UAE free-zone employment outside ADGM and DIFC
Identify the correct employment and complaint route for a free-zone employee who is not in ADGM or DIFC.
Read guideJurisdiction finder
Which UAE employment rules apply to you?
Use your employment contract, work permit, employer registration and scheme statement—not only your office location.
Federal private sector / MOHRE
Choose the federal path when the employment contract and work permit are administered through MOHRE and the employer is not governed by a separate employment jurisdiction or another excluded framework.
ADGM
Choose ADGM when the employer is registered in Abu Dhabi Global Market and the employment documents refer to ADGM Employment Regulations or an ADGM work permit.
DIFC / DEWS
Choose DIFC when the employer is registered in Dubai International Financial Centre and the employment is covered by DEWS or another qualifying scheme.
Other free zones
Do not select ADGM or DIFC merely because the employer is located in a free zone. Check the issuing authority and contract. Some free-zone cases use federal rules or an authority-referral complaint process.
Do not use these paths automatically
Government employees, domestic workers, pension-enrolled UAE or GCC nationals, military or police employment and some other arrangements require a separate review.