Key takeaways
- A UAE company can lawfully hire a part-time employee: Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 recognises part-time work as one of its work patterns, defined as working for one or more employers for a specified number of hours or days.
- Every part-time hire still needs a work permit from the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) before work starts; Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 bars an employer from employing anyone without one.
- MOHRE issues a dedicated part-time work permit, and the worker may work for more than one employer only after the Ministry approves it; MOHRE's general permit cost range is AED 250 to AED 3,450, depending on the company's classification (as of October 2026).
- A part-time employee's annual leave is calculated on the actual hours worked for the employer, so leave is pro rata rather than the full-time entitlement.
- Hiring a worker without the right permit exposes the employer to fines; the 2024 amendments raised employer penalties generally to a reported AED 100,000 to AED 1,000,000, so the permit step is the one not to skip.
Can a UAE company legally hire a part-time employee?
Yes. Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations lists part-time work as a recognised work pattern alongside full-time, temporary and flexible work, and it came into force on 2 February 2022.
The law defines part-time work as working for one or more employers for a specified number of working hours or days. The Ministry's own description adds that a part-time permit lets a registered establishment hire a worker on a contract with fewer hours or days than a full-time role. The employer must still sign a written employment contract that matches the agreed work pattern.
What work permit does a part-time employee need?
A part-time employee needs a MOHRE work permit before starting, and MOHRE issues a specific part-time work permit for this. The law states that an employer may not recruit or employ any worker without first obtaining a work permit.
The permit is available for a worker from inside or outside the UAE. Under the Cabinet Resolution that implements the labour law, a worker may work for more than one employer only after obtaining approval from the Ministry. MOHRE sets general conditions for all permits, summarised here:
| Condition | What MOHRE requires |
|---|---|
| Worker's age | At least 18 years old (juvenile and student permits are separate) |
| Occupation | Must match the establishment's business activity |
| Trade licence | Valid and free of violations |
| Regulated professions | Worker must meet any legal or practice-licence requirements |
| Applicant | A person legally authorised to represent the company |
Source for the table: u.ae work permits page, checked 21 October 2026. MOHRE may refuse, decline to renew or cancel a permit if documents are incorrect, the establishment is fictitious, or it breaches the Wage Protection System.
How do you hire a part-time employee, step by step?
The process follows the same route as any mainland hire, with the part-time permit as the permit type. Because fees and processing times for this permit are not published separately, confirm them on the MOHRE service page at the time you apply.
- Confirm the role fits your licensed activity and that your company's trade licence is valid with no violations.
- Agree the work pattern in writing: the specific hours or days per week, pay, and whether the person may work for other employers.
- Apply for the part-time work permit through MOHRE, using an authorised representative of the company.
- Sign the written employment contract in the form MOHRE requires for the agreed work pattern.
- Complete the residence visa steps if the worker is not already a UAE resident (see our guides on the employment visa process and the medical test and Emirates ID).
- Pay salary through the Wage Protection System from the first pay cycle.
What are a part-time employee's rights?
A part-time employee has the same legal protections as other employees, but annual leave and end-of-service pay are calculated in proportion to the work done. Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 says a part-time worker is entitled to annual leave according to the actual working hours spent working for the employer.
End-of-service gratuity for part-time workers is set out in Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022, not in the main law, which leaves the mechanism to the Resolution. As reported by Gulf News (a secondary source, not the Resolution itself), the rule is pro rata by hours and applies only after at least one continuous year of service. Check the Resolution text, or ask your accountant, before you quote a figure to an employee.
| Entitlement | Part-time rule | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Annual leave | Based on actual hours worked for the employer | Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 |
| End-of-service gratuity | Set by the Executive Regulation; reported as pro rata by hours after one continuous year | Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022 (confirm against the text) |
| Contract | Written, matching the agreed work pattern | Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 |
If you'd rather not track permit renewals and payroll dates by hand, the free UAE compliance calendar lists them for your company.
Are job sharing and remote work treated as part-time?
