In this guide 11 sections
- Separate the job contract from the assignment
- Put the roster and pay on the same calendar
- Ask which journeys are included
- Ask what happens after the last shift
- Turn the roster into a dated plan
- Compare two offers over the same period
- Check the airport, site transfer and break travel
- Walk through a delay before you agree
- Send one set of written questions
- Common questions
- Sources
Separate the job contract from the assignment
Start with the name of the employer on the contract. Then write down the name of the client, the worksite and the dates of the first assignment. An offer may give you a project end date while leaving your employment end date unclear. Ask what happens if the client delays the start, changes the site or ends the assignment early.
If the role involves an agency, ask who pays you, who handles the permit and who can agree changes to the terms. The guide to checking an outsourcing agency offer covers that distinction in more detail. The UAE government lists different work permit routes. Ask the employer which route applies to you and verify it with MoHRE or the free-zone authority responsible for the employer before making travel plans.
Put the roster and pay on the same calendar
A roster tells you when you expect to work and when you expect time away. Use these questions to check how your employer counts each part of the cycle.
| Line to compare | What to confirm |
|---|---|
| On-site work | Dates, shifts, site and any allowance linked to days worked. |
| Break between rotations | Whether basic pay and allowances continue and when you must return. |
| Annual leave | Whether breaks between rotations count towards annual leave or are separate. |
| Travel days and standby | Whether each is paid, who books travel and what happens if a transfer is delayed. |
| Housing and meals | Which location and dates are covered, including waiting days before or after site work. |
| Gap between assignments | Whether you remain employed and paid, what happens to any permit and residence arrangements, and who confirms the next assignment. |
| Early finish or extension | Who can agree new dates and what happens to your pay, accommodation and journey home. |
A monthly figure can be hard to compare with a day rate. Ask the employer to show what you would earn across one complete cycle, including days away. Put guaranteed pay on one line and conditional allowances on another. If the offer leaves some days unpaid, include them in the comparison with a permanent role. The UAE employment contract guide covers the wider terms to read before signing.
Ask which journeys are included
Employers may use “mobilisation” for the trip to start an assignment and “demobilisation” for the trip when it ends. Ask the employer to list each journey separately. Ask whether the offer covers a ticket for each journey.
An electrical commissioning advert for a Ruwais assignment, checked on 8 November 2026, said monthly pay applied during periods both on and off rotation. It referred to mobilisation and demobilisation flights separately, and said flights for rest-and-recuperation breaks were excluded. The advert may have closed since that check. Use this example to spot questions in your own offer. Verify the terms in your contract and travel schedule. Original recruiter advert, viewed 8 November 2026
A recruitment listing from Met T&S for a machinery commissioning role in Ruwais, checked on 9 November 2026, described both paid time off and paid travel days, and a return economy ticket on each rotation. The dates shown on the listing do not establish that it is a current vacancy. It is an example of how an advertiser can spell out travel separately from the roster. Compare it with the Progressive advert, which excluded break flights. Ask for the same distinctions in the contract you would sign. Original Met T&S recruitment listing
Ask what happens after the last shift
If another assignment is mentioned, ask when it will be confirmed and what applies in the meantime. An agreed decision date helps you plan a return flight, a tenancy or your next job search.
Ask how long you can use any employer housing after the assignment ends, and who pays for a hotel if a transfer changes. Use the staff accommodation guide to check what the offer provides.
Turn the roster into a dated plan
Ask for the first full rotation in calendar dates. Put the flight in, site induction, first paid day, last site shift, flight out and next report date on separate lines. A label such as “28 on, 28 off” does not tell you which line the employer treats as the start of the cycle. It also leaves room for different readings of the days you spend travelling.
For example, suppose the offer describes 28 days at the site and 28 days away. The employer books a full day of travel at each end of the break. If both travel days fall inside the break, that leaves 26 days of the break without travel. If the employer adds them to the break, the full cycle is two days longer. Ask them to put real dates on the first version of the calendar. Check which days count towards annual leave separately, especially if you need time away for a particular commitment.
Use the calendar to ask about induction and handover. If you have to arrive a day before the site starts work, ask where you stay, who meets you and whether the day counts for pay. For a night rotation, ask which local date the employer records as your last working day. A return flight on that date may leave before you finish or before the site transfer reaches the airport.
Check whether there is a fixed day to start the next rotation or whether the client sets it each time. If you plan to travel during the break, the answer tells you how much flexibility you need. Ask who tells you when the date changes, how much notice they give and who handles the cost of rebooking a trip that the employer asked you to change.
