UAE Labour Accommodation Rules for Pakistani Workers: 3 Square Metres Each, 10 to a Room, No Triple Bunks
UAE labour accommodation rules for Pakistani workers: who gets housing, 3 square metres each, 8 to 10 a room, toilet ratios, AC, first aid and how to complain.
In the UAE, a firm with 50 or more workers earning AED 1,500 a month or less must give them housing, and that housing has fixed minimums: at least 3 square metres per person, no more than 8 to 10 people in a room, no triple bunks, and one toilet for every 8 people. The rooms must have air conditioning, and every block needs a kitchen, a first aid room with a nurse and a prayer room. If your camp falls short, you can report it to MoHRE.
We read these rules on the UAE government portal, u.ae, on 10 November 2026. The labour accommodation page carries text provided by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) and was updated on 12 August 2026. It draws on Ministerial Resolution No. 44 of 2022 on occupational health and safety and labour accommodation, and on older housing standards. Pakistani workers in construction, cleaning and security often live in these camps, so here are the numbers to hold your employer to.
Who must get employer housing in the UAE
Ministerial Resolution No. 44 of 2022 says establishments employing 50 or more workers who earn AED 1,500 or less a month must provide accommodation. The firm must also register the housing in MoHRE's Labour Accommodation System and keep its details correct.
If you earn more than AED 1,500, or work for a smaller firm, the duty in this resolution does not apply, so your housing depends on your contract. Read the housing line in your offer before you sign, as our guide to the UAE job offer letter in Urdu explains.
The housing must follow three sets of standards named on u.ae: Cabinet Resolution No. 13 of 2009 on collective labour housing, Ministerial Decree No. 212 of 2014 for housing under 500 workers, and Administrative Decision No. 19 of 2023.
Bedroom rules: space, beds and lockers
The bedroom rules are the ones workers notice first. These are the minimums on u.ae.
| Rule | Minimum standard |
|---|---|
| Space per person | At least 3 square metres |
| People per bedroom | 8 to 10 at most, keeping 3 square metres each |
| Ceiling height | At least 7 feet |
| Gap between single beds | At least 36 inches on all sides |
| Bed height | At least 12 inches |
| Gap between bunk beds | At least 48 inches on all sides |
| Space between upper and lower bunk | At least 27 inches |
| Triple bunks | Not allowed |
| Furniture per worker | A bed, a side table and a lockable 2 metre cupboard |
Each worker must have their own bed space, even during working hours. That rules out "hot bedding", where two shifts share one bed. Stoves and washing machines are not allowed in bedrooms, and shoe racks go at the entrance of each room.
Bathroom and kitchen rules in UAE labour camps
Shared bathrooms have fixed ratios, and they must be cleaned at least once a day.
- One toilet for every 8 people, and at least 2 toilets in each shared bathroom.
- One urinal for every 25 people.
- One shower place and one wash basin for every 8 people.
- Hot and cold water, and enough tissue in each toilet.
- You must reach the bathroom without walking through a bedroom.
Each housing unit needs a kitchen run by a licensed company or by its own food staff. Gas cylinders must be outside the building and shaded from the sun. The dining room needs tables, chairs, a water cooler and a wash basin, with 1.4 square metres per person and room for one third of the residents at a time.
Air conditioning, first aid and prayer rooms
Every room, kitchen, dining room, corridor and lounge must have ventilation and central air conditioning, or individual AC units where central AC is not available. Relative humidity in air conditioned areas must stay between 30 and 60 per cent.
- First aid: each housing unit must have a first aid room with a nurse, plus a quarantine room.
- Prayer room: every housing unit must have one.
- Rest room: a lounge with seats and a TV.
- Laundry: either outsourced, or shared machines on the ground floor with a schedule and a person in charge.
- Safety: potable water, sewage, elevators, emergency exits and fire systems.
The site itself must be licensed, at least 5 km from family housing areas, and close to the workplace and a main road.
Cleaning, waste and pest control
The rules also cover hygiene, which matters in a camp of hundreds of people.
- Housing units must be cleaned every day.
- Sealed waste containers, in enough numbers, emptied and cleaned daily.
- A licensed pest control company must be appointed and must keep records of its work.
- The camp grocery, if there is one, cannot sell perishable food or prepare and pack food.
Rest and water at the work site
The duty does not stop at the camp gate. At the work site, the employer must provide shaded canopies for meals and the afternoon rest, food and drinking water kept in healthy conditions, and bathrooms close to the site.
Those rules sit alongside working hours and overtime, which our guide to UAE leave, hours and overtime covers. If you are hurt at work, see our guide to UAE work injury compensation.
What to do if your camp breaks the rules
Start with records, then go to MoHRE. Keep your job while you do it.
- Photograph the room, the beds and the bathrooms, with the date showing.
- Count how many people share your room and each toilet.
- Raise it in writing with the camp manager or HR and keep the reply.
- File a complaint with MoHRE. Our MoHRE complaint guide has the steps.
- If wages are also late, use the timetable in our guide to UAE salary rules under WPS.
Common questions
Is my UAE employer required to give me accommodation?
Yes, if the firm employs 50 or more workers and you earn AED 1,500 a month or less. Otherwise it depends on your contract.
How many people can share a room in a UAE labour camp?
8 to 10 at most, and each person must still have at least 3 square metres of space.
Are triple bunk beds allowed in UAE labour accommodation?
No. Three level bunks are not allowed, and bunk beds need 48 inches of space on all sides.
How many toilets must a UAE labour camp have?
One toilet for every 8 people, with at least 2 in each shared bathroom, plus one urinal for every 25 people.
Must UAE labour accommodation have air conditioning?
Yes. Rooms, kitchens, dining rooms, corridors and lounges need central AC, or individual units where central AC is not available.
Where do I complain about bad labour accommodation in the UAE?
To MoHRE, after raising it in writing with your employer. Keep dated photos and a count of people per room and per toilet.
Last checked 10 November 2026 against the u.ae page on labour accommodation, text provided by MoHRE, updated 12 August 2026.
About the author
Global Affairs & Political Economy Writer
Muhammad Hatim is a book lover who started writing because he enjoys it. At Pakistan Era he writes about international relations, geopolitics and the global economy, with a particular interest in South Asia and the forces behind current events.
