Global mobility COMPLIANCE
Send employees safely to the United Arab Emirates
Are you planning to send one of your employees to the United Arab Emirates? Or are you organising a business trip to Abu Dhabi or Dubai? Find out now the essential information you and your employees need to know to work and travel safely and in compliance with the law in the UAE.
Download Compliance Guide for United Arab Emirates
As an employer, there are many things you need to consider before sending an employee to Germany. A handy PDF downloadable for free.
What you can expect
Capital city
Abu Dhabi
Telephone code
+971
Official language
Arabic
Currency
UAE Dirham (AED)
Time zone
UTC +4
Visa
Urgent safety information
For travelers using WorkFlex:
Please refer to your trip's risk assessment under the "Health and Security" dimension to review any urgent security information relevant to your travel.
For other travelers:
Please visit official authority websites to check for any current threats or urgent security advisories:
Terrorism
The terrorist organization IS has been threatening attacks in countries allied with the US since 2014. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is an active member of the anti-IS coalition.
Safety recommendations:
- Be especially attentive in busy places and on special occasions.
- Please note the worldwide safety advisory.
Domestic political situation
The domestic political situation is stable. Also because of the comprehensive and far-reaching police surveillance of public spaces, demonstrations, strikes or similar public protests are not to be expected. Nevertheless, avoid large gatherings of people and follow the instructions of local security forces.
Crime
While violent crime is rare, there have been instances of petty crimes, such as pickpocketing and car break-ins, particularly in crowded tourist spots and shopping malls.
To help ensure your safety, consider the following precautions:
- Exercise extra caution in crowded areas.
- Keep money, ID cards, driver’s licenses, and other important documents secure; consider saving electronic copies or photos to simplify obtaining replacements if needed.
- Carry only the cash you’ll need for the day and avoid bringing unnecessary valuables.
- Stay alert, especially in large crowds, and closely monitor your belongings.
- Avoid leaving valuables unattended in public places.
- Be cautious of unfamiliar emails, phone calls, prize notifications, offers, and requests for help from supposed acquaintances. Always verify the legitimacy of such interactions.
MUST-KNOW for Assignment in the UAE:
- Mainland vs. Free Zone: There is a Mainland vs. Free Zone dual regime, where there is a Emiratisation quota with a 2% annual increase.
- Mandatory Tests: The employee also needs to do a medical fitness test and must be willing to submit the mandatory Emirates ID biometrics (fingerprinting, eye scanning and facial photography).
Short Term Assignment: (Employer Sponsorship required)
- Work Bundle: Corporate Business Visa
- Mission Visa: For short-term work (90 days)
- Visa on Arrival: Available for many nationalities (30-90 days)
- Visit Visa: (30/60/90 days): Suitable for short-term business meetings
Long-Term Assignment: (Employer Sponsorship required)
Typical Processing Time: 2-4 weeks
- Employment Residence Visa: ICT-Specific Visa available (1-3 years)
Business trips:
- Business Visa: Required for specific business activities
- Visit Visa: Suitable for short-term business meetings
- Visa on Arrival: Available for many nationalities (30-90 days)
Work-from-anywhere trips:
- Visa on Arrival: Available for many nationalities (30-90 days)
- Remote Work Visa: One-year virtual working program available
Need trip-specific visa information? Reach out WorkFlex Visa services.
Working hours
Most employees in the UAE work from Sunday to Thursday, with a standard workweek of 48 hours, typically broken down into 8-hour workdays. The weekend is observed on Friday and Saturday.
To remain compliant during your trip abroad, here are some suggestions to follow:
- Avoid working overtime: Regulations regarding overtime can differ significantly and may be much stricter compared to those in your home country.
- Refrain from working outside regular hours: The rules surrounding working outside regular hours may vary and could be stricter than in your home country.
- Do not work on weekends: If the weekend days differ from those in your home country, please avoid working on both your regular weekend days and the local weekend days.
Public holidays
Get information about specific public holiday dates for this year here.
- January 1: New Year's Day
- Eid Al Fitr (dates vary, 4 days)
- Arafat Day (date varies; 9th day of Dhu al-Hijjah in Islamic calendar)
- Eid Al Adha (dates vary, 4 days; 10th-13th of Dhu al-Hijjah in Islamic calendar)
- Islamic New Year (date varies; 10th-13th of Dhu al-Hijjah in Islamic calendar)
- Prophet Muhammad's Birthday (date varies; 12th of Rabi' al-awwal in Islamic calendar)
- Commemoration Day (December 1)
- UAE National Day (December 2-3)
Depending on the region you're visiting, there may be additional region-specific public holidays. For more information about these holidays, please check here.
