The DIFC and the ADGM are the only two jurisdictions in the UAE where the federal labour law does not apply and employment is governed by the zone’s own legislation. The Dubai International Financial Centre applies the Employment Law, DIFC Law No. 2 of 2019, currently in Consolidated Version No. 5 of July 2025. The Abu Dhabi Global Market has applied the Employment Regulations 2024 since 1 April 2025, as amended by the Employment Regulations (Amendment No. 1) 2025. The two regimes look similar on the page and diverge at roughly fifteen points that carry a price tag: notice periods, a mandatory DEWS-type savings plan versus a classic gratuity, the discrimination compensation cap, limitation periods and the size of regulatory fines.