Job sharing is treated under the part-time rules, and remote work can be either part-time or full-time. The Cabinet Resolution describes job sharing as two or more workers dividing the tasks of one job and being paid in proportion to the work they do, and it says those workers are treated under the part-time regulations. Remote work means working fully or partly away from the employer's premises, with electronic communication replacing physical presence.
Do free zones follow the same rules?
Not always. The MOHRE permit rules above apply to mainland establishments registered with the Ministry. Free zone companies usually deal with their free zone authority for permits and visas, and some free zones, including the financial free zones in DIFC and ADGM, have their own employment regulations. We could not verify each free zone's part-time rules from an official source for this guide, so ask your free zone authority which permit and which employment rules apply to a part-time hire.
AED 250 to AED 3,450: the range MOHRE gives for issuing or renewing a work permit, depending on the company's classification (A, B or C). Source: u.ae work permits page, checked 21 October 2026. MOHRE does not publish a separate fee for the part-time permit on that page.
What most guides don't tell you
- The permit comes before the first working day. The law bars employing a worker without a permit, so "a few trial days" before paperwork is still unpermitted employment. The 2021 text set the fine at AED 50,000 to AED 200,000 per violation; the 2024 amendments (Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2024, in force from 31 August 2024) raised employer penalties, with law-firm summaries reporting AED 100,000 to AED 1,000,000. Read the amending decree for the figure that applies to your violation.
- Your part-timer's other job is your compliance problem too. A worker employed elsewhere needs MOHRE approval to work for more than one employer. If the approval is missing, the permit you rely on may be exposed, so ask for evidence of it at hiring.
- Hours drift creates disputes. A contract that fixes hours or days is what makes someone part-time; if a "part-timer" regularly works full-time hours, the pattern on paper stops matching the pattern in practice, and leave and gratuity claims follow the real hours. Review timesheets against the contract each quarter.
- Wage Protection System obligations don't shrink. Part-time salaries still go through the Wage Protection System, and non-compliance is a stated ground for MOHRE to refuse, not renew or cancel permits.
Which deadlines apply to your company?
Permit renewals, visa expiries, Wage Protection System runs and tax filings all move on different dates, and part-time hires add more of them. The free UAE compliance calendar is a free calendar of your company's UAE tax and compliance deadlines, personalised from a few questions, as a PDF and calendar file.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a work permit and a residence visa in the UAE? A work permit is MOHRE's authorisation for a person to work for a specific employer, while a residence visa is the immigration permission to live in the UAE. A mainland employee normally needs both, and the part-time permit covers the work authorisation side.
Can I hire someone who is already on another company's visa as a part-timer? Yes, but only with MOHRE approval for the worker to work for more than one employer. Ask the worker for evidence of that approval before they start.
What types of work permits exist in the UAE? MOHRE issues several permit types, including permits for recruiting workers from abroad, transferring workers, temporary work, part-time work, juveniles, students and self-employment. The full current list is on the MOHRE and u.ae work permits pages.
How do I issue an employment contract that complies with UAE labour law? Use a written contract in the form MOHRE requires, matching the agreed work pattern, such as the specific hours or days for a part-time role. For part-time roles, state the hours, pay, and whether the worker may work for others.
How do I get an employment visa for a new hire in the UAE? After the work permit is approved, a non-resident hire goes through entry, medical test, Emirates ID and residence visa steps. Fees and timing depend on your company's classification and emirate, so check with MOHRE or your free zone.
About Qawi · Qawi is a corporate services firm licensed in the Sharjah Media City (SHAMS) free zone, handling company formation, visas and PRO, bookkeeping, VAT and corporate tax for UAE businesses. Guides are researched from FTA, Ministry of Finance and free zone sources. Qawi on LinkedIn
Sources
- Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (u.ae)
- Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 and its amendments (MOHRE)
- Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022, Executive Regulation (MOHRE)
- Work permits (u.ae)
- Part-time work permit service (MOHRE)
- The new labour law will come into force as of tomorrow (MOHRE)
- Interpretation only: Key amendments to the UAE labour law, Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2024 (Simmons & Simmons) and Part-time workers and end-of-service benefits (Gulf News)
Last checked: 21 October 2026
This is general information, not tax or legal advice for your specific situation.