Key takeaways
- Friday 28 August was a paid public holiday for the private sector as well as federal government — moved from the 25th under the holiday transfer rule, producing a three-day weekend.
- MoHRE issued a fresh advisory on 24 August telling employers to use licensed domestic worker recruitment offices only, on the back of 135 fines against 42 offices in H1 2026.
- Dubai Police published a visa and job scam checklist on 25 August, including how to verify an offer letter by reference number on the MoHRE website.
- 1 September carries two separate deadlines: August salaries must be through WPS, and MoHRE’s health insurance consultation closes.
- The midday break runs until 15 September. It is still live, and it still carries AED 5,000 per worker.
A short working week, because of the holiday, but not a quiet one. Four things happened between 24 and 30 August that change what a UAE employer should be doing this week — and one of them is a payroll deadline that lands the day after a long weekend, which is exactly how salaries end up late.
This is a news roundup, not a how-to. Where a topic has a full guide behind it, we link rather than repeat.
1. The 28 August holiday applied to the private sector, not just government
The UAE Government Media Office confirmed Friday 28 August 2026 as a paid public holiday for employees in the federal government and the private sector, marking the birthday of Prophet Muhammad (Mawlid Al Nabawi).
The Gregorian date of the occasion fell on Tuesday 25 August. The holiday was set for Friday the 28th under legislation effective 1 January 2025 that allows certain public holidays to be shifted to the beginning or the end of the week. Eid Al Fitr and Eid Al Adha are excluded from that transfer mechanism.
For staff on the standard Saturday–Sunday weekend, that produced a three-day break from Friday 28 to Sunday 30 August, with a return to work on Monday 31 August.
What employers actually needed to get right
It is a paid day
Public holidays are paid leave under the Labour Law. They are not deducted from the employee’s annual leave balance — see annual leave entitlement in the UAE.
If staff worked the holiday
An employee required to work on a public holiday is entitled to a compensating day off, or to the day’s pay plus an uplift of 50 per cent of basic wage. Whichever route you take, record it.
Some emirates announced separately
Individual emirates issued their own circulars for local government employees, with their own exemptions for essential services. Those circulars do not change the federal private-sector position.
2. MoHRE warned employers off unlicensed domestic worker agencies
On 24 August, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation issued an advisory urging employers to deal only with licensed domestic worker recruitment offices. Its stated reasoning: unlicensed recruiters expose households to financial, security and health risks, and using one forfeits the protections that the Domestic Workers Law attaches to the regulated route.
This did not come out of nowhere. On 27 July the Ministry confirmed it had fined 42 recruitment offices for 135 legal and administrative violations in the first half of 2026.
| Violation type, H1 2026 | Count |
|---|---|
| Failure to refund recruitment fees within the legal period | 106 |
| Failure to comply with approved recruitment terms and procedures | 29 |
| Total fines issued | 135 |
| Offices penalised | 42 |
| Licensed offices operating in the UAE | 138 |
More than three quarters of the enforcement in the sector is about one thing: agencies not returning money on time. The regulations require the refund within two weeks of a domestic worker being returned to the office or reported as having stopped working.
What the licensed route gives you
| Package | What it includes |
|---|---|
| Traditional | Replacement or reimbursement within the first six months if the worker terminates without legitimate reason, leaves without acceptable reason, is medically unfit, or cannot perform the agreed duties |
| Temporary | A trained worker provided within 24 hours, remaining registered with the office for a two-year contractual period |
| Flexible | Hiring by the hour, day, week or month, with unlimited replacements and a worker provided within 24 hours |
The refund and guarantee obligations apply to the agency’s recruitment service. Where an employer directly recruits a named domestic worker without using that service, the guarantee framework does not apply and the employer carries the risk alone.
The advisory also restated the sponsor’s side of the bargain: wages paid on time through the Wage Protection System, suitable accommodation and healthcare, and the leave and employment rights set out in law. If you sponsor domestic staff, see maid and domestic worker visas in Dubai.
