Business
UAE salaries 2025: What workers really earn without a minimum wage | World News – The Times of India
As of 2025, the UAE has not enacted a formal nationwide minimum wage for all private-sector workers. The current labor framework, outlined in Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, provides the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) with the legal authority to establish a national wage floor but no binding law has yet been implemented.Instead, salaries are regulated through employment contracts and visa-related requirements. Employers must pay wages via the Wage Protection System (WPS); a government-monitored payroll platform. Failure to comply can result in suspension of new work permits, fines, and company blacklisting.Recent reforms have expanded WPS coverage to include domestic and semi-professional workers like private teachers, caregivers, nannies, and farm technicians. This shift reflects a broader move toward labor standardization and income protection across job categories.
What workers typically earn: A benchmark view
Although no legally enforced floor exists, salary benchmarks function as de facto minimums in many professions. These reflect industry standards, cost of living, and immigration thresholds.
Domestic workers:
Housemaids, nannies, and drivers employed in homes now fall under stricter payment rules, with most salaries ranging from AED 1,200 to AED 1,800/month (₹28,044–₹42,066), depending on experience and nationality. WPS compliance is mandatory for these roles, ensuring regular wage transfers and legal accountability for employers.
Construction and skilled trades:
Labourers and tradesmen form the backbone of the UAE’s infrastructure sector. While base pay for unskilled labourers often starts at AED 1,200–1,500/month (₹28,044–₹35,055), skilled tradespeople such as electricians, plumbers, and masons can earn between AED 2,000 and AED 4,500/month(₹46,740–₹105,165). Many of these roles are protected under labour laws that mandate written contracts, paid leave, and access to dispute resolution.
Retail and service staff:
Workers in retail outlets, supermarkets, cafes, and delivery platforms typically earn AED 2,500 to AED 4,000/month (₹58,425–₹93,480). In these sectors, wage variability is influenced by location (Dubai salaries often exceed those in Sharjah or Ajman), nationality, and employer size.
Office and administrative roles:
Clerical staff, receptionists, and data entry assistants generally receive AED 3,000 to AED 5,000/month (₹70,110–₹116,850), with larger companies or public sector institutions offering higher packages. For visa eligibility especially family sponsorship—employees must earn a minimum of AED 4,000/month (₹93,480), or AED 3,000 (₹70,110) plus housing.
University graduates and skilled technicians:
For professionals with technical or university qualifications, MoHRE guidelines recommend salaries of at least AED 5,000 to AED 12,000/month (₹116,850–₹280,440), depending on the nature of the role. Engineers, IT professionals, and finance specialists typically command salaries within or well above this range.
Visa rules and wage enforcement
Though no national wage law exists, immigration requirements act as an indirect filter. For example:
- Family visa sponsorship: The UAE mandates a minimum salary of AED 4,000 (or AED 3,000 plus accommodation) for an expatriate to sponsor dependents.
- Golden Visa applicants in employment-based categories must earn at least AED 30,000/month (₹701,100), particularly in scientific or technical fields.
- Employment contracts must specify wages in UAE dirhams and be registered with MoHRE to be legally recognised.
The Wage Protection System ensures salaries are paid into local bank accounts within 10 days of the due date. Any delay beyond 15 days triggers automatic alerts, and repeated violations can lead to bans on new hiring.
Rising costs and reform pressures
Over the past few years, Dubai and Abu Dhabi have seen substantial increases in rent, school fees, and healthcare costs. As a result, there is growing pressure on authorities to formalise wage protections and align pay standards with inflation.While some companies voluntarily adjust salaries to retain talent, many low-income workers remain vulnerable to economic shocks. Calls for an indexed minimum wage system adjusted annually to match living costs, growing louder, particularly from labour advocates, unions in labour-sending countries, and international observers.
The road ahead: Formal minimum wage in sight?
Although the UAE has avoided a one-size-fits-all national wage model, change is on the horizon:
- Free zones may begin enforcing internal wage floors for certain industries to standardise competition.
- Sector-specific minimum wages could emerge in healthcare, hospitality, and logistics where migrant workers dominate and wage disparity is high.
- Public-private harmonisation efforts may also push for parity, as Emirati workers often earn significantly more than expatriate counterparts in similar roles.
MoHRE has already hinted at “exploring mechanisms” to address income disparities. If implemented, a flexible minimum wage varying by sector or emirate which could strike a balance between labour protection and economic competitiveness.
Verdict
While there is no official minimum wage in the UAE today, the country is moving toward greater wage transparency, stronger payment enforcement, and benchmark-based income protection. Domestic workers, skilled labourers, and administrative staff now operate under more structured payment conditions—backed by technology and labour law.As the UAE positions itself as a global employment hub, expectations for formal wage regulation will continue to rise. A future where salaries are legally anchored to fair benchmarks seems not only possible but likely.
Business
BrewDog owners say craft beer company could be sold off
Craft beer brand BrewDog could be sold off after the company started the process to find new investors.
