Does an employment contract in Egypt have to be in Arabic?

Yes. Article 89 of the Labour Law issued by Law No. 14 of 2025 requires the employer to draw the contract up in writing in Arabic in four copies, one for the employer, one for the worker, one for the competent social insurance office and one for the competent administrative authority. Where the worker is a foreigner who does not command Arabic, the contract may be made in Arabic and in the worker's language, but the Arabic version prevails if the two differ in interpretation.

How long can a probation period be under the new Egyptian Labour Law?

Article 90 of the Labour Law issued by Law No. 14 of 2025 sets the probation period stated in the contract at no more than three months. The same article prohibits appointing a worker on probation more than once with the same employer, so a second probation on a new role with the same employer is not available.

What happens if there is no written employment contract in Egypt?

Article 88 of the Labour Law issued by Law No. 14 of 2025 treats an unwritten contract as an indefinite contract from the date it was made, as it does a contract that does not state its term. Article 89 adds that where no written contract exists, both the worker and the employer may prove the relationship, its duration and every right flowing from it by all means of proof.

Employment Contract in Egypt

Egypt swapped its entire private-sector employment statute in 2025: the Labour Law issued by Law No. 14 of 2025 repealed Labour Law No. 12 of 2003 and took effect on the first day of the month following ninety days from its publication on 3 May 2025, which is 1 September 2025. The individual contract must be written in Arabic in four counterparts, one of which is deposited with the social insurance office and one with the competent administrative authority, so a contract that exists only in English does not meet the statutory form. A contract that is unwritten, or that fails to state its term, is treated as an indefinite contract from the moment it was made.

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Governing law

Private-sector employment is governed by the Labour Law annexed to Law No. 14 of 2025, which by Article 12 of its issuing law repealed Labour Law No. 12 of 2003 and Law No. 125 of 2010 on the priority rank of workers' rights.

Law No. 14 of 2025 issuing the Labour Law, Arts. 12 and 13 of the issuing law (Official Gazette No. 18 (bis), 3 May 2025, Arabic)

What a employment contract has to contain in Egypt

The chapter applies to a contract by which a worker undertakes to work for an employer under that employer's direction or supervision in return for a wage, which is the subordination test that separates employment from a contract for work.
Labour Law issued by Law No. 14 of 2025, Art. 86 (Official Gazette No. 18 (bis), 3 May 2025, Arabic)
A contract is concluded for an indefinite period, or for a fixed period where the nature of the work requires it, and the parties may agree to renew it for further similar periods.
Labour Law issued by Law No. 14 of 2025, Art. 87
The contract counts as indefinite from the date it was made in three cases: it is not in writing, it does not state its term, or it was for a fixed term and both parties carried on performing after that term expired without a written agreement.
Labour Law issued by Law No. 14 of 2025, Art. 88
The contract must state at least the start date, the employer's name and the workplace address, the worker's name, qualification, occupation, social insurance number, residence and identity particulars, the nature and type of the work, and the agreed wage with the method and timing of payment and any other cash or in-kind benefits.
Labour Law issued by Law No. 14 of 2025, Art. 89
A probation period stated in the contract may not exceed three months, and a worker may not be placed on probation more than once with the same employer.
Labour Law issued by Law No. 14 of 2025, Art. 90
The employer must open a paper or electronic file for each worker holding the worker's particulars, wage, leave and disciplinary record, a copy of the contract and proof of social insurance registration.
Labour Law issued by Law No. 14 of 2025, Art. 92

Form, notarisation and registration

The employer must draw the contract up in writing in Arabic in four copies: one kept by the employer, one handed to the worker, a third deposited with the competent social insurance office and a fourth with the competent administrative authority.
Labour Law issued by Law No. 14 of 2025, Art. 89
Establishments covered by the law had to send the ministry responsible for labour, within thirty days of the law taking effect, a detailed statement of the number of workers with their qualifications, occupations, age brackets, nationalities, sex and wages.
Law No. 14 of 2025 issuing the Labour Law, Art. 8 of the issuing law

What catches drafters out

Where a foreign worker does not command Arabic the contract may be drawn in Arabic and in the worker's language, but if the two versions diverge in interpretation the Arabic contract governs, so a negotiated English text can be defeated by a loose Arabic translation.
Labour Law issued by Law No. 14 of 2025, Art. 89
If there is no written contract, both the worker and the employer may prove the employment relationship, its duration and all rights arising from it by every means of proof, so the absence of a document does not protect the employer.
Labour Law issued by Law No. 14 of 2025, Art. 89
The minister responsible for labour had ninety days from the law taking effect to issue the implementing decisions, and until they are issued the decisions in force under the old regime continue to apply so far as they do not conflict with the new law, so templates must be checked against both layers.
Law No. 14 of 2025 issuing the Labour Law, Art. 11 of the issuing law