The UAE Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation announced on September 10, 2026, that private-sector labour law violations decreased by 15 percent in the first half of 2026 compared to the same period in 2025.
- 15 percent decrease in private-sector labour law violations in the first half of 2026.
- 212,000 inspection visits conducted using smart monitoring systems.
- Common violations still include illegal hiring and wage issues.
The ministry conducted approximately 212,000 inspection visits during this period, utilizing a smart monitoring system powered by AI, data analytics, and risk indicators to target high-risk companies. Despite the decline,
illegal hiring, failure to pay salaries through the official Wage Protection System, and the submission of incorrect data remain the most common violations affecting expatriate workers, including those from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and the Philippines. The number of cases referred to Public Prosecution fell by 49 percent, from 962 in the first half of 2025 to 490 in the same period of 2026.
A new salary regulation effective June 1, 2026, mandates that salaries for the previous month must be paid on the first day of each Gregorian month. Companies receive an official alert on the second day of the month if payments are not made, and the issuance of new work permits is suspended on the fifth day until all wages are cleared.
Penalties for employing workers without valid permits or misusing work permits range from AED 100,000 to AED 1 million.
MoHRE advises expatriates to ensure their labour contracts and Emirates IDs are current and to insist on WPS payments.
Workers may report violations via the MoHRE app, the ministry's website, or by calling the 24-hour hotline at 600 590 000. These updates follow earlier 2026 reforms, including a unified private-sector salary deadline and expanded reporting protocols for 11 types of labour violations, such as unpaid end-of-service benefits, overtime, and heat-stress breaches.
