Preparing and Translating Foreign Documents in a Labour Case
Courts use Arabic, and the published rule states that non-Arabic-speaking parties and witnesses are heard through an interpreter and that foreign-language papers are submitted with an Arabic translation certified by a licensed office. In the employment