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Gulf employment law: what changed and when

Gulf employment law: what changed and when

Every recent employment-law change across the six Gulf states on one page, with confirmed dates, and who handles it if you hire through Teamed.

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Rules change often across the region. Saudi Arabia's Labor Law amendments took effect on 19 February 2025, the UAE raised its Emiratisation charge to AED 10,000 a month from 1 July 2026, and Oman started a sick leave insurance branch on 19 July 2026.

The full timeline

What changedStatusWhenWho handles this at Teamed?
Kuwait: Private Sector Labour Law No. 6 of 2010 replaces Law No. 38 of 1964, setting 100-working-day probation, 30 days' leave and the end-of-service indemnityIn force21 February 2010Handled inside Teamed's Kuwait employment framework
Kuwait: Law No. 85 of 2017 amends Articles 51 (end-of-service indemnity) and 70 (annual leave) of the Labour LawIn force9 July 2017 (published)Handled inside Teamed's Kuwait employment framework
Kuwait: Law No. 17 of 2018 amends the last paragraph of Article 51 so the worker's indemnity is paid without deducting the employer's social-security contributions, back to 2010In force6 May 2018 (published)Handled inside Teamed's Kuwait employment framework
UAE: DIFC Employment Law, DIFC Law No. 2 of 2019, comes into force in the Dubai International Financial Centre (enacted 30 May 2019)In force28 August 2019DIFC-based hires employed under the DIFC Employment Law by Teamed as the legal employer
UAE: ADGM Employment Regulations 2019 come into force in the Abu Dhabi Global MarketIn force1 January 2020ADGM regime confirmed for hires based in the Abu Dhabi Global Market
Qatar: Decree-Law No. 18 of 2020 resets notice to one month in the first two years and two months after, and rewrites probation exitsIn force9 September 2020Handled inside Teamed's Qatar employment framework
Qatar: Decree-Law No. 19 of 2020 lets expatriate workers move to another employer under Ministry rulesIn force9 September 2020Handled inside Teamed's Qatar employment framework
Qatar: minimum wage of QAR 1,000 basic, plus QAR 500 housing and QAR 300 food where not provided, takes effectIn force20 March 2021Handled inside Teamed's Qatar employment framework
Saudi Arabia: Nitaqat restructured as Nitaqat Mutawar, with band minimums calculated from activity and headcountIn force1 December 2021Handled inside Teamed's Saudi employment framework
UAE: Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 (the UAE Labour Law) comes into force, replacing Federal Law No. 8 of 1980 and allowing only fixed-term contractsIn force2 February 2022Contracts, notice and termination run under the 2021 Labour Law by Teamed as the legal employer
Bahrain: Law No. 14 of 2022 raises social insurance contributions for Bahrainis (employer share from 11% rising 1 point a year to 17%, employee 7%) and provides for a new end-of-service system for non-BahrainisIn force18 April 2022 (issued)Rising employer contribution rates applied in Teamed's Bahrain payroll each year
Qatar: Law No. 22 of 2021 on healthcare services takes effect, making health insurance compulsory for expatriates, with premiums for workers paid by the employerIn force4 May 2022Health insurance premiums paid by Teamed for expatriate staff in Qatar
UAE: Emiratisation contributions begin for companies with 50 or more workers that missed their target, at AED 6,000 a month per unfilled post, rising AED 1,000 a year until 2026In forceJanuary 2023Emiratisation tier and skilled-job count tracked for the legal employer
UAE: subscription to the Involuntary Loss of Employment (ILOE) unemployment insurance scheme starts, at AED 5 or AED 10 a month depending on basic salaryIn force1 January 2023ILOE subscription checked for each eligible employee
Qatar: Social Insurance Law No. 1 of 2022 takes effect for Qatari nationals, at 21% of salary (7% employee, 14% employer)In force3 January 2023Handled inside Teamed's Qatar employment framework
Oman: Social Protection Law issued by Royal Decree 52/2023, creating the 9% savings system that will replace the expatriate gratuityIn force19 July 2023Social Protection Fund registration and contributions run by Teamed as the legal employer
