Labour Ban Check UAE: Check, Rules and Removal

A labour ban in the UAE is a one-year block on getting a new work permit from the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE). Under the current labour law it applies mainly when a worker leaves during probation without following the notice rules, when a work abandonment (absconding) report is proven, or when a permit at a fictitious company is cancelled. The old automatic six-month ban no longer exists. To check a labour ban, call MOHRE on 600 590000 or check your work permit status in the MOHRE app or website, where a ban shows on your record.

Do this next to check or avoid a labour ban

• Call MOHRE on 600 590000 with your Emirates ID or passport details and ask whether a ban is on your file.
• Check your work permit details in the MOHRE app with UAE PASS.
• Still on probation? Give written notice: one month to move to another UAE employer, 14 days to leave the country.
• Facing an abandonment report? File a complaint with MOHRE quickly with your evidence.

When does a labour ban apply?

Situation	Ban	Legal basis
You leave the UAE during probation without giving the required notice	No work permit for 1 year from the date you leave	Article 9 of Federal Decree-Law 33 of 2021
You end the contract during probation and the employer did not breach its obligations	1 year from departure	Ministerial Resolution 47 of 2022, Article 8
A work abandonment report against you is proven	1 year	Article 50 of the labour law and Resolution 47 of 2022
You leave work for an illegitimate reason before the contract ends	1 year from the date of absence	Article 50 of the labour law
Your work permit at a fictitious establishment is cancelled	1 year	MOHRE rules on fictitious companies
You resign after probation with proper notice	No ban	Notice served under the contract
Your employer ends your contract	No ban, unless one of the cases above applies	Termination rules of the labour law

Article 50 also lets MOHRE exclude some job categories, skill levels or workers from the absence ban under the implementing regulation, so the ban is not automatic for everyone. Employers must report an absence to MOHRE through the official procedure; they cannot impose a ban themselves.

How to check a labour ban

By phone

Call the MOHRE call centre on 600 590000 and give your Emirates ID, passport number or labour card details. The agent can tell you whether a ban or abandonment report is on your file and when it ends.

MOHRE app or website

1. Download the MOHRE app or open mohre.gov.ae and log in with UAE PASS.
2. Open your work permit or labour card details, or the enquiry services.
3. Check the permit status and any notes such as a ban, a cancellation with ban or an abandonment report.

Our guide on how to find your labour card number helps if MOHRE asks for it.

Through a new employer or typing centre

A ban also appears when a new employer or a Tasheel or Tawjeeh centre applies for your work permit, because MOHRE rejects the application. Ask them to check your record before you resign from your current job.

Labour ban vs travel ban vs immigration ban

Ban	Who imposes it	What it stops	How to check
Labour ban	MOHRE	Getting a new work permit	MOHRE app, website or 600 590000
Travel ban	Courts, police or prosecution	Leaving the UAE	Police and court services
Immigration or entry ban	ICP or GDRFA	Entering or getting a visa	ICP or GDRFA

A labour ban does not stop you from travelling or visiting the UAE on a tourist visa. A proven abandonment report, however, can also lead to an immigration ban and affect future visas. Check those with our travel ban check and absconding status check.

Probation rules that prevent a labour ban

Most bans today come from leaving during probation without notice. Article 9 of the labour law sets these rules:

• Probation can last up to 6 months and can only be applied once with the same employer.
• Employer ends probation: at least 14 days’ written notice to the worker.
• Worker moves to another UAE employer: at least one month’s written notice, and the new employer compensates the original employer for recruitment costs unless agreed otherwise.
• Worker leaves the UAE: at least 14 days’ written notice. If the worker comes back within 3 months for a new job, the new employer pays the compensation.
• Leaving without following these rules: the foreign worker is not granted a work permit for one year from leaving the UAE, and the party who breaks the rules owes wages for the notice period.

How to remove or contest a labour ban

1. Confirm the reason with MOHRE: probation exit, abandonment report or company cancellation.
2. Contest an unfair abandonment report: file a complaint with MOHRE with evidence that you were not absent, such as attendance records, emails, a resignation letter or proof the employer stopped paying you. If the report is not proven, the ban should not apply.
3. Submit a grievance to MOHRE with supporting documents if you believe the ban is wrong, for example if your employer breached the contract during probation.
4. Ask about exemptions: MOHRE can exclude certain job categories and skill levels, so ask whether your profession qualifies.
5. Wait for expiry: a labour ban lifts automatically when the one-year period ends.

If the dispute is about unpaid wages or arbitrary dismissal, MOHRE first tries to settle it, then refers it to the labour court. Keep copies of your contract, payslips and messages.

Before you resign: a checklist

• Check whether you are still on probation and give the right written notice.
• Get your resignation acknowledged in writing or through MOHRE.
• Do not stop going to work before your last day, to avoid an absence report.
• Understand your notice and end-of-service rights; see our guide to Article 120 of the UAE labour law.
• After cancellation, check your grace period and read our employment visa cancellation guide.

Official sources: Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 on regulation of employment relationships (Articles 9 and 50), the UAE government’s terminating employment contracts page and MOHRE. This guide is general information, not legal advice.

This guide is part of our UAE Visa and Emirates ID Guide.