United Arab Emirates: Public Sector Work Week to Shift to Monday Through Friday
December 8, 2021
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At a Glance
- Effective January 1, 2022, the UAE government will adopt a four-and-a-half day working week for all public sector employees. The weekend will commence on Friday afternoons and resume on Mondays, replacing the current schedule, where weekends typically fall on Fridays and Saturdays.
- Additionally, working hours for all public sector entities will change to Monday to Thursday 07:30 to 15:30 (local time); and Friday 07:30 to 12:00 (local time).
- After this is implemented, private sector employers are expected to implement similar hours so that the working schedule can align with government entities.
The situation
Effective January 1, 2022, the UAE government will adopt a four-and-a-half day working week for all public sector employees. The weekend will commence on Friday afternoons and resume on Mondays, replacing the current labor schedule, where weekends typically fall on Fridays and Saturdays.
A closer look
The work hours for all public sector entities will change as well. Hours will shift to Monday to Thursday 07:30 to 15:30 (local time); and Friday 07:30 to 12:00 (local time).
Impact
When this is implemented, UAE government offices will function on a similar schedule as most of the rest of the world, making it easier to complete transactions and process applications.
This transition will affect private sector employers, as they are expected to align their labor schedules with UAE government entities after this change is in effect. As per the new UAE labour law, employees are entitled to at least one rest day per week, and it is up to the employer to decide what day that is. Any reduction to the total number of working hours for employees in the private sector will have to be mutually agreed upon between the contracting parties (as per the new law, ordinary working hours should be eight hours per day or 48 hours a week).
Background
The United Arab Emirates has been consistently implementing immigration law reforms, including a new law on entry and residence of foreign nationals, a new federal labor law, and the introduction of a remote working visa, among other changes. These new laws, in addition to the amended working week and hours, are expected to support the United Arab Emirate’s economy and status as a leader in global business by making labor and immigration laws more transparent.
Looking ahead
The UAE government will likely continue to implement more immigration reforms to make processes more streamlined and transparent to attract foreign nationals to the region. We will report on related developments.
This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].
