POLITICAL SYSTEM
General Information
The UAE is a federal state.
The supreme legislative body is the Federal Supreme Council, which includes the rulers of the seven emirates.
Head of state – President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, elected on May 14, 2022.
Head of government – Prime Minister – Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, ruler of Dubai.
Key directions of state policy are economic diversification, development of "green" technologies, and strengthening the status of a global business and logistics hub.
Constitutional System
The United Arab Emirates is a federal state. The current Constitution was adopted in 1971. The competence of federal authorities includes issues of defense, security, foreign policy, immigration, and monetary circulation.
Legislative power is represented by the Federal National Council (FNC), which is an advisory body. It consists of 40 members, half of whom are appointed by the rulers of the emirates, the other half are elected through an electoral college for a four-year term. The FNC has the right to discuss and amend proposed laws but does not have legislative initiative.
Labor Relations
The foundation of labor legislation is Federal Law No. 33 of 2021 on the regulation of labor relations (with subsequent amendments). Labor legislation is aimed at unifying rules for private sector workers, public sector workers, and UAE citizens.
According to the law, the UAE does not have a unified federal minimum wage. For UAE citizens working in the public sector, a system of minimum salaries is in place. For foreign workers, the wage level is determined by the employment contract and industry practice. In 2024, the average wage in key sectors ranged from 4000 dirhams (approximately 1090 dollars) in the service sector to 35,000 dirhams (approximately 9530 dollars) and higher in the financial sector and IT.
The working week is 48 hours (8 hours per day with a 6-day week) for the commercial sector and 40 hours (5-day week) for government institutions. Overtime work is paid at a rate equal to the base hourly rate plus a 25% premium, and for night work or on weekends – plus a 50% premium.
An employee has the right to annual paid leave – at least 30 calendar days after a year of continuous work; end-of-service gratuity – a payment at the end of employment relations, calculated based on the last base salary and length of service.
In 2022-2023, new types of leave were introduced, including paid study leave of up to 10 days per year and paid parental leave (5 days).
Trade Unions
State regulation of labor issues and workers' associations in the UAE is carried out through the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE).
There are no trade unions in the UAE in their traditional sense. The creation of independent trade unions and conducting strikes is not legally provided for.