UAE’s probation rule: How evaluations continue after 6 months

After Sharjah recently extended probation period in the emirate’s government sector to nine months, the conversation has now turned to the private sector.

- ‘Waad Barakat

Experts say some companies are stretching the evaluation phase, especially for strategic or specialised roles, through internal processes that stay within the legal framework.

Under the UAE Labour Law (Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021), probation is capped at six months. Anything beyond that would be a legal violation. Still, firms have found ways to continue assessing new hires after the official probation ends.

“The UAE Labour Law sets a firm limit of six months for probation periods,” said Dmitry Zaytsev, founder of Dandelion Civilisation. “What I’ve seen in practice is that companies fully comply with this legal cap, but often continue structured evaluation and support after probation through internal processes.”

These internal practices include:

>> Extended onboarding with regular coaching, performance check-ins or development plans

>> Post-probation reviews at the 9or 12-month mark to assess leadership potential or readiness for a bigger role