Oman: new Labour Law issued by Royal Decree 53/2023, repealing the 2003 law (3-month probation cap, 30 days' leave, gratuity of one basic wage a year)In force25 July 2023Contracts, probation, notice and gratuity applied under the 2023 Labour Law
UAE: Federal Decree-Law No. 57 of 2023 sets pension contributions of 26% (11% employee, 15% employer) for UAE nationals first joining the labour market from this dateIn force31 October 2023Pension rate set per UAE national by start date and emirate
Bahrain: Prime Minister's Decision No. 109 of 2023 issues the end-of-service system for non-Bahraini private sector workersIn force12 December 2023Wage data for expatriate staff filed with the SIO
Oman: Social Protection Law comes into force for its main branches, including 11% employer and 7.5% employee pension contributions for OmanisIn force1 January 2024Pension and insurance contributions for Omani staff paid through Teamed payroll
Bahrain: employers start paying the SIO monthly end-of-service contributions for non-Bahraini workers, 4.2% of wage for years 1 to 3 and 8.4% afterIn force1 March 2024Monthly SIO end-of-service contributions paid by Teamed as the legal employer
Saudi Arabia: New Social Insurance Law takes effect for first-time contributorsIn force3 July 2024Handled inside Teamed's Saudi employment framework
Oman: maternity leave insurance branch comes into force, with a 1% employer contribution for Omani workersIn force19 July 2024Maternity leave insurance contribution added to Omani payroll
Saudi Arabia: Cabinet approves Labor Law amendments (Decision No. 117): 38 articles revised, 7 removed, 2 addedIn force6 August 2024Handled inside Teamed's Saudi employment framework
Bahrain: Decree-Law No. 12 of 2024 sets settlement amounts for work permit offences (BHD 500, BHD 1,000 on repeat; BHD 100 to 300 for use within 30 days after a permit expires)In force27 August 2024 (issued)Work permits renewed before expiry by Teamed as the legal employer
Kuwait: Decree-Law No. 114 of 2024 on the residence of foreigners replaces Decree No. 17 of 1959In force28 November 2024Handled inside Teamed's Kuwait employment framework
UAE: companies with 20 to 49 employees in 14 named sectors must employ at least one UAE nationalIn forceEnd of 2024Sector and headcount checked to see whether the 20 to 49 rule applies
UAE: AED 96,000 contribution charged to in-scope companies with 20 to 49 employees that did not hire one UAE national in 2024In forceJanuary 2025Emirati hires planned ahead of each year-end check
UAE: employers must buy health insurance before applying for or renewing residence permits for private sector employees and domestic workers, extending mandatory cover to the northern emiratesIn force1 January 2025Health cover in place before every visa application or renewal
Saudi Arabia: Labor Law amendments come into force: split notice periods, resignation procedure, 180-day probation cap, 12 weeks' maternity leaveIn force19 February 2025Handled inside Teamed's Saudi employment framework
Saudi Arabia: Wage protection files on Mudad limited to the previous month (30 days, down from 60)In force1 March 2025Handled inside Teamed's Saudi employment framework
UAE: ADGM Employment Regulations 2024 come into force, repealing the Employment Regulations 2019In force1 April 2025ADGM contracts written to the 2024 Regulations
Qatar: Law No. 12 of 2024 on localising private-sector jobs takes effect, with vacancy reporting within a monthIn force17 April 2025Handled inside Teamed's Qatar employment framework
Saudi Arabia: First 0.5 point annual increase in pension contributions for new-system contributorsIn force1 July 2025Handled inside Teamed's Saudi employment framework
Oman: Royal Decree 60/2025 postpones the expatriate savings system, the sick leave branch and work injury cover for non-Omani workersIn force13 July 2025Revised start dates tracked so gratuity keeps accruing until the savings system begins
Bahrain: LMRA launches the enhanced Wage Protection System; its mandatory date is still to be announcedExpected21 October 2025Monthly salary files run through the Wage Protection System by Teamed
UAE: companies with 20 to 49 employees in the 14 named sectors must have employed a second UAE nationalIn forceEnd of 2025Second Emirati hire tracked for in-scope smaller employers