To comply with labor laws, please refrain from working on national or regional holidays during your trip. These days hold significant importance for locals and provide a great opportunity for you to blend in and celebrate with the community.
Social security compliance
When working remotely abroad, your employees may become subject to the social security scheme of the destination country, which means you, as an employer, would need to pay social security premiums accordingly. UAE has entered into numerous social security treaties with various countries to prevent the payment of double social security premiums or non-insurance.
To ensure your employees remain compliant with these treaties, they must possess a valid Certificate of Coverage (CoC) obtained from the relevant local authorities. For WorkFlex users, the CoC is issued automatically after a trip request is submitted. Discover our solution for efficient social security risk mitigation here.
Tax compliance
UAE has signed bilateral tax treaties with numerous countries that specify the steps to take to avoid double taxation, available here. These treaties generally follow international standards and provide guidelines for various types of income, including employment income.
Despite the existence of many tax treaties, the issue of Permanent Establishment remains a significant compliance concern for employers with employees temporarily working in the UAE, whether for a workation or a business trip. If a traveling employee is deemed to constitute a Permanent Establishment in the destination country, the employer may be required to register the company locally, allocate profits to the local business (branch), and file corporate taxes, leading to substantial administrative burdens.
To avoid this scenario, here are some key strategies:
If your employees are traveling for a workation, they should refrain from negotiating or signing sales contracts during the trip. Additionally, they should avoid visiting clients or any office, including the employer's local office in the destination country. Following these guidelines will help mitigate the important compliance risk for the employer related to permanent establishment.
If your employees travel for business, it may be impossible to refrain from the activities above. In this case, please make sure to inform your (tax) compliance department of this matter. If you and your organization are a WorkFlex user, this topic is covered through the WorkFlex platform.
Overriding local employment provisions
Employees traveling to UAE are expected to comply with some basic local employment provisions that may be qualified as overriding, such as minimum salary standards. See the recent information on minimum wage in UAE here.
Local emergency phone
999 (Police), 997 (Ambulance), 998 (Fire)
Vaccination
Guidelines
Drinking potable water
Generally safe
Travel health insurance
When traveling to the United Arab Emirates for work—whether for a short business trip or an extended workation—it's essential to have comprehensive health insurance coverage to ensure access to medical care.
For business trips, the employer typically arranges the employee's travel health insurance. However, for workations, these responsibilities can be less clear. WorkFlex takes care of travel health insurance for trips worldwide to ensure there are no costly consequences for either the employee or the employer if accidents occur while working abroad.
For travelers using WorkFlex
If you’re traveling with WorkFlex, comprehensive health insurance is automatically included if your employer has activated this feature. For more details, please refer to your trip request on the WorkFlex platform.
For other travelers
Ensure you have travel health insurance with worldwide coverage, whether for a workation or business trip, so that you can receive adequate medical treatment in case of an emergency.
Urgent safety information
For travelers using WorkFlex:
Please refer to your trip's risk assessment under the "Health and Security" dimension to review any urgent security information relevant to your travel.
For other travelers:
Please visit official authority websites to check for any current threats or urgent security advisories:
Terrorism
The terrorist organization IS has been threatening attacks in countries allied with the US since 2014. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is an active member of the anti-IS coalition.
Safety recommendations:
- Be especially attentive in busy places and on special occasions.
- Please note the worldwide safety advisory.
Domestic political situation
The domestic political situation is stable. Also because of the comprehensive and far-reaching police surveillance of public spaces, demonstrations, strikes or similar public protests are not to be expected. Nevertheless, avoid large gatherings of people and follow the instructions of local security forces.
Crime
While violent crime is rare, there have been instances of petty crimes, such as pickpocketing and car break-ins, particularly in crowded tourist spots and shopping malls.
To help ensure your safety, consider the following precautions:
- Exercise extra caution in crowded areas.
- Keep money, ID cards, driver’s licenses, and other important documents secure; consider saving electronic copies or photos to simplify obtaining replacements if needed.
- Carry only the cash you’ll need for the day and avoid bringing unnecessary valuables.
- Stay alert, especially in large crowds, and closely monitor your belongings.
- Avoid leaving valuables unattended in public places.
