Clearance Letter & Experience Letter — Your Rights in UAE & Saudi Arabia

When your employment ends in the UAE or Saudi Arabia, you are entitled to two important documents. They serve different purposes and employers sometimes confuse them — or combine them into one. Here is the distinction:

Key point: You need both documents. The clearance letter protects you from future financial claims. The experience letter is essential for your next employer, visa applications, and professional licensing.

Both the UAE and Saudi Arabia explicitly require employers to provide end-of-service documentation. This is not optional or a courtesy — it is a legal obligation.

UAE — Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021, Article 13

Article 13 of the UAE Labour Law states that the employer must provide the employee, upon the end of the employment relationship, with a certificate of end of service free of charge. This certificate must include:

• Date of commencement and date of end of employment
• Total period of service
• Type of work performed
• Last wage received and any benefits in kind

The law explicitly prohibits the employer from including any information in the certificate that may harm the employee's reputation or limit their future employment opportunities.

KSA — Saudi Labour Law, Article 64

Article 64 requires the employer to give the worker, at the end of the contract, a service certificate free of charge. The certificate must include:

• Date of joining and date of end of service
• Job title and nature of work
• Last wage received

The employer may not include anything that could harm the worker or reduce their chances of finding employment. The employer must also return to the worker any certificates, documents, or tools that belong to them.

Bottom line: In both countries, your employer is legally required to issue these documents. They cannot charge you for them, and they cannot include negative remarks that would damage your career prospects.

Clearance Letter — Standard Contents

• Company letterhead with official stamp
• Employee's full name and ID/passport number
• Statement confirming all financial obligations have been settled
• Confirmation that EOSB has been paid (with amount, if possible)
• Confirmation that all leave has been settled or encashed
• Confirmation that company property has been returned
• Statement that the employer has no further claims against the employee
• Date of issuance, authorised signatory name and title, company seal

Experience Letter — Standard Contents

• Company letterhead with official stamp
• Employee's full name
• Job title / designation
• Department (optional but common)
• Date of joining and last working day
• Total period of service
• Brief description of responsibilities (optional — upon request)
• Last salary drawn (optional — upon request or as required by law)
• "To Whom It May Concern" addressee or specific recipient
• Date, authorised signatory, company seal

Tip: If your employer offers a combined letter, make sure it covers all the clearance items and all the experience letter items. A single document is acceptable as long as it fulfils both purposes.

These documents are not just formalities. You will need them repeatedly in the months and years after leaving your job.

Request your documents in writing — not verbally. Email is fine and creates a paper trail. Send the request during your notice period, ideally at least one week before your last working day.

Template: Experience Letter Request

Template: Clearance Letter Request

Pro tip: Use our Letter Generator to create a customised version with your details filled in.

Some employers delay or refuse to issue these documents — this is illegal in both the UAE and KSA. Here is your escalation path:

Step 1: Follow Up in Writing (Day 1–3)

Send a follow-up email referencing your original request and the specific law article. State clearly that the employer is legally obligated to provide the document. Keep the tone professional but firm.

Step 2: Escalate Internally (Day 3–7)

If HR is unresponsive, escalate to the company's legal department, managing director, or PRO (Public Relations Officer). Copy multiple people — this creates accountability and a documented trail.

Step 3: File a Government Complaint (Day 7+)

Important: Your employer cannot withhold your experience letter or clearance letter as leverage to force you to accept a lower EOSB settlement. These are separate legal obligations. If they try this, mention it in your government complaint.

For broader dispute guidance, see our EOSB Dispute Resolution Guide.

In an increasingly digital world, you may need your documents in electronic or attested formats — especially if you are leaving the country.

UAE — MOHRE Attestation

The UAE Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) provides an attestation service for employment-related documents. An attested experience letter carries official government validation, which is useful for:

• Visa applications in other countries
• Employment in government or semi-government entities
• Professional licence transfers
• Home country authorities requiring proof of overseas employment

You can request attestation through MOHRE service centres or approved typing centres. The fee is typically AED 50–150. Processing takes 1–3 working days.

KSA — Digital Records via Qiwa & GOSI

Saudi Arabia's Qiwa platform (qiwa.sa) maintains digital employment records that can serve as supplementary proof of your employment. Additionally, your GOSI (General Organisation for Social Insurance) records at gosi.gov.sa provide government-verified employment history, including registered salary and service dates.

If your employer refuses to issue a physical letter, your Qiwa and GOSI records can partially substitute — though a formal employer-issued letter remains the standard requirement for most purposes.

Tips for Document Preservation

• Get hard copies: Request printed originals on company letterhead with wet signatures and stamps.
• Get digital copies: Ask for scanned PDFs sent to your personal email — not your work email, which will be deactivated.
• Translate if needed: If the letter is in Arabic only, get a certified English translation from a legal translation office before leaving the country.
• Store securely: Keep copies in cloud storage. These documents do not expire and you may need them years later.

Neither UAE nor KSA law specifies an exact number of days within which the employer must issue these documents, but the expectation is that they are provided promptly upon the end of employment.

Best practice: Do not wait until after you have left the company to request these documents. The best time to request is during your notice period, when you still have daily access to HR and can follow up in person.