UAE: AED 108,000 contribution charged to in-scope companies with 20 to 49 employees that did not have two UAE nationals in 2025In forceJanuary 2026Shortfalls flagged before the January charge
Saudi Arabia: Saudization of marketing and sales professions raised to 60% (decisions dated 19 January 2026, applied three months after announcement)In force19 January 2026Handled inside Teamed's Saudi employment framework
Saudi Arabia: New three-year phase of Nitaqat Mutawar announced, targeting more than 340,000 additional jobs for SaudisIn force19 February 2026Handled inside Teamed's Saudi employment framework
Saudi Arabia: 69 more administrative support professions subject to 100% SaudizationIn force5 April 2026Handled inside Teamed's Saudi employment framework
Saudi Arabia: Nitaqat Saudization rates calculated only from contracts documented on QiwaIn force15 April 2026Handled inside Teamed's Saudi employment framework
Saudi Arabia: Saudization of 12 procurement professions raised to 70%In force31 May 2026Handled inside Teamed's Saudi employment framework
UAE: half of a private healthcare facility's annual 2% Emiratisation target must now be specialised healthcare roles; compliance assessed from the start of 2027In force16 June 2026Healthcare split applied for private healthcare employers
Qatar: Law No. 9 of 2026 amends the Labour Law, allowing non-competes of up to two years with Ministry approval and taking part-time and freelance work outside the lawIn force25 June 2026 (published)Handled inside Teamed's Qatar employment framework
Saudi Arabia: Saudization of 46 engineering professions raised to 30%In force30 June 2026Handled inside Teamed's Saudi employment framework
UAE: first-half 2026 deadline for companies with 50 or more workers to add 1% UAE nationals in skilled jobsIn force30 June 2026Half-year Emiratisation milestone tracked
UAE: MoHRE starts charging AED 10,000 a month (AED 120,000 a year) for each Emiratisation position left unfilledIn force1 July 2026Unfilled positions flagged before the contribution applies
Oman: sick leave and extraordinary leave insurance branch in force, with a 1% employer contributionIn force19 July 2026New employer contribution added to Omani payroll
Qatar: monthly wages fall due on the 1st and must be paid through the Wage Protection System within seven daysIn force8 September 2026Handled inside Teamed's Qatar employment framework
UAE: second-half 2026 Emiratisation target due, completing the 2% annual rise and a cumulative increase of 10 percentage points since 2022Confirmed dateBy the end of 2026Year-end Emiratisation position checked for the legal employer
Saudi Arabia: Saudization of project management professions rises to 70%Confirmed date14 February 2027Handled inside Teamed's Saudi employment framework
Oman: 9% savings system replaces the end-of-service gratuity for non-Omani workers, on a date the Social Protection Fund's board setsExpectedBy 19 July 2027 at the latestExpatriate staff moved from accrued gratuity to monthly savings contributions
Oman: work injury and occupational disease insurance branch applies to non-Omani workersConfirmed date19 July 2028Work injury contributions for expatriate staff added when the branch applies
UAE: employers must convert unlimited-term contracts to fixed-term contracts within one year of the Labour Law taking effect; the Minister may extend this period (Article 68)In forceWithin one year of 2 February 2022All Teamed UAE contracts issued as fixed-term contracts

How to read this

Status reflects whether a measure is already in force, has a confirmed commencement date, has only an expected timeframe, or is still under consultation. Each row links to the full topic page. This page is reviewed regularly and figures are checked against primary sources on the dates shown.

A note from Teamed

Every one of these changes lands on your contracts, policies or payroll eventually. When Teamed is your legal employer in the Gulf, we track the changes and update what you need, when it actually commences, so a new obligation is never your problem to catch.

Teamed Legal Operations
Talk to an expertRead the Gulf employment law guide
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