What Is UAE Maternity and Paternity Leave Entitlement?

In the UAE private sector, working mothers are entitled to 60 days of maternity leave under Article 30 of the Labour Law: 45 days at full pay and 15 days at half pay, with no minimum service requirement, and leave can start up to 30 days before the due date. Fathers are entitled to 5 working days of fully paid paternity leave, to be taken within 6 months of the birth.

Key facts

The specifics, before the explanation.

Private-sector maternity leave: 60 days total (45 full pay + 15 half pay)
No minimum length of service required to qualify for maternity leave
Maternity leave can start up to 30 days before the expected delivery date
Paternity leave: 5 working days, fully paid, to be taken within 6 months of the birth
Public-sector federal government roles carry a longer 90-day maternity entitlement
From January 2026, Abu Dhabi government employees have paternity leave doubled to 6 days (16 days for multiple births) under Human Resources Law No. 8 of 2025

What this actually means

The private-sector maternity entitlement (60 days) is meaningfully shorter than the public-sector one (90 days), so it's worth knowing which sector you're actually in when you compare offers or plan a family around a career move. Unlike some other UAE leave entitlements, maternity leave has no minimum tenure requirement, meaning even a recent hire is covered from day one of eligibility.

Paternity leave is comparatively modest in the core private-sector law at 5 fully paid working days, though some individual government entities have started extending it well beyond that baseline, Abu Dhabi's move to double government paternity leave to 6 days (and 16 for multiple births) from 2026 being one example. If you work for government or a semi-government entity, check whether an entity-specific policy applies on top of the federal minimum.

Either way, timing matters: paternity leave must be taken within 6 months of the birth, so it isn't an entitlement that sits open-ended.

What to actually do

Rules and figures move. Confirm anything time-sensitive with the official regulator before you rely on it.

Confirm whether you're covered by the private-sector (60-day) or public-sector (90-day) maternity rule based on your actual employer type
Plan your leave start date around the "up to 30 days before delivery" allowance if that suits your situation
Fathers should use paternity leave within the 6-month window — it doesn't carry over indefinitely
Check for entity-specific enhancements if you work in government or semi-government roles, since some now exceed the federal minimum
Get your leave dates and pay split confirmed in writing with HR ahead of the birth, not after

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to have worked a minimum period to get maternity leave?

No. UAE private-sector maternity leave has no minimum service requirement, so even a recently hired employee is entitled to it.

Is paternity leave paid in full?

Yes, the standard 5 working days of private-sector paternity leave is paid at full salary with no reduction to basic pay or allowances.

Can maternity leave be taken before the baby is born?

Yes, up to 30 days of the 60-day entitlement can be taken before the expected delivery date, with the remainder used after birth.

Sources

Referenced for this guide:

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