The UAE Ministry of Human Resources & Emiratisation (MoHRE) reaffirmed on 3 March 2026 that its three-day remote-work advisory for all private-sector employers remained in force until the close of business Tuesday. First issued on 1 March as ballistic-missile alerts sounded across the Emirates, the circular instructs companies to shift non-essential roles to tele-work and to limit outdoor activity for field staff. The guidance, though not legally binding, carries significant moral weight; inspectors can cite non-compliance under occupational-safety provisions if an incident occurs. Critical sectors – healthcare, utilities, aviation ground-handling – may keep skeleton crews on site, but must provide shuttle transport and shelter areas rated for blast protection. For global-mobility teams, the directive complicates onboarding schedules for new expatriate hires whose residence-visa medicals and Emirates-ID biometrics were booked this week; most service centres are working reduced hours.
![Ministry of Human Resources extends remote-work directive through 3 March, telling firms to keep staff off roads and tarmacs]()
For employers and assignees scrambling to reschedule visa formalities, VisaHQ’s UAE platform (https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/) can step in to manage paperwork, monitor appointment slots in real time, and coordinate secure courier collection of passports, keeping mobility projects on track even while teams operate remotely.
HR consultancies advise postponing start dates or switching to e-signature contracts until normal movement resumes. From a tax perspective, remote work within the UAE does not trigger permanent-establishment risk for foreign employers, but payroll teams should check whether imputed ‘housing of necessity’ benefits arise if staff are lodged in hotels longer than 30 days. MoHRE said it will review the security picture on Wednesday and decide whether to lift or extend the recommendation. Schools and universities remain on distance-learning until at least 6 March, and many free-zone authorities have mirrored the federal stance.
For employers and assignees scrambling to reschedule visa formalities, VisaHQ’s UAE platform (https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/) can step in to manage paperwork, monitor appointment slots in real time, and coordinate secure courier collection of passports, keeping mobility projects on track even while teams operate remotely.
HR consultancies advise postponing start dates or switching to e-signature contracts until normal movement resumes. From a tax perspective, remote work within the UAE does not trigger permanent-establishment risk for foreign employers, but payroll teams should check whether imputed ‘housing of necessity’ benefits arise if staff are lodged in hotels longer than 30 days. MoHRE said it will review the security picture on Wednesday and decide whether to lift or extend the recommendation. Schools and universities remain on distance-learning until at least 6 March, and many free-zone authorities have mirrored the federal stance.
