Plan leave dates, pay, cover and travel responsibility before booking. Annual leave, travel accompanying the employer and return travel after termination are different situations. Do not assume that they have identical ticket or immigration rules.
The domestic-worker law provides at least thirty days of annual leave for each year. For service exceeding six months but less than one year, entitlement is two days per month. Leave wages must be paid before leave. Federal Decree-Law 9/2022, Article 10
Agree the dates and household cover
The employer determines the annual-leave date and may divide the leave into no more than two periods where necessary. Prepare a plan for duties during absence rather than expecting the worker to remain available throughout leave. Federal Decree-Law 9/2022, Article 10
If the worker is required to work during leave and the leave is not carried forward, Article 10 provides for wages plus a leave allowance equal to the wage for the leave days worked. The worker must not be required to work during annual leave more than once in two consecutive years. Legally prescribed holidays falling within annual leave count as part of that leave. Federal Decree-Law 9/2022, Article 10
If employment expires or ends with unused annual leave, the law provides a cash equivalent based on the worker's last wage. Do not automatically replace that basis with “basic wage” from an older guide or use a monthly agency service price as the worker's wage. Federal Decree-Law 9/2022, Article 10
Understand the ticket obligation
For annual leave in the worker's home country, the law provides a return ticket once every two years. Where the parties agree termination or non-renewal after annual leave, it provides a one-way ticket. These conditions should be read together; they do not establish a free return ticket for every trip or every year. Federal Decree-Law 9/2022, Article 10
Ticket responsibility after other termination situations is governed by the reason and relevant arrangement. If the employer ends employment for a reason not attributable to the worker, Article 20 addresses the employer's return-cost obligation and financial dues. Other situations have different rules. A lawful transfer to another job also has specific consequences under Article 21. Federal Decree-Law 9/2022, Article 20 Federal Decree-Law 9/2022, Article 21
If the worker travels with the family
The law states that where a worker accompanies the employer or family abroad, the contractual obligations remain binding unless the law of the country concerned provides otherwise. A UAE residence document does not establish entry or work permission in another country. Check the destination's official requirements for the actual travel purpose before booking. Federal Decree-Law 9/2022, Article 3
Agree the trip's work scope, accommodation, rest and communication arrangements. Do not assume that accompanying the family is the same as the worker taking annual leave.
Use a pre-travel checklist
| Item | What to confirm |
|---|---|
| Type of absence | Annual leave, employer-accompanied travel or termination return |
| Dates and leave balance | Agreed dates and the entitlement being used |
| Pay | Leave wages paid before leave and any other lawful dues |
| Ticket | Applicable payer and whether the law provides return or one-way travel |
| Documents | Current passport, UAE status and destination-specific official requirements |
| Household cover | Lawful alternative arrangements during absence |
| Return or end of employment | Whether the worker resumes work, renews, transfers or leaves permanently |
The worker retains their identification documents. Assistance with booking or applications does not justify keeping the passport as security. Federal Decree-Law 9/2022, Article 11
Hypothetical example: A family plans a worker's home-country annual leave and a separate family holiday. It records the two situations separately and checks the applicable obligations for each. The leave plan and the family-trip plan each need their own arrangements.
For an agency service, confirm how the beneficiary's coverage and charges are handled during leave; do not infer those commercial terms from the employment law. Contact INAYA to confirm the support available for your case, applicable requirements and fees.