3. Dubai Police published a scam checklist worth forwarding to every new hire
On Tuesday 25 August, Dubai Police renewed its warning about online fraudsters selling fake jobs and visas for cash, often using the names of unlicensed companies or posing as official bodies. The warning came through the force’s anti-fraud centre as part of its Be Aware of Fraud campaign.
The practical value is in the verification steps the police published, which are the same checks a competent PRO would run:
1. Demand the MoHRE offer letter
A legitimate UAE job offer comes with an offer letter issued by MoHRE and signed by the authorised manager. No offer letter, no offer.
2. Verify it by reference number
The offer letter’s reference number can be checked through the application status inquiry service on the MoHRE website. This is the step almost nobody takes.
3. Expect an electronic entry permit next
Once the offer letter is signed, the employer sends an electronic entry permit for employment. That is the document that lets the person enter for work — see employment visa processing in Dubai.
4. Check the permit is real
Permits issued in Dubai are verified on the GDRFA website. Permits from Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah or Fujairah are verified on the ICP eChannels platform.
5. Check the company exists
Search the employer’s English and Arabic names on the National Economic Register.
A visit or tourist visa does not confer the right to work. Working on one produces fines and legal liability for the individual.
Recruitment costs are the employer’s. Under the Labour Law, employers bear recruitment expenses. Anyone asking a candidate for money to secure a job is, on that fact alone, outside the law.
Residency cannot be processed for someone outside the country. The applicant must enter on a valid entry permit and remain in the UAE until the residence visa is issued. Any offer to arrange residency while the person sits abroad is a scam.
For employment contract and recruitment enquiries, Dubai Police directed people to MoHRE on 00971 6 802 7666, by email at ask@mohre.gov.ae, or through its live chat. Fraud itself is reported to Dubai Police through the smart app, the eCrime platform, or by calling 901.
4. Two deadlines land together on 1 September
| Deadline | What is due | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| 1 September | August salaries paid through WPS | All private sector establishments registered with MoHRE |
| 1 September | MoHRE health insurance consultation closes | Employers and workers who want a say |
| 15 September | Midday break period ends | Outdoor and direct-sunlight work |
The payroll one is the risk
Under Ministerial Resolution No. 340 of 2026, in force since 1 June 2026, wages for the previous Gregorian month must be transferred through WPS by the first day of the following month. Anything after that is treated as delayed. August wages are therefore due by Tuesday 1 September.
The 28th to the 30th was a three-day weekend. Payroll runs that would normally be instructed on the Friday or over the weekend had no banking days behind them, and 1 September falls on the Tuesday immediately after.
If your August file has not gone through, treat it as urgent rather than routine. The escalation framework under the 2026 resolution runs to work permit suspension, not just a fine. The mechanics, thresholds and penalty ladder are set out in our full WPS guide.
The consultation one is an opportunity
MoHRE’s public consultation on health insurance for private-sector employees and domestic workers closes on 1 September. It asks what employers prioritise when choosing cover — price, scope of benefits, provider network, speed of approvals — segmented by workforce size, and asks which categories of employee should be covered and what problems employers hit in practice.
This follows MoHRE’s 22 August notice setting out six specific health insurance violations, where the consequence is not only an administrative fine but the suspension, rejection or non-renewal of work permits. If insurance renewal dates and permit renewal dates are not on the same tracker in your business, that is this month’s job.
Still running in the background
Midday break, until 15 September
Now in its 22nd year, the ban on outdoor work in direct sunlight applies daily from 12.30pm to 3pm. The penalty is AED 5,000 per worker, capped at AED 50,000 where multiple workers are involved. MoHRE reported roughly 134,000 inspection visits with 51 violations recorded, so enforcement is real and compliance is high — being one of the 51 is expensive and conspicuous.
Emiratisation, toward 31 December
The year-end target for establishments with 50 or more employees remains 10 per cent, with monthly contributions accruing for every unfilled position — see Emiratisation rules and quotas.
Residency auto-cancellations, unresolved
Reports of residence visas cancelled while holders were abroad remain under investigation, with several embassies collecting data from affected nationals. No UAE authority has attributed the cancellations to a single cause. Until that is clarified, verify status before and after any employee travels, and close the loop in writing on every termination — see how to cancel an employment visa.
Not sure where your file stands after the long weekend?
Send us your establishment number. We will check your WPS position for August, your permit and insurance expiry dates, and anything sitting as a violation against the establishment — before it blocks the next transaction.
Questions from this week
Was 28 August 2026 a paid holiday for private sector staff?
Yes. The UAE Government Media Office confirmed Friday 28 August as a paid public holiday for both the federal government and the private sector, for the birthday of Prophet Muhammad.
Why was the holiday on the 28th when the occasion fell on the 25th?
Legislation effective 1 January 2025 allows certain public holidays to be moved to the beginning or end of the week. Eid Al Fitr and Eid Al Adha are excluded from that mechanism.
What if my staff worked on the public holiday?
They are entitled to a compensating day off, or to the day’s wage plus an additional 50 per cent of basic wage. Record whichever you applied.
When are August salaries due under WPS?
By 1 September 2026. Ministerial Resolution No. 340 of 2026 requires the previous month’s wages to be transferred through WPS by the first day of the following Gregorian month; payment after that is treated as delayed.
How do I check whether a UAE job offer is genuine?
Insist on a MoHRE offer letter signed by the authorised manager, then verify its reference number through the application status inquiry service on the MoHRE website. Verify the entry permit on GDRFA for Dubai or on ICP eChannels for the other emirates, and check the company on the National Economic Register.
Can an employer ask me to pay recruitment costs?
No. Employers bear recruitment expenses under the UAE Labour Law. A demand for payment in exchange for a job is a red flag in itself.
Can my residence visa be processed while I am outside the UAE?
No. Dubai Police’s guidance is explicit: applicants must enter on a valid entry permit and remain in the country until the residence visa is issued.
Is it safe to hire a maid through an agency I found on social media?
Only if that agency is one of the 138 licensed domestic worker recruitment offices. MoHRE’s 24 August advisory warns that unlicensed recruiters carry financial, security and health risks and that using one forfeits the protections of the Domestic Workers Law.
When does the midday break end?
15 September 2026. Until then, outdoor work in direct sunlight is banned daily from 12.30pm to 3pm, with a fine of AED 5,000 per worker up to a maximum of AED 50,000.
- The Basic Health Insurance Scheme — Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation
- The Midday Break — Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation
- The UAE’s law on domestic helpers — The Official Portal of the UAE Government
- Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2022 on Domestic Workers — UAE Legislation
- Employment laws and regulations in the private sector — The Official Portal of the UAE Government
- Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP)
- General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs — Dubai (GDRFA)
Reporting referenced
- Dubai Police issue warning over online visa and job scams — The National, 25 August 2026
- UAE declares paid public holiday on 28 August for the Prophet’s birthday — Gulf News
- UAE fines 42 domestic worker agencies for 135 violations in six months — Khaleej Times, 27 July 2026
- UAE identifies six health insurance violations by employers — Gulf News, 22 August 2026
- UAE outlines four cases requiring domestic worker agencies to issue refunds — Gulf News
- Midday outdoor work ban returns across the UAE for a 22nd year — Gulf News
Please note. This roundup covers 24–30 August 2026 and was compiled on 30 August 2026. Rules, fees and deadlines are set by MoHRE, ICP, GDRFA and the relevant local authorities and can change without notice. Figures and dates are taken from the official and press sources listed above; where a position is still unresolved, the article says so rather than filling the gap. Confirm your own position with the relevant authority before acting. General information, not legal advice.
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