Compare two offers over the same period
An offer can sound better when you only compare its rate while on site. Ask both employers for a sample pay statement covering the same number of calendar days. Record whether each figure is basic pay, fixed allowance, day rate or reimbursement. Put off-site days, travel and waiting on their own lines so that you can see whether they are included.
Here is a worked example using invented figures and terms. Use it to check the arithmetic in your own offer. The figures do not describe UAE market pay or the terms of an advertised job. Ask a competent reviewer or the responsible authority how pay and leave rules apply to the contract you are offered.
| Over the same 56 days | Example offer A | Example offer B |
|---|---|---|
| Basis | AED 800 per paid site day, with 28 paid site days in the example | AED 350 per calendar day for all 56 days |
| Pay before travel costs | AED 22,400 | AED 19,600 |
| Return travel during the break | You pay AED 1,600 for the return ticket | The employer covers the return ticket in this example |
| Pay less that ticket cost | AED 20,800 | AED 19,600 |
Offer A leaves AED 1,200 more in this example after the ticket. If the ticket costs AED 2,800 instead, the two examples come out equal on this calculation. This compares the items shown only. To make it useful for you, add any airport transfers, luggage charges or accommodation you would pay for and compare time away from home across the same dates.
Check what a delayed start does to your pay
Now check what happens if an assignment starts late. Suppose the start moves by seven days and only the days worked on site are paid. Ask whether the first rotation shifts by seven days, loses seven paid days or comes with paid standby. If those days are lost at the example rate of AED 800, that is AED 5,600 less. If the cycle moves intact, the timing of your first pay may change instead. Ask for the employer’s calculation before treating the higher headline rate as guaranteed.
If you are comparing a rotation with a permanent offer, put both on the same 12-month calendar. Only count future assignments when the employer has committed to them. Record your likely household costs over the full period, including time between assignments. Use the UAE salary and job offers guide for questions about fixed and conditional pay.
Check the airport, site transfer and break travel
Ask for your starting airport and the place where the employer’s responsibility ends. A ticket to Abu Dhabi still leaves a separate trip if you work in Ruwais. Check whether a company vehicle collects you, where you meet it and who you call if your flight is late. If you need a hotel before going to the site, ask who books it and whether meals and onward transport are included.
For journeys during breaks, ask which route and class the employer covers. If you live in one country and want to spend a break in another, check whether the written terms allow it. Confirm baggage and equipment arrangements before you agree. If the employer reimburses travel, get the limit, approval process, receipts required and payment date. Ask what happens if you cannot get a ticket below the limit.
Walk through a delay before you agree
Ask the employer to talk you through two scenarios. In the first, the client pushes the start back after you have given notice to your current employer. In the second, the project ends before the planned date and the next assignment is still undecided. Write down who tells you what has changed and when you will get the next decision.
For the delayed start, check when pay begins, whether flights will move and whether the employer provides accommodation if you have already travelled. Ask whether you should remain where you are, wait at a staging location or return home. Use the employer’s written answer to decide what you can afford to commit to while you wait.
For an early finish, check who authorises your last working day and who confirms your last paid day. Ask when allowances stop, when your room needs to be vacated and who handles the final journey. If someone suggests a different site, ask for its location, roster and terms before you accept it. Check the implications for your permit and residence arrangements with the responsible authority if your employer or assignment changes.
Send one set of written questions
Put the date and version of the offer at the top of your notes. If the recruiter answers by phone, send a short message afterwards setting out your understanding and ask them to confirm it. You can use this wording:
Could you confirm the dates of the first rotation, including travel and induction? Please show which days are paid, which flights are covered and whether the break counts towards annual leave. If the project is delayed or finishes early, could you also confirm what happens to my pay, accommodation, travel and next assignment?
Check the reply against the final contract and its attachments. Record the agreed terms and the name of the person who confirmed them. If the answer depends on a client decision, record the date you expect that decision and what you would do if it comes late. That gives you a concrete point to revisit before you hand in notice, book a ticket or sign a lease.
Common questions
Is a rotation the same as a fixed project?
A rotation describes a cycle of work and time away. A project describes the assignment. Ask for both sets of dates and compare them with the end date in your employment contract.
Am I paid during the off period?
Check the written pay terms. Ask which parts of the pay continue during a break, and ask for a worked pay example across a full cycle.
Does a flight allowance include trips home on breaks?
Ask the employer to list each journey separately. A flight at the start or end of a project may be covered under different terms from a flight during a break.
What should I ask if the project ends early?
Ask who confirms the end date and what happens to pay, housing, travel and your next assignment. Keep the answer with the contract so you can refer to it before making plans.
