The flexible work models
Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 introduced flexible work models into UAE labour law, including part-time, temporary, and flexible arrangements, alongside freelance permits.
For marketplaces this is good news — but only if every worker on the platform holds the right status.
What the platform is responsible for
Even when workers are independent, the platform needs evidence it checked.
✓Permit or licence verification at onboarding
✓Expiry tracking and automatic suspension
✓Hours and assignment logs per worker
✓Insurance status where required
✓Audit exports for inspections
Designing it into the product
Put compliance checks inside onboarding and job assignment, so a worker with an expired permit simply cannot accept a job.
TIP
Treat permit status like payment status: a hard gate, not a reminder.
Next steps
Map each worker type on your platform to a permit category, then design onboarding around those categories.