The Scottish beer brand recently announced plans to close all of its distilling brands, meaning it would no longer produce any of its spirits, including Duo Rum, Abstrakt Vodka, and Lonewolf Gin, at its distillery in Ellon, Aberdeenshire.
The company, which was founded in 2007, said it made the decision to focus on its beer brands, including the highly-popular Punk IPA, Elvis Juice, and Hazy Jane.
Now, in a statement, a spokesperson for BrewDog said the company had appointed Alix Partners to “support a structured and competitive process to evaluate the next phase of investment for the business.”
The statement said: “As with many businesses operating in a challenging economic climate and facing sustained macro headwinds, we regularly review our options with a focus on the long-term strength and sustainability of the company.
“Following a year of decisive action in 2025, which saw a focus on costs and operating efficiencies, we have appointed AlixPartners to support a structured and competitive process to evaluate the next phase of investment for the business. This is a deliberate and disciplined step with a focus on strengthening the long-term future of the BrewDog brand and its operations.”
Although no decisions have been made, a sale is under consideration.
In a statment BrewDog added: “BrewDog remains a global pioneer in craft beer: a world-class consumer brand, the No.1 independent brewer in the UK, and with a highly engaged global community. We believe that this combination will attract substantial interest, though no final decisions have been made.”
According to reports by Sky News, AlixPartners had begun sounding out prospective buyers in the last few days.
The company, which has 72 bars worldwide and four breweries in Scotland, the US, Australia, and Germany, said its breweries, bars, and venues will continue to operate as normal. It employs 1400 people across the organisation.
BrewDog’s founders James Watt and Martin Dickie are the company’s major shareholders alongside private equity company TSG, which invested £213 million in 2017, making it a 21 per cent shareholder.
In 2024, the beer brand grossed £357 million in sales, and it is a major independent brewer with 4 per cent market share in the UK grocery market.
Business
Craft beer brewer BrewDog could be broken up as sale process begins
Beermaker BrewDog could be broken up after consultants were called in to help look for new investors.
The Scotland-based brewer, which makes craft beer such as Punk IPA and Elvis Juice, has appointed consultants AlixPartners to oversee a sale process.
Last month, BrewDog announced it was closing its distilling brands, sparking concerns for jobs at its facility in Ellon, Aberdeenshire.
The company, which was founded in 2007, said it made the decision to focus on its beer products.
No decision has been made in respect of the sale process.
A spokesperson for BrewDog said: “As with many businesses operating in a challenging economic climate and facing sustained macro headwinds, we regularly review our options with a focus on the long-term strength and sustainability of the company.
“Following a year of decisive action in 2025, which saw a focus on costs and operating efficiencies, we have appointed AlixPartners to support a structured and competitive process to evaluate the next phase of investment for the business.
“This is a deliberate and disciplined step with a focus on strengthening the long-term future of the BrewDog brand and its operations.
“BrewDog remains a global pioneer in craft beer: a world-class consumer brand, the number one independent brewer in the UK and with a highly engaged global community.
“We believe that this combination will attract substantial interest, though no final decisions have been made.
“Our breweries, bars, and venues continue to operate as normal. We will not comment on any further speculation.”
Brewdog operates 72 bars around the world as well as four breweries.
Business
‘Better to abolish RERA’: Supreme court says law helping defaulting builders
New Delhi: The Supreme Court has raised serious concerns over how real estate regulatory authorities are functioning across the country. Taking a sharp view, the top court said it may be “better to abolish” these bodies, suggesting they have failed to protect homebuyers and instead appear to benefit defaulting builders. The court added that states should reconsider the very need for such authorities if they are not serving their intended purpose.
A Bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi said states should rethink the original purpose behind introducing RERA. The court observed that instead of protecting homebuyers, the law appears to be helping defaulting builders and not serving its intended role.
Expressing strong concern, CJI Surya Kant said states should reflect on the purpose for which RERA was created. He suggested the institution is failing to serve homebuyers and instead appears to benefit defaulting builders. “All states should now think of the people for whom the institution of RERA was created. Except facilitating builders in default, it is not doing anything else. Better to just abolish this institution,” CJI Kant said, quoted by Bar and Bench.
Last year, the High Court had stayed the state government’s decision to shift the RERA office, pointing out that the move was taken “without even identifying an alternative office location”. The court also noted that transferring 18 outsourced employees to other boards and corporations, as requested, “would render the functioning of Rera defunct”.
The Supreme Court, however, set aside the High Court’s order and allowed the state government to shift the RERA office to Dharamshala. It also permitted the relocation of the appellate tribunal to the same location. “With a view to ensure that persons affected by Rera orders are not inconvenienced, the principal appellate is also moved to Dharamshala,” the apex court said.
What Is RERA And Why It Matters
RERA, introduced in 2016, was aimed at addressing project delays, improving transparency and safeguarding homebuyers’ interests. Earlier, each state and union territory operated its own RERA website. However, in September 2025, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs launched a unified RERA portal that brings together data from across states and UTs on a single platform.
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