Understanding your labour rights in the care and domestic work sector
Select a country to get started
Understanding your labour rights in the care and domestic work sector
The GCC region employs one of the largest number of migrants in the paid care work sector. Care workers provide a range of services from child and elder care, household work, cooking, gardening, driving, and in some countries even skilled work such as nursing, tailoring etc. Yet, these workers employed in what is considered an essential sector are not covered by the labour law. Instead, they are governed by the provisions of Domestic Workers’ law (except in Bahrain).
The matrix provides a country-wise guide to the laws and regulations that govern the employment of workers under the domestic workers law. Note that your specific visa category will determine whether you fall under the labour or domestic workers law.
*MRRORS references the original Arabic text of publicly available laws and regulations. If you believe you’ve found an error, please notify us at info@mrrors.org
Bahrain
Last updated September 2026
Contract
Article 19 Labour Law, 2012
Probation Period
Article 21 Labour Law, 2012
Discrimination at workplace
Article 2 Labour Law, 2012
Unions
Recruitment fees
Article 23(c) of Act No. 19 of 2006 with Regard to the Regulation of the Labour Market
Wages
Including overtime & deductions. Article 40 Labour Law, 2012; Article 3 Domestic Tripartite Workers Contract, 2012
Working hours
Including overtime & deductions. Articles 22, 27-29 Domestic Workers Law, 2025
Rest & Breaks
Sick leave & health insurance
Article 37 of Law No. 23 of 2018 Promulgating the Health Insurance Law and Labour Market Regulatory Authority, Employer Undertaking Towards the Domestic Employee
Annual leave & special leaves
Article 58 Labour Law, 2012
Summer Midday Work Ban
Accommodation
Labour Market Regulatory Authority, Employer Undertaking Towards the Domestic Employee
Termination of employment & changing jobs
Articles 99 and 112 Labour Law, 2012
End-of-service benefits
Article 116 Labour Law, 2012
Your identification documents
Pledge No 10 of Employer Undertaking Towards The Domestic Employee; Article 389. Penal Code
Oman
Last updated September 2026
Contract
Article 19 Domestic Workers Law, 2025
Probation Period
Article 20 Domestic Workers Law, 2025
Discrimination at workplace
Article 10 of Ministerial Decision 574 Domestic Workers Law, 2025
Unions
Recruitment fees
Article 7 Domestic Workers Law, 2025
Wages
Including overtime & deductions. Articles 22, 27-29 Domestic Workers Law, 2025
Working hours
Including overtime. Article 22 Domestic Workers Law, 2025
Rest & Breaks
Article 23 Domestic Workers Law, 2025
Sick leave & health insurance
Articles 16 and 24 Domestic Workers Law, 2025
Annual leave & special leaves
Articles 25 and 26 Domestic Workers Law, 2025
Summer Midday Work Ban
Accommodation
Articles 14 and 15 Domestic Workers Law, 2025; Ministerial Decision 574 Domestic Workers Law, 2025
Termination of employment & changing jobs
Chapter 5 of Ministerial Decision 574 of 2025 Issuing the Governance Regulation for the Work of Domestic Workers and Their Equivalent; Royal Oman Police Decision No. 157 of 2020 Amending Certain Provisions of the Executive Regulations of the Law on the Residence of Foreigners
End-of-service benefits
Articles 31 and 35 Domestic Workers Law, 2025
Your identification documents
Article 5 Domestic Workers Law, 2025
Important notes
Saudi Arabia
Last updated September 2026
Contract
Article 7 Domestic Workers Law, 2024
Probation Period
Article 9 Domestic Workers Law, 2024
Discrimination at workplace
Article 15(4) Domestic Workers Law, 2024; Ministerial Decision 40676/1445 Domestic Workers Law, 2024
Unions
Recruitment fees
Ministerial Decision 40676/1445 Domestic Workers Law, 2024
Wages
Including overtime & deductions. Articles 17–18 and 20 Domestic Workers Law, 2024
Working hours
Including overtime. Article 10 Domestic Workers Law, 2024
Rest & Breaks
Ministerial Decision No. 40676/1445, article 11
Sick leave & health insurance
Article 13–15 Domestic Workers Law, 2024
Annual leave & special leaves
Article 12 Domestic Workers Law, 2024
Summer Midday Work Ban
Accommodation
