I joined a company in Dubai on January 18 this year and my visa was stamped on February 5. I am planning to quit the job and move back to my home country.
I have a probationary period of six months and my query is whether this time starts from January 18 or February 5.
I have read in your columns that if a person resigns during the probationary period, they need to serve a notice period of 14 days if they intend to leave the country.
Also, if my probation ends on, for example, July 15, can I resign the day before? UK, Abu Dhabi
The official start date of employment depends on how someone is employed, according to the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE).
If a person entered the UAE on a work permit that was issued by the employer, then that is deemed to be the start date.
If the person is already in the UAE, the date when the offer letter is signed is considered to be the start date as that is the official MoHRE contract.
In this situation, the official start date will probably be considered to be when work starts, assuming a visa has been applied for, so it will be January 18.
This would mean the six-month probationary period would expire on July 17.
UK is correct when he says that 14 days’ notice is required when an employee resigns during their probationary period.
“If the foreign worker wishes to terminate the employment contract during the probationary period, to leave the State, he shall notify the employer of the same in writing not less than 14 days from the date specified for the termination of the contract,” according to Clause 4 of the new UAE labour law.
An employee can resign at any time during the probationary period, provided the relevant period of notice is given, even if this is a few days before the end of this timeframe.
If an employee wishes to resign but plans to remain in the UAE and take a role with a different employer, the required notice period is 30 days. Other provisions also apply in this situation.
Whatever the situation may be regarding resignation, no employer may reclaim any visa or employment costs from an employee.
I am at my wits’ end trying to close my HSBC bank account. I called telephone banking to close my account and receive a clearance letter.
The call centre agent asked me to move out all the money and leave Dh52.50 in the account to pay for the letter. Then I was asked to ring the call centre again to close the account. I did this.
However, I spoke to a different agent who told me they can’t close my account when there is a balance of Dh52.50.
I was, instead, asked to move out all the money, request account closure, which takes seven working days, and then ask for a clearance letter, which would take a further seven days and cost Dh52.50.
I moved out the remaining balance in my account and spoke to another call centre agent, who said he cannot close my account because I have an outstanding standing order for Dh500,000.
I explained that this was a one-off transfer completed on July 7, not a reoccurring one, as I was leaving the UAE. He said this is not what the system shows and that a transfer of this size is due in a few days.
Despite highlighting the system error, the bank staff were not willing to fix it and close my account. I am in a stalemate because I need to close the account before I leave the country.
I am concerned they will make this payment and charge me for their error. Please help me close my account. NM, Al Ain
This seemed to be a lack of coherence and communication by the bank and as NM was leaving the UAE permanently in a few days, she needed to get the account closed.
I got in touch with my contacts at HSBC who acted swiftly. Within a few days, the account was fully closed.
“We take every customer complaint seriously and have taken this opportunity to review and improve our internal process. We’ve apologised to the customer and we’re pleased that we were able to resolve the matter,” a spokeswoman for HSBC said.
Happy with the outcome, NM said: “Thanks to you, my account was closed swiftly and a no liability/clearance letter sent.”
Keren Bobker is an independent financial adviser and senior partner with Holborn Assets in Dubai, with more than 25 years’ experience. Contact her at keren@holbornassets.com. Follow her on Twitter at @FinancialUAE
The advice provided in our columns does not constitute legal advice and is provided for information only
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
FIGHT%20CARD
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Results
6.30pm: Mazrat Al Ruwayah – Group 2 (PA) $36,000 (Dirt) 1,600m, Winner: RB Money To Burn, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Eric Lemartinel (trainer)
7.05pm: Handicap (TB) $68,000 (Turf) 2,410m, Winner: Star Safari, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
7.40pm: Meydan Trophy – Conditions (TB) $50,000 (T) 1,900m, Winner: Secret Protector, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
8.15pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 - Group 2 (TB) $293,000 (D) 1,900m, Winner: Salute The Soldier, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass
8.50pm: Al Rashidiya – Group 2 (TB) $163,000 (T) 1,800m, Winner: Zakouski, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
9.25pm: Handicap (TB) $65,000 (T) 1,000m, Winner: Motafaawit, Sam Hitchcock, Doug Watson
Zakat definitions
Zakat: an Arabic word meaning ‘to cleanse’ or ‘purification’.
Nisab: the minimum amount that a Muslim must have before being obliged to pay zakat. Traditionally, the nisab threshold was 87.48 grams of gold, or 612.36 grams of silver. The monetary value of the nisab therefore varies by current prices and currencies.
Zakat Al Mal: the ‘cleansing’ of wealth, as one of the five pillars of Islam; a spiritual duty for all Muslims meeting the ‘nisab’ wealth criteria in a lunar year, to pay 2.5 per cent of their wealth in alms to the deserving and needy.
Zakat Al Fitr: a donation to charity given during Ramadan, before Eid Al Fitr, in the form of food. Every adult Muslim who possesses food in excess of the needs of themselves and their family must pay two qadahs (an old measure just over 2 kilograms) of flour, wheat, barley or rice from each person in a household, as a minimum.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
