UAE: Can a company revoke job offer letter before an employee’s joining date?

UAE: Can a company revoke job offer letter before an employee’s joining date?

An employer or employee may be considered contractual parties to the employment only if a valid contract is registered with MoHRE

Published: Sun 21 May 2023, 8:52 AM

Question: I have received an offer letter from a Dubai-based company. I plan to resign from my current position shortly, but before putting in my papers, I wanted to get clarity on something. Can a company rescind the offer letter before an employee joins? What are the rules around this?

Answer: Pursuant to your queries, it is assumed that an employer based in the mainland of Dubai has issued you with an offer letter in the format prescribed by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE). Therefore, the provisions of Ministerial Decree No. 46 of 2022 regarding Work Permits, Job Offers and Employment Contracts Forms and Administrative Resolution No. 38 of 2022 Concerning the Guidelines for Implementing Ministerial Resolution No. 46 of 2022 Regarding Work Permits, Offer Letters and Employment Contract Forms are applicable.

Generally, an employer while recruiting a prospective employee in the UAE needs to issue an offer letter which mentions the terms and conditions of the employment. Thereafter, the same terms and conditions should be mentioned in the employment contract of a