal · paid by you (There is no fee for the MOHRE decision or the referral itself. Court fees, and the exemption for smaller claims, are covered in the next step)

   Watch out for

   • Assuming every case goes to court: many claims under AED 50,000 are decided by MOHRE directly
   • Missing the appeal deadline if you disagree with a MOHRE decision

   DIFC Adgm: In the DIFC and ADGM there is no MOHRE decision stage. The relevant financial free zone court decides the dispute under its own employment law.

   Full guide: MOHRE issues a binding decision or refers the case to court

5. 5
   YouCompetent labour court

   Register at the labour court and enforce the outcome

   You, if the case is referred to court

   If MOHRE refers your dispute, you register the labour complaint with the competent court within 14 days of the referral being approved. Workers are exempt from judicial fees at all stages of a labour claim where the amount is under AED 100,000, so a smaller claim costs you nothing in court fees. The court hears the case, considers the evidence and the MOHRE memorandum, and issues a judgment. A judgment in your favor, or a binding MOHRE decision, is then enforced through the execution court so the amount owed can be recovered.

   You get

   A registered court case and, in time, an enforceable judgment or an enforced MOHRE decision

   Typical time

   you must register within 14 days of the referral; the hearing itself takes longer

   Fee

   Fee varies, confirm at the official portal · paid by you (Workers are exempt from court fees for labour claims under AED 100,000 at all litigation stages. For larger claims, court fees apply and are set by the court. Confirm the current position with the competent court)

   Deadline

   Register the referred labour complaint with the competent court within 14 days of the referral being approved

   Watch out for

   • Missing the 14-day window to register a referred case with the court
   • Not asking the execution court to enforce a judgment or decision the employer ignores

   Free Zone: From a standard free zone you take the case to the labour court after the free zone authority refers it on, often once it issues a No Objection Certificate.

   Full guide: Register at the labour court and enforce the outcome

Documents checklist

Where this goes wrong

What comes next

• Calculate the end-of-service gratuity you are owed
• Check and clear a labour ban before your next job
• See the full employment residence visa process