Emirate-by-emirate authority breakdown

🗺️ Operating a labour camp in the UAE? Federal law is just the starting point.

Every employer providing worker accommodation must comply with UAE federal MoHRE standards — but each emirate also has its own regulatory authority that can impose additional requirements, conduct independent inspections, and issue its own penalties.

Here is the authority landscape you need to know:

🏛️ Abu Dhabi — ADOSH-SF (Abu Dhabi Occupational Safety & Health System Framework), administered by ADPHC. Applies to all permanent and temporary employer-supplied accommodation. CoP 18.0 and 18.1 are the key documents.

🏛️ Dubai — Dubai Municipality (Health and Safety Department). Administrative Resolution No. 110 of 2020 regulates services at accommodation including clinics, groceries, and barbershops. Technical Guidelines DM-HSD-GU85-LAC2 apply.

🏛️ Sharjah — Sharjah Prevention and Safety Authority (SPSA / OSHJ). Guideline OSHJ-GL-05 covers all employer-supplied accommodation and requires compliance with the UAE Fire and Life Safety Code and AMAN requirements.

🏛️ Ajman — Ajman Municipality and Planning Department; federal MoHRE standards as the primary framework.

🏛️ Ras Al Khaimah — RAK Municipality + RAKEZ for industrial zones. RAKEZ provides its own managed worker accommodation with specific health, safety, and environment requirements.

🏛️ Fujairah — Fujairah Municipality; federal MoHRE standards, with local building and planning approvals.

🏛️ Umm Al Quwain — UAQ Municipality; federal MoHRE standards as the primary framework.

🏛️ Free Zones — Each free zone authority (Trakhees for JAFZA and Dubai free zones, RAKEZ, KIZAD and others) may impose supplementary requirements. Cabinet Resolution No. 13 of 2009 Article 5 explicitly applies to all UAE zones including free zones.

The practical implication: a camp in Abu Dhabi must satisfy both MoHRE federal standards and ADOSH-SF requirements. A camp in a Dubai free zone must satisfy MoHRE, Dubai Municipality, and Trakhees requirements.

We have documented every authority, their key documents, and direct links to official publications in our free UAE Labour Camp Regulations Hub.

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Which emirate or free zone are you operating in? Drop a comment — we can point you to the right authority documents.