- Be cautious of unfamiliar emails, phone calls, prize notifications, offers, and requests for help from supposed acquaintances. Always verify the legitimacy of such interactions.
USE CASES
What assignments can you cover with the WorkFlex solution?
From Europe to Asia, Americas to Africa - WorkFlex handles compliance complexity for any country combination worldwide, covering all your international secondment scenarios
Long-term strategic deployments lasting 1-3 years to establish new entities, fill key management roles, or transfer critical expertise to international markets
Structured programs where employees work temporarily with partner organizations, subsidiaries, or different departments to share knowledge, develop skills, and build cross-cultural competency
Deployment of specialized teams to execute international projects, like system implementations, market launches, or technical installations. Often takes place in groups, requiring coordination of multiple compliance requirements simultaneously
Solution
Transform your approach to international assignments with WorkFlex
International assignments shouldn't overwhelm your HR team. Let WorkFlex automate the complexity
Get information about specific public holiday dates for this year here.
- Complete overview of your staff assignments in just a few minutes
- Replace Excel chaos with standardised automation
- Reduce costly reliance on consultants
- Gain complete transparency over all assignments
Depending on the region you're visiting, there may be additional region-specific public holidays. For more information about these holidays, please check here.
Hundreds of companies trust WorkFlex to handle business travel compliance
FEATURES
End-to-end assignment management across every phase
Assignment compliance assessment
Get instant evaluation of all 10 risk dimensions - visa, permanent establishment, wage tax/payroll, personal income tax, social security, labour law, posted worker regulations, data protection, health & safety, health insurance
Cost projection & Balance sheet
AI-powered cost calculations with real-time benchmarks for taxes, allowances, insurance, benefits, and relocation costs - no more expensive index data
HR task tracker
Step-by-step guidance on country-specific compliance requirements, pre-assessment tasks, and arrival procedures tailored to your assignment type
Assignment exploration chat
Unlimited compliance questions to human experts - explore scenarios and refine your assignment plan without consultant fees
Travel calendar & Compliance tracking
Monitor business trips, workations, and time off during assignments for seamless tax reporting and PE risk management
Vendor platform
Benefit from trusted partners for work permits, taxes, relocation, and insurance - all with access to complete assignment information throughout the assignment
Document repository
Centralized, secure storage for all assignment-related documents from A1 certificates to balance sheets with audit-ready organization
Real-time risk alerts and monitoring
Get instant alerts when political unrest, natural disasters, or health crises emerge
24/7 SOS support
Multilingual support connects you instantly to doctors and emergency coordinators
Travel health insurance
Medical coverage by ALH Group Hallesche added to every approved trip, worldwide
Repatriation management
Get step-by-step repatriation checklists covering tax obligations, immigration requirements, social security transitions, payroll changes, and residence registration, and more
Vendor & Timeline coordination
Reduce your workload with WorkFlex as your single point of contact - we manage all vendors, deadlines, and documentation for seamless employee and family returns
Assignment compliance chat
Unlimited compliance questions for repatriation and ongoing obligations - get expert guidance on complex return processes and long-term tax requirements
€250K financial liability coverage
We assume liability for social security, corporate and employment tax if risks emerge
Built to ISO 31030 standards
Risk assessment, threat detection, prevention strategies, real-time monitoring, and audit records
Trusted by global mobility leaders worldwide
"WorkFlex's assignment services give us great insights at a much lower cost than our previous provider. We love that they also handle visas, A1 certificates, and PWD notifications, services we used to manage ourselves. It's truly a one-stop solution for all our assignment needs."
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What you'll discover:
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- Certified Dutch tax lawyer
- 16+ of global mobility compliance experience
- Former Tax Director at PwC
- Certified lawyer (Volljuristin)
- 25+ years of global mobility compliance experience
- Trainer at the People Mobility Academy
- PhD in European Law
- 12+ years of legal experience
- 8+ years of global mobility compliance experience
- Expertise in international assignment compliance
- Expertise in international assignment compliance
- 2+ years of global mobility compliance experience
- Certified Spanish tax lawyer
- 6+ years of legal experience
- 14+ years in travel risk and crisis response
- Ex-military
- 30+ years in healthcare leadership
- Healthcare risk management specialist with experience in patient safety, quality management, medical outcome assessments
- 6+ years of specialized emergency medical training
- Master of Science in Medicine
- 16+ years in global security and crisis management
- Ex-military
