Key step It blocks other steps, or costs money if you miss it.

What to check in your UAE employment contract before you resign

Before you resign, find four things in your contract: your notice period (UAE law allows 30 to 90 days), any return ticket or relocation allowance, a non-compete clause, and your basic salary and start date for your gratuity. Your notice period sets the date of everything else.

When
Before you resign
Time
30 min
Cost
Free

Official source: u.aeAlso: MOHRE

Have ready

  • Employment contract
  • Latest payslip showing basic salary and total salary

How to do it

  1. Find your signed contract (the MOHRE contract and any company offer letter or handbook). You can view the MOHRE contract free in the MOHRE app or at inquiry.mohre.gov.ae under “View Approved Contract”.
  2. Write down your notice period. If the contract says nothing, the legal minimum of 30 days applies. If you are still in probation, the notice is 14 days when you are leaving the UAE.
  3. Check for a return flight ticket, relocation allowance or bonus that depends on your leaving date. When you resign, the law does not oblige your employer to pay your ticket home, so it depends on your contract.
  4. Check for a non-compete clause if your next job is with a competitor in the UAE.
  5. Note your last basic salary and start date, then run the gratuity calculator.
  6. Count your unused annual leave days, including the days earned this year: they are paid out at basic salary in your final settlement.

Watch out

  • Gratuity is calculated on basic salary only, not allowances.
  • If you leave without serving notice, the law lets your employer claim your full wage, allowances included, for the notice you did not work.
  • DIFC and ADGM employers use their own end-of-service rules; this plan follows the federal labour law used on the mainland and most free zones.
Short on time?What to do if you’re starting late

Ask HR for a shorter notice period by mutual agreement, in writing. Many employers accept it if handover is planned.

Questions people ask

What notice period applies if my contract says nothing?

The legal minimum of 30 days. UAE law allows notice periods of 30 to 90 days, and your contract says which applies to you.

Is gratuity calculated on my full salary?

No. Gratuity is calculated on your basic salary only, without housing, transport or other allowances.

What if I can’t serve my full notice?

Ask HR for a shorter notice period by mutual agreement, in writing. If you leave without serving notice, the law lets your employer claim the wage for the notice you didn’t work.

What if I’m still in my probation period?

The 30 to 90 day rule doesn’t apply. If you are leaving the UAE, give your employer at least 14 days’ written notice.

Sources

Official: UAE government portal: ending an employment contract and notice periods · MOHRE inquiry services (opens in Arabic: choose English at the top): View Approved Contract

Also checked against: Gulf News: notice period rules (Article 43) · Gulf News: notice period, compensation and probation · UAE government portal: end-of-service benefits (private sector)

Outro is an independent guide, not a government service or legal advice. If an official page says something different, follow it and .