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Not legal advice

Content summarises labour law as published by each GCC ministry, current as of May 2026. Not a substitute for legal advice. Employment law is jurisdiction-specific and subject to change. For contracts, disputes, visa issues, or any decision with legal consequences, consult a qualified labour lawyer licensed in your jurisdiction.

GCC Labour Law Reference

Employment law guides for professionals across the Gulf. Contracts, visas, sponsorship, gratuity, and your rights as an employee or employer, jurisdiction by jurisdiction, topic by topic.

Not legal advice

This reference summarises law published by each GCC labour ministry as of April 2026. It is not a substitute for qualified legal counsel. For contracts, disputes, visa issues, or employment decisions with legal stakes, consult a licensed labour lawyer in your jurisdiction.

By country

🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates

12 topics

UAE Labour Law, visa sponsorship, gratuity, end-of-service benefits, work permits, and employment rights across all seven emirates.

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia

11 topics

Saudi Labour Law, Saudisation (Emiratisation equivalent), mukafat (severance), work permits, Sponsorship (kafala), and employment contracts.

🇶🇦 Qatar

9 topics

Qatar Labour Law, exit visas, job mobility, contract terms, and employment rights for expatriates.

🇧🇭 Bahrain

8 topics

Bahrain Labour Law, employment rights, work permit requirements, and severance regulations.

🇰🇼 Kuwait

8 topics

Kuwait Labour Law, sponsorship requirements, employment contracts, and end-of-service benefits.

🇴🇲 Oman

7 topics

Oman Labour Law, work permits, employment rights, and contract regulations.

What you'll find

  • Contracts and offer letters, what employers must include, what you should negotiate, red flags
  • Work permits and visas, sponsorship, transfer rules, visa costs, employer obligations
  • End-of-service benefits, gratuity, severance, calculation formulas, vesting
  • Termination and disputes, notice periods, grounds for dismissal, severance, dispute resolution
  • Paid leave and benefits, annual leave, sick leave, public holidays, maternity/paternity, health insurance
  • Working hours and salary, minimum wage, overtime, working week, deductions

Pick a country to start

Each country page lists the topics, links the source articles, and surfaces the relevant calculators (gratuity, severance).

Bookmark this section if you work or hire across multiple GCC jurisdictions.