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    Annual leave and flight tickets for your helper

    A domestic worker is entitled to at least 30 days' paid annual leave for each year of service, under Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2022. If a domestic worker spends annual leave in their home country, the employer pays for a return ticket once every two years.

    MaidMatch team · Last reviewed 30 Sep 2026 · 10 min read

    Key takeaways

    • A domestic worker is entitled to at least 30 days' paid annual leave for each year of service. Under the Domestic Workers Decree-Law, a domestic worker's annual leave is paid in full before the worker leaves.
    • If a domestic worker spends annual leave in their home country, the employer pays for a return ticket once every two years. Her flight home at the end of the contract falls under a separate rule.
    • Under the Domestic Workers Decree-Law, a domestic worker is entitled to 30 days' sick leave for each year of service, taken at once or in parts, with a medical report from an approved health authority, and the first 15 days are on full pay. Texts from MOHRE, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, disagree about pay for the remaining days, so we don't quote it.
    • When a domestic worker's contract ends, unused annual leave is paid in cash, based on the last wage. When a domestic worker's contract expires, the employer must pay the worker's dues within 10 days.
    • Before she books a trip home, check her permit's renewal date and, if she is Filipina, what she needs to leave the Philippines again.

    The UAE's domestic worker law, Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2022, sets the rules for leave and flight tickets. A domestic worker is entitled to at least 30 days' paid annual leave for each year of service. If a domestic worker spends annual leave in their home country, the employer pays for a return ticket once every two years.

    MOHRE, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, publishes the Decree-Law in English (opens in a new tab), in a version it describes as a third-party translation. Its Executive Regulations, which set out more detail, are Cabinet Resolution No. 106 of 2022. Below are the details as they stood in September 2026: leave in the first year, when she takes it and how it is paid, what to check before she travels, her sick leave, and what happens to her leave and tickets when the contract ends.

    How much annual leave does a maid get in the UAE?

    A domestic worker is entitled to at least 30 days' paid annual leave for each year of service, under Article 10 of the Decree-Law. Before she completes a year, a separate rule applies. Under the Domestic Workers Decree-Law, a domestic worker with more than six months' but less than a year's service is entitled to 2 days' annual leave for each month of service.

    MOHRE's employer guide gives these examples of a domestic worker's annual leave: 16 days for 8 months' service, 30 days for a year and 35 days for 14 months. We found no official page that says what is owed for six months' service or less, so if her contract ends before then, ask MOHRE on 600 590000 what applies.

    Public holidays that fall inside her leave follow a rule of their own. Under the Domestic Workers Decree-Law, public holidays that fall during a domestic worker's annual leave count as leave days. Whether she gets public holidays off at other times is covered in our guide to her day off, working hours and public holidays.

    The rights in the Domestic Workers Decree-Law are minimums: better terms in a contract or another law prevail, and any term that is worse for the worker is void. So her contract can give her more leave than the Decree-Law does. Our guide to the domestic worker contract covers how leave is written into it.

    When can your helper take her annual leave?

    The Decree-Law gives you, the employer, the say on timing. Under the Domestic Workers Decree-Law, the employer may decide when a domestic worker's annual leave starts, and may split it into two parts.

    In practice, it works best when you agree the dates together and well ahead, so she can book her flights and you can plan for the weeks she is away. Before you settle on dates, check her permit's renewal date and, if she is Filipina, her exit clearance (both are covered below).

    Tip

    Put each leave in writing

    When you agree her leave, write down the dates, the day she is due back, the leave pay and when you pay it, and whether the trip uses her ticket home. Both of you sign it. It shows when her next ticket is due, and it is your record if questions come up later.

    Do you pay your helper during her annual leave?

    Yes: it is paid leave, and the Decree-Law also covers when it is paid. Under the Domestic Workers Decree-Law, a domestic worker's annual leave is paid in full before the worker leaves. If you're unsure what that means for when you pay her, ask MOHRE on 600 590000.

    Keep proof of the payment, as the Decree-Law requires for her wages. Payment of a domestic worker's wages must be proven by a written receipt or another method MOHRE approves.

    Can you pay her instead of giving her leave?

    The Decree-Law's rule is for leave she has to work through. Under the Domestic Workers Decree-Law, if a domestic worker has to work during annual leave and the leave is not carried over, the employer pays the normal wage plus cash in lieu of those leave days, and this may not happen more than once in two consecutive years.

    We found no official page on paying her instead of her leave in any other case, so plan for her to take her leave each year. If she can't take all of it, ask MOHRE on 600 590000 what applies before you agree anything with her. Leave that is still unused when the contract ends has its own rule, in the last section below.

    Who pays for your helper's flight ticket home?

    In general you do, under the Decree-Law. It has two separate rules: one for her trips home on leave, and one for her flight home at the end of the contract, which has exceptions. Those exceptions depend partly on probation, the trial period at the start of the job.

    Who pays for her flights, as of September 2026. The rules are in Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2022: Art. 10(4) for the leave ticket, and Arts. 5(9), 11(15), 20 and 21 for the flight home at the end.
    Which flightWhat the Decree-Law says
    Her trip home on annual leaveIf a domestic worker spends annual leave in their home country, the employer pays for a return ticket once every two years.
    Her flight home when the contract endsThe employer pays for a domestic worker's flight home, except that the agency pays when an agency-recruited worker is returned, a directly recruited worker who quits after probation without a valid reason pays their own unless they cannot, and the original employer does not pay when the worker moves to a new employer.

    We found no official page that says how these rules apply when the contract ends for her breach, or after she stops coming to work; ask MOHRE on 600 590000.

    The leave-ticket rule leaves some questions open, so agree the details with her in writing:

    • Where she spends her leave. The rule is tied to her spending the leave in her home country. We found no official page on what is owed if she spends it somewhere else.
    • The fare and the class of travel. We found no official page that sets either, or that says whether you can pay the ticket's value in cash instead.
    • Ending the contract after her leave. The Decree-Law also covers a contract that you both agree to end after her leave, but MOHRE's English translation is unclear about which ticket you pay for then. Check with MOHRE on 600 590000 before you agree.

    For the flight home at the end of the contract, and the rest of her final dues, see our guide to final dues, the flight home and gratuity.

    What should you check before she travels home?

    Three things: her permit's renewal date, her exit clearance if she is Filipina, and who will help at home while she is away.

    Her permit's renewal date

    If her permit is due for renewal around her leave, time the trip with care. MOHRE's conditions for renewing a domestic worker's employment contract include that the worker is inside the UAE, with a passport valid for at least three months, a valid medical fitness result, a medical insurance policy and an Emirates ID renewal application.

    So make sure she is back well before the expiry date. If her plans change and she can't be back in time, call MOHRE on 600 590000 before the date. Our maid visa renewal guide has the steps.

    If she is Filipina

    A Filipino worker needs an exit clearance, such as an Overseas Employment Certificate, to leave the Philippines. MWO Dubai is the Philippines' Migrant Workers Office in Dubai, and DMW is its Department of Migrant Workers. MWO Dubai's page says DMW's Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC) exemption for returning Filipino workers is only for a worker going back to the same employer, with the same company name or sponsor, jobsite and position, and that a worker whose details differ is redirected to set an appointment.

    So if her employer, position or place of work has changed, for example because she moved to you from another family, ask MWO Dubai what she needs before she books her flights. MWO Dubai serves Dubai and the northern emirates; if you live in Abu Dhabi, check with the Philippine Embassy. Our guide to hiring a Filipino helper has more.

    Help at home while she is away

    Don't ask another family's helper to cover for her. Under the Domestic Workers Decree-Law, a domestic worker may not work for anyone other than their employer, except as its Executive Regulations or MOHRE decisions allow. We found no official page that lists those exceptions. The Decree-Law also sets a penalty. Employing a domestic worker without a work permit for that job is punishable by a fine of AED 50,000 to AED 200,000.

    Our guide to own-visa, visit-visa and part-time help explains what is legal.

    How much sick leave does a domestic worker get?

    Under the Domestic Workers Decree-Law, a domestic worker is entitled to 30 days' sick leave for each year of service, taken at once or in parts, with a medical report from an approved health authority, and the first 15 days are on full pay. MOHRE's own texts disagree about pay for the remaining days, so we don't quote it. Ask MOHRE on 600 590000 before you work out her pay for them.

    What about maternity or other leave?

    The Domestic Workers Decree-Law provides for annual leave and sick leave, and has no provision for maternity, parental, bereavement or study leave. We couldn't read its Executive Regulations in their official form, so we can't say whether they add any. If one of these situations comes up, ask MOHRE on 600 590000 before you agree anything, and put what you agree in writing.

    What happens to unused leave when her contract ends?

    It is paid out in cash, under the Decree-Law. When a domestic worker's contract ends, unused annual leave is paid in cash, based on the last wage. If the contract expires, a deadline applies. When a domestic worker's contract expires, the employer must pay the worker's dues within 10 days. We found no official page that sets one when a contract ends in another way, so ask MOHRE on 600 590000.

    Gratuity is the open question. The Domestic Workers Decree-Law (No. 9 of 2022) does not itself set an end-of-service gratuity; Article 22 leaves the rules to the Cabinet. As of September 2026, we found no Cabinet decision that sets those rules, so we don't quote a formula or a figure. Our guide to final dues, the flight home and gratuity covers the whole settlement.

    If you and she can't agree about her leave, a ticket or what she is owed, the law says where to go first. Under the Domestic Workers Decree-Law as amended, a dispute between a domestic worker and an employer that cannot be settled amicably must go to MOHRE first. Our employer's checklist to the domestic worker law covers the rest of your duties.

    If she is going home for good, start looking early. Most helpers listed on MaidMatch are already in the UAE and ready to work. MaidMatch is a free platform for families: they can browse every profile at no cost, with no registration or subscription required. Families contact helpers directly on WhatsApp, through the Hire button on each profile.

    Filter by nationality and live-in or live-out, sort by salary, and watch video CVs before you get in touch.

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    Frequently asked questions

    How many days of annual leave does a maid get in the UAE?

    A domestic worker is entitled to at least 30 days' paid annual leave for each year of service, under Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2022. Under the Domestic Workers Decree-Law, a domestic worker with more than six months' but less than a year's service is entitled to 2 days' annual leave for each month of service. The Decree-Law sets a minimum, so her contract can give her more. We found no official page on six months' service or less; ask MOHRE on 600 590000 if that applies.

    Do I have to pay for my maid's ticket home every year?

    Not under the Decree-Law. If a domestic worker spends annual leave in their home country, the employer pays for a return ticket once every two years. That is a minimum, and her contract can give her more. We found no official page that sets the fare or the class of travel, or says whether you can pay the ticket's value in cash instead, so agree the details in writing and ask MOHRE on 600 590000 if you are unsure.

    When do I pay my maid's annual leave?

    Under the Domestic Workers Decree-Law, a domestic worker's annual leave is paid in full before the worker leaves. We found no official page that says more about the timing, so if you're unsure what it means for when you pay her, ask MOHRE on 600 590000. Keep proof of the payment, as the Decree-Law requires for her wages. Payment of a domestic worker's wages must be proven by a written receipt or another method MOHRE approves.

    Can I pay my maid instead of giving her annual leave?

    The Decree-Law's rule is for leave she has to work through. Under the Domestic Workers Decree-Law, if a domestic worker has to work during annual leave and the leave is not carried over, the employer pays the normal wage plus cash in lieu of those leave days, and this may not happen more than once in two consecutive years. When the contract ends, a separate rule applies. When a domestic worker's contract ends, unused annual leave is paid in cash, based on the last wage. We found no official page on other cases; ask MOHRE on 600 590000.

    Is sick leave paid for a maid in the UAE?

    Yes, at least in part. Under the Domestic Workers Decree-Law, a domestic worker is entitled to 30 days' sick leave for each year of service, taken at once or in parts, with a medical report from an approved health authority, and the first 15 days are on full pay. MOHRE's own texts disagree about pay for the remaining days, so we don't quote it. Ask MOHRE on 600 590000 before you work out her pay for them.

    Does a domestic worker get maternity leave in the UAE?

    Not under the Decree-Law's own text. The Domestic Workers Decree-Law provides for annual leave and sick leave, and has no provision for maternity, parental, bereavement or study leave. We couldn't read its Executive Regulations in their official form, so we can't say whether they add any. If this comes up, ask MOHRE on 600 590000 before you agree anything, and put what you agree in writing.

    What if my helper doesn't come back after her leave?

    Try to reach her first: flights change, and families have emergencies. Note the date she was due back and each attempt you make. Under the Domestic Workers Decree-Law, an employer must notify MOHRE within five days if a domestic worker abandons work. We found no official page that says whether staying abroad after leave counts as abandoning work, or how families file the report, so ask MOHRE on 600 590000 as soon as you can. Our guide to when your helper stops coming to work has the next steps.

    Sources

    General information, not legal advice. Last checked 29 Sep 2026.

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