Career advice · Updated November 2026

UAE Domestic Worker Rights: What Kenyan House Helps Are Entitled To

Thousands of Kenyans travel to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for house help, nanny, cook and driver jobs. Before you sign, it helps to know what the law there actually guarantees. UAE domestic worker rights come from Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2022 on Domestic Workers, as amended by Federal Decree-Law No. 21 of 2023. They include wages paid within 10 days of the due date, a paid weekly day off, 12 hours’ rest a day, 30 days’ paid annual leave, a return ticket home every two years and the right to keep your own passport. This guide explains those rights, what recruitment agencies and employers must do, your own duties, and how to complain.

Checked on 8 November 2026 against the UAE Government portal page Domestic workers, which summarises the domestic workers law and Ministerial Resolutions No. 674, 675 and 676 of 2022. These are UAE rules, not Kenyan law. Always read your own contract.

Who the UAE domestic workers law covers

The law governs the recruitment and employment of domestic workers in the UAE. The portal lists 19 occupations within its scope. They include roles such as house help, cooks, nannies, drivers and gardeners, and even a private agricultural engineer. The law bans the following outright:

• employing anyone under 18;
• discrimination based on race, colour, gender, religion, nationality or disability;
• verbal or physical sexual harassment;
• forced labour or any practice amounting to human trafficking;
• assigning tasks not covered by the contract;
• using the worker in jobs outside the law’s scope without approval from the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE).

Your core UAE domestic worker rights

Right	What the law gives you
Wages	Paid as in the standard contract, within 10 days of the due date
Weekly rest	One paid day off a week
Daily rest	12 hours a day, including at least 8 consecutive hours
Annual leave	At least 30 days paid
Travel home	A return ticket home every 2 years
Sick leave	Up to 30 days a year
Documents	You keep your own passport and ID

The right to keep your passport matters. If an employer or agent takes your passport “for safekeeping”, the law says those papers belong in your possession. Ministerial Resolution No. 675 of 2022 also brings certain domestic work professions under the Wages Protection System, which records salary payments through approved channels.

What the recruitment office must do

UAE domestic worker recruitment offices are licensed under Ministerial Resolution No. 676 of 2022. The portal lists their duties, which include:

• telling you the type and nature of the work and the wage before you enter the UAE;
• confirming you are physically, psychologically and professionally fit, with medical tests done no more than 30 days before entry;
• explaining UAE customs and traditions;
• providing suitable housing and food while you are with the agency, including if you are returned to it;
• treating you with respect and never using violence;
• telling you your rights and where to go if they are violated;
• keeping records of wage payments through approved channels;
• not charging you any commission or fee for getting the job, before or after you start.

That last point is important for Kenyans. Under UAE rules, the recruitment office there must not take money from you for the placement. Be cautious of anyone who demands large “processing” payments and promises a UAE house job, and check that the Kenyan agency is licensed before you pay for anything.

What your employer must do

The employer must sign a contract with you using MoHRE’s approved template and give you a copy. Beyond the contract, the employer must:

• provide suitable accommodation, meals and clothing;
• pay your wage as agreed;
• provide medical care or health insurance;
• treat you with respect and keep you safe;
• not make you work for other people except as the rules allow;
• not employ you without a valid work permit;
• pay compensation for work injuries and occupational diseases;
• not change your profession without your consent, and only to a permitted profession;
• let you keep your identification documents;
• not collect payments from you, directly or indirectly, except where the law or approved contract allows;
• pay the cost of returning you to your country as the law sets out;
• if you die in service, pay your heirs that month’s wage plus other entitlements.

Your duties as a domestic worker

The law also places duties on you. You must do the agreed work personally and carefully, avoid absence without good reason, and respect UAE customs and public morals. You must follow lawful instructions that do not breach the contract or put you at risk, and look after the employer’s property and tools. Keep household information private, even after the job ends, and do not use work tools outside the home without permission. You must also help in emergencies and not work for anyone without a valid permit.

How to complain if your rights are violated

1. Either side can file a labour complaint with MoHRE. The portal also mentions an online platform for queries and complaints, plus domestic workers service centres approved by MoHRE.
2. MoHRE tries to settle the complaint amicably within two weeks.
3. If that fails, the case goes to court. Domestic workers are exempt from litigation fees at every stage of the proceedings, and their cases are handled quickly.
4. Act fast. Claims under the law are not accepted more than three months after the job ends.

Keep copies of your contract, passport, payslips or payment records, and messages with your employer and agency, ideally stored on your phone and with family in Kenya.

Checklist before you take a UAE house help job

• Get the job type, duties and wage in writing before you travel.
• Refuse to pay a “placement fee” to the UAE recruitment office.
• Make sure your contract follows MoHRE’s approved template, and keep your copy.
• Confirm who keeps your passport. The answer should be you.
• Note your weekly day off, daily rest hours, annual leave and ticket entitlement.
• Save MoHRE’s complaint channels before you need them.

For the full process of finding safe work in the region, read our guide to Gulf jobs for Kenyans. To understand the rights of house helps working in Kenya, see domestic workers’ rights in Kenya.

Frequently asked questions

Can a UAE recruitment agency charge me a fee?

No. The UAE portal says domestic worker recruitment offices must not demand or receive any commission or financial reward from workers, before or after they start work.

Can my UAE employer keep my passport?

No. The law says domestic workers are entitled to keep their personal identification papers, such as passports and IDs.

How many days off does a UAE domestic worker get?

One paid rest day a week, 12 hours of rest a day including 8 consecutive hours, and at least 30 days of paid annual leave.

How long do I have to file a complaint?

Claims under the domestic workers law are not admissible more than three months after the employment ends, so complain to MoHRE quickly.