UAE firms face fines of up to one million dirhams
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Tuko
Illustrative image · Mikael Blomkvist · Pexels · Licence PexelsThe UAE Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation has warned private companies of five labour law violations carrying fines of up to one million dirhams. The penalties include offences involving migrant workers and apply to companies operating in the UAE, Tuko reports.
Private companies in the United Arab Emirates face fines ranging from 100,000 to one million dirhams for five labour law violations, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation warned on Friday 23 October 2026. The maximum fine is equivalent to about 35 million Kenyan shillings, according to the ministry, cited by Tuko.
The violations include employing workers without valid permits, recruiting people without providing them with work, misusing permits, closing a company without resolving the legal status of its employees, and employing minors in breach of the law. The ministry said all private employers must comply with these obligations.
The warning concerns sectors that rely heavily on foreign labour, including construction, hospitality, retail, security and domestic services. Kenya is among the main countries of origin for migrant workers employed in the United Arab Emirates, where tens of thousands of Kenyans work in several sectors.
