MOHRE Services for Establishments
Filing an Absence from Work Complaint with MOHRE
If one of your employees has been absent from work for more than seven consecutive days and you do not know their whereabouts or how to contact them, Instant PRO can review the conditions and documents for filing an absence from work complaint with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE), prepare the application and follow it up until a decision is issued.
- Service for Employers
- Review of the absence period, applicable fines and required documents before submission
- MOHRE’s published processing time: 2 working days
An absence from work complaint is a service provided by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation to employers. The Ministry calls it “Filing a Labor Complaint – Absence from Work”. It is used to report an employee who has been absent from work for more than seven consecutive days while inside the UAE, when the employer does not know the employee’s whereabouts or how to contact them. Once MOHRE approves the application, the work permit is cancelled automatically, subject to specified exceptions.
What Is an Absence from Work Complaint and What Does It Cover?
MOHRE provides this service for employers to report employees who have stopped attending work. Its main process is the registration of an absence-from-work report, sometimes referred to as an “absconding report”. Although MOHRE lists both employers and employees among the service’s target audiences, the procedures and requirements for lodging the report are written from the perspective of the establishment submitting it. This page therefore focuses on the employer’s application.
It is an administrative procedure for recording an employee’s absence with the Ministry. It is not the same as an ordinary labour complaint about wages or employment entitlements. It also does not cancel the employee’s residence permit; that is a separate procedure handled by the competent residence authority, including the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai. Withdrawing a complaint after registration and matters involving domestic workers are separate MOHRE services not covered on this page.
The legal consequences of absence from work are regulated by Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 Regarding the Regulation of Employment Relationships, as amended, and its Implementing Regulation issued under Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022. Those wider legal consequences fall outside the scope of this service page. Filing an absence-from-work complaint is one of the MOHRE services Instant PRO assists employers with.
Conditions for Filing an Absence from Work Complaint
First, the employee must have been absent from work for more than seven days while inside the UAE and must be in the country when the report is submitted. The Implementing Regulation requires the absence to be consecutive and to occur without the employer knowing the employee’s whereabouts or being able to contact them. Second, any fines relating to the expiry or non-issuance of the work permit must be settled, where applicable. Third, an employer who does not know the employee’s location or cannot contact them must report the absence to MOHRE.
MOHRE states that the work permit is automatically cancelled once the application is approved. Exceptions apply to permits for recruiting workers from outside the UAE and transfer work permits. It is therefore important to check the employee’s permit type before submission.
If any of these conditions is not met, the service may not apply to the case under MOHRE’s published requirements. The service card does not set out an exhaustive list of grounds for rejecting an application. We therefore review eligibility before preparing the report and do not guarantee its approval.
Required Documents and Information
The Ministry requires the following two supporting documents:
- Employee entry and exit movement record: Issued by the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP), dated no more than 30 days before submission.
- Proof that the employee is inside the UAE: Issued by the competent authorities and required where that information is not available in MOHRE’s systems.
The applicant also enters the employee’s details in the system, including the work permit or passport number, name, date of birth, nationality, date the employee stopped attending work, and establishment details. MOHRE’s February 2023 user guide mentions further fields, such as the employee’s labour card number and unified number where available, residence visa number and expiry date, and the applicant’s name, Emirates ID number and telephone number.
Application screens may change, so the information requested by the system at the time of submission takes precedence. Verification of the applicant’s authority is an in-system step rather than a document uploaded with the complaint; it is described under the application steps below.
How to File an Absence from Work Complaint
The MOHRE application process described here consists of five stages:
Step 1 – Sign In
Sign in using your username and password or UAE PASS.
Step 2 – Register the Complaint
Enter the employee’s details (work permit or passport number, name, date of birth and nationality), the absence start date and the establishment’s details using an approved service channel.
Step 3 – Verify the Applicant’s Authority
After entering the required details, the applicant’s authority is verified, as applicable, using an electronic signature card, an SMS one-time password (OTP) or email, except where the application is made through the smart app.
Step 4 – MOHRE Reviews the Complaint
The responsible MOHRE officer reviews the complaint and takes the appropriate action.
Step 5 – Notification of the Result
The applicant is notified of the result by SMS.
Applications can be submitted through MOHRE’s website or its smart app. The Ministry also provides a user guide explaining how to use the system. The February 2023 version of that guide states that the company owner must provide an electronic signature. The person submitting the application should therefore be ready to complete the relevant verification step before starting.
Processing Time and Fees for an Absence from Work Complaint
The published processing time and government service fee are:
The two-working-day period is the Ministry’s stated service completion time, not a guarantee from Instant PRO. The decision remains with MOHRE. Although the Ministry does not charge a fee for this service, other financial obligations may still apply. Payment of fines relating to an expired or unissued work permit is a condition of filing, where applicable, and the service card does not state the amount of those fines.
Note: The “no fee” statement refers only to MOHRE’s fee for this particular service. It does not cover any fines, amounts imposed by other authorities or Instant PRO’s service charges. Contact Instant PRO before proceeding if you need clarification about the cost of assistance.
How Instant PRO Prepares an Absence from Work Complaint
We begin by asking about the circumstances of the absence: when it started, whether it has exceeded seven consecutive days, whether the employee is inside the UAE, whether the establishment has a recent entry-and-exit movement record, whether there are fines relating to the work permit, and what type of permit the employee holds. We then explain what must be completed, prepare the application and follow it up within the authority granted by the establishment.
We explain the cost of our assistance before work begins. The employer is responsible for confirming the accuracy of the facts and information supplied, since the complaint is registered on that basis. Our office receives enquiries Monday to Friday, from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
Following Up After Submission
Once the complaint is registered, we follow it up with MOHRE until a result is issued. We also inform the establishment of any required action, including supplying additional information requested by the Ministry. You can contact us by WhatsApp to enquire about an application we are handling. If the establishment later needs a replacement worker, it may use the new work permit service.
The applicant can also track the application directly using the enquiry services on MOHRE’s website or smart app, by calling 600590000, or through its live chat service. The source page states that the Ministry’s call centre is available around the clock.
Instant PRO is an independent service provider and does not represent MOHRE. The primary reference for the information on this page is the Ministry’s official “Filing a Labor Complaint – Absence from Work” service card.
Frequently Asked Questions About Absence from Work Complaints
What are the conditions for filing an absence from work complaint?
The employee must have been absent from work for more than seven consecutive days while inside the UAE, without the employer knowing their whereabouts or being able to contact them. Any fines arising from the expiry or non-issuance of a work permit must also be paid where applicable. MOHRE does not provide an exhaustive list of rejection reasons on its service card, so the employee’s circumstances should be checked before submission.
Can the complaint be registered if the employee is outside the UAE?
No. This service requires the employee to have been absent from work while inside the UAE and to be present in the country. If the employee’s status does not appear in MOHRE’s systems, proof issued by the competent authorities showing that the employee is inside the UAE may be required. We therefore check the employee’s location before preparing the application.
Is the work permit cancelled after the complaint is registered?
MOHRE states that the work permit is automatically cancelled once it approves the application, except for permits for recruiting workers from abroad and transfer work permits. We therefore check the employee’s permit type before filing. This procedure concerns the MOHRE work permit; cancellation of the residence permit is a separate process handled by the competent residency authority.
What documents are required to register the complaint?
The required documents described here include an employee entry-and-exit movement record issued by the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security, dated within 30 days, and proof from the competent authorities that the employee is inside the UAE if this information is not available in MOHRE’s systems. We check the employee’s status before submitting the application.
How long does MOHRE take to process the complaint?
MOHRE’s published service completion time is two working days. This is the Ministry’s stated period and not a guarantee by Instant PRO. The applicant is notified of the result by SMS and may track the application through MOHRE’s website, smart app or contact centre. The Ministry’s decision is final for the purpose of the service.
How much does it cost to file an absence from work complaint?
MOHRE states that there is no government fee for this particular service. However, payment of any applicable fines related to expired or unissued work permits is a condition of filing. The Ministry’s no-fee statement does not cover Instant PRO’s service charges.
Next Step
Start Preparing Your Absence from Work Complaint
To start reviewing your application, send us the establishment number registered with MOHRE, the date the employee stopped attending work, the permit type, and whether the employee is inside the UAE. We will explain the conditions, required documents and how to provide them, then prepare and follow up your application.
WhatsApp: +971 56 232 7778
Office 805, Opal Tower, Business Bay, Dubai
Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM–6:00 PM
- Review conditions and documents before submitting
- Clarify the cost before starting
- Follow up the application after submission
Government references: MOHRE’s “Filing a Labor Complaint – Absence from Work” service card; the February 2023 user guide for absence-from-work complaints; Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 Regarding the Regulation of Employment Relationships, as amended; and its Implementing Regulation under Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022.