A real UAE job offer letter is issued on MOHRE’s system, carries a transaction number you can check online, and becomes your labour contract when you sign it. Before you sign, check five things: the job title, the basic and total salary, the contract terms, the leave and notice rules, and that you are not paying any fees. This guide takes you through the UAE job offer letter line by line.
What does a real UAE job offer letter look like?
For private-sector jobs, the offer is registered with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE). It is not just a letter on company paper. A genuine offer:
- is written in Arabic and English. You can ask for a third language you understand. The options include Malayalam, Hindi, Tamil, Urdu, Nepali, Bengali, Sinhala, Dari and Chinese;
- explains your rights and duties and the employer’s, with an annex on the labour law;
- is signed electronically by the employer and sent to you directly, through a recruitment agency or a designated entity;
- shows a transaction number and company number. You need these to check it with MOHRE.
What should I check, line by line?
| What it says | What to check |
|---|---|
| Job title | It matches the job you were interviewed for. |
| Basic salary | Your end-of-service gratuity is calculated on the basic salary, not the total. |
| Total salary / allowances | Housing, transport or other allowances are listed. Basic + allowances should equal the total. |
| Contract type and duration | The UAE contract is fixed-term and can be renewed. Check the start date and the period. |
| Probation | It cannot be more than 6 months. |
| Working hours and weekly rest | Normal maximum is 8 hours a day or 48 hours a week (some sectors have different rules). |
| Annual leave | At least 30 days a year once you complete a year of service. |
| Notice period | Between 30 and 90 days. |
| Transaction number | It shows up on MOHRE’s “Enquiry for Job Offer”. |
Basic salary vs total salary
UAE law defines the basic wage as the salary without allowances. Your gratuity is 21 days of basic wage for each of the first five years, and 30 days for each year after that. So if two offers have the same total, the one with the higher basic salary gives you a bigger gratuity.
Probation, leave and notice
Under Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, probation is at most six months. If the employer ends your job during probation, they must give at least 14 days’ written notice. After six months of service you earn 2 days of leave a month, and after one year it is 30 days a year. The notice period in your contract must be at least 30 days and not more than 90 days.
Who pays recruitment and visa costs?
Article 6 of the labour law says the employer cannot charge the worker recruitment fees or costs, directly or indirectly. If anyone asks you to pay for your visa, work permit or “processing”, stop.
How does the offer become my labour contract?
- You sign the offer. Workers in skill levels 4 and 5 can use a fingerprint instead of a signature.
- The employer applies for your work permit. The signed offer is attached. If MOHRE approves, you can enter the UAE (or change status if you are already here).
- You sign the contract. The employment contract is based on the offer you signed. It must be submitted to MOHRE within 14 days of your arrival, or of your status change.
- No surprise changes. After you sign, the employer cannot change the terms of the offer without your consent, and only within the law.
Keep a copy of the signed offer. If the contract later shows a lower salary or a different job, do not sign it. Call MOHRE first. For the full arrival process, see our guide on your first 30 days in a new UAE job.
How do I check that a job offer is real?
- Go to inquiry.mohre.gov.ae and choose “Enquiry for Job Offer”.
- Enter the transaction number and company number from your offer. For permit type, choose “All work permits”.
- If the offer is registered, it will appear. If not, ask the employer for the right numbers. If they cannot give them, treat the offer as fake.
- Still unsure? Call MOHRE on 600590000 (also on WhatsApp).
- Check the company exists in the National Economic Register, and check any entry permit on the GDRFA website (Dubai) or ICP (other emirates).
What are the red flags in an offer letter?
- You are asked to pay for the visa, medical, training or “file opening”.
- No transaction number, or the number does not show on MOHRE’s site.
- The salary is far above normal, with no clear basic salary.
- Contact is only through WhatsApp or a free email address like Gmail.
- You are pushed to sign “today” or lose the job.
More warning signs are in our guide to fake job offers in the UAE.
Quick answers
Can I ask for the offer in Malayalam or Hindi?
Yes. You can ask for a third language, and both are on the list.
Is the job offer the same as the labour contract?
The contract is based on the signed offer, and its terms cannot change without your consent.
The company says I must pay AED for my visa. Is that normal?
No. Under Article 6 of the labour law, the employer pays recruitment costs.
My offer has no transaction number. What should I do?
Ask the employer. Without it you cannot check the offer, so do not sign or pay.
This is general information, not legal advice. Rules can change, so please check MOHRE or the official UAE government website for your case.
Official sources: