Getting hitched in Dubai just got a little sweeter! On Wednesday, July 16, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Ruler of Dubai, dropped a new decree granting marriage leave for Emirati employees working in the Dubai government.
The decree allows employees to combine marriage leave with any other leave they are entitled to under the HR laws at their place of work
Under Decree No. (31) of 2025, eligible employees can now enjoy 10 working days of fully paid marriage leave. The decree also outlines specific conditions that need to be met to qualify for the leave.
These include:
- Employee’s spouse must be a citizen of the UAE
- Employee has successfully completed the prescribed probationary period
- Marriage contract must be certified by the competent authority in the country and dated after December 31, 2024
- Copy of the marriage contract must be submitted only once when applying for marriage leave
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During the marriage leave period, an employee is entitled to their full gross salary
The marriage leave benefit also covers any allowances and financial perks offered by the employer. Employees have the flexibility to use their leave either all at once or spread it out over time — anytime within one year of their marriage contract date.
Even if an employee moves to another government entity, they won’t lose out. Any unused marriage leave carries over, as long as it wasn’t taken during their time at the previous entity.
