Your employment contract: the clauses to read first
What to look for in a Gulf employment contract — pay, housing, hours, flights and end-of-service.
The contract is the only thing that protects you in a dispute. Spoken promises count for nothing once there is disagreement. Read before signing, and keep a signed copy of your own.
Pay: one clear number
Pay must appear as a figure and a currency. Note the difference between basic and total pay. Some contracts set a low basic and add allowances, which matters because end-of-service is often calculated on the basic. Ask what actually reaches your hand at month end.
Housing and transport: whose cost?
These two clauses change the value of an offer completely. Lower pay with housing and transport provided can beat higher pay you then spend on rent and travel. Make sure the contract states them, not just a verbal promise.
Hours and leave
Look for daily and weekly hours, the rest day, and annual leave and whether it is paid. Ask about overtime too: is it counted, and how?
Flights
Who pays for the flight out, for leave, and for the final return? It is the clause most often forgotten and the one that causes painful arguments two years later.
Contract length and probation
How long does the contract run? Is there a probation period, and how long? What happens if you want to resign before it ends? Know the answers before signing, not after.
End-of-service
Gulf labour laws provide an end-of-service benefit based on length of service. Read what your contract says, and keep evidence of your start date.
General rules that protect you
- Never sign a blank page or one in a language you cannot read. Ask for a version you understand.
- Keep your copy and photograph it on your phone.
- Photograph your passport and residence permit and store the images safely.
- Nobody has the right to hold your passport.
In a dispute, the country’s labour authority is the reference and has channels for complaints. Learn its name and how to reach it on day one, not when trouble starts.
Three numbers to write on a piece of paper before you sign
The basic wage, the housing allowance, and the transport allowance. In Saudi Arabia the fixed part of that sum is what the end-of-service award turns on. In the UAE the basic alone is the Article 51 figure. Then match the paper to the screen: in Saudi Arabia before you accept on Qiwa, and in the UAE the ministry contract. Signing the paper and accepting a different screen is two contracts, and the registered one is the one asked about in a dispute.
Sources
Rules and fees change and differ by country and employer. Always check with the official authorities before paying or signing anything.