Article 15(8) Domestic Workers Law, 2024; Ministerial Decision 40676/1445 Domestic Workers Law, 2024
Termination of employment & changing jobs
Article 27 Domestic Workers Law, 2024; Ministerial Decision No. 605/1438, 2017, updated by MHRSD
End-of-service benefits
Article 22 Domestic Workers Law, 2024
Your identification documents
Article 15 Domestic Workers Law, 2024
Important notes
UAE
Last updated September 2026
Contract
Article 7 Domestic Workers Law, 2022
Probation Period
Article 8 Domestic Workers Law, 2022; Decree-Law 9 Domestic Workers Law, 2022
Discrimination at workplace
Article 4 Domestic Workers Law, 2022; Decree-Law 9 Domestic Workers Law, 2022
Unions
Recruitment fees
Articles 15–16 Domestic Workers Law, 2022; Decree-Law 9 Domestic Workers Law, 2022
Wages
Including overtime & deductions. Article 9(2) Domestic Workers Law, 2022; Decree-Law 9 Domestic Workers Law, 2022
Working hours
Including overtime. Article 9 Domestic Workers Law, 2022
Rest & Breaks
Articles 10 and 11 Domestic Workers Law, 2022; Cabinet Decision No. 65/2022, article 8
Sick leave & health insurance
Articles 10 and 11 Domestic Workers Law, 2022; Cabinet Decision No. 65/2022, article 8
Annual leave & special leaves
Article 10 Domestic Workers Law, 2022
Summer Midday Work Ban
Accommodation
Articles 11(3) Domestic Workers Law, 2022
Termination of employment & changing jobs
Articles 20Domestic Workers Law, 2022
End-of-service benefits
Your identification documents
Article 11 Domestic Workers Law, 2022
Important notes
Kuwait
Last updated September 2026
Contract
Article 18 Domestic Workers Law, 2015
Probation Period
Article 17 Domestic Workers Law, 2015
Discrimination at workplace
Article 27 Ministerial Decision 22 Domestic Workers Law, 2022
Unions
Recruitment fees
Article 18 of Amiri Decree 114 of 2024 Concerning the Residency of Foreigners
Wages
Including overtime & deductions. Article 23 Domestic Workers Law, 2015
Working hours
Including overtime. Article 22 Domestic Workers Law, 2015; Article 30 Ministerial Decision 22 Domestic Workers Law, 2022
Rest & Breaks
Article 29 Domestic Workers Law, 2015
Sick leave & health insurance
Ministerial Decision No. 306 of 2025 on the Executive Regulations of Law No. 1 of 1999 and its amendments regarding health insurance for expatriates
Annual leave & special leaves
Article 28 of Ministerial Decision 22 Domestic Workers Law, 2022
Summer Midday Work Ban
Accommodation
Article 23 Domestic Workers Law, 2015
Termination of employment & changing jobs
Article 25 of Ministerial Decision 22 Domestic Workers Law, 2022; Article 20 of Ministry of Interior Decision No. 2249 of 2025 regarding the Executive Regulations of Amiri Decree 114 of 2024 Concerning the Residency of Foreigners
End-of-service benefits
Article 23 Domestic Workers Law, 2015
Your identification documents
Article 12 Domestic Workers Law, 2015
Important notes
Qatar
Last updated September 2026
Contract
Article 3 of Domestic Workers Law, 2017
Probation Period
Ministerial Decision 21 Domestic Workers Law, 2021; Decision 39 Domestic Workers Law, 2018
Discrimination at workplace
Unions
Recruitment fees
Article 8 Domestic Workers Law, 2017
Wages
Including overtime & deductions. Law No. 17 of 2020 Determining the National Minimum Wage for Workers and Domestic Workers; Article 8 Domestic Workers Law, 2017
Working hours
Including overtime. Article 12 Domestic Workers Law, 2017
Rest & Breaks
Article 13 Domestic Workers Law, 2017
Sick leave & health insurance
Standard Unified Contract for Domestic Workers
Annual leave & special leaves
Article 14 Domestic Workers Law, 2017
Summer Midday Work Ban
Accommodation
Article 7 Domestic Workers Law, 2017; Law No. 17 of 2020 Determining the Minimum Wage for Workers and Domestic Workers
Termination of employment & changing jobs
Articles 3, 16 and 17 Domestic Workers Law, 2017; Article 65 of Executive Regulations of Law No. 21 of 2015 Regulating the Entry, Exit and Residence of Expatriates
End-of-service benefits
Article 15 Domestic Workers Law, 2017
Your identification documents
Articles 8 and 33 Law 21 on Regulating the Entry, Exit, and Residence of Expatriates, 2015; Article 3 Ministerial Order 18 on Determining the Requirements and Specifications of Adequate Housing for Workers, 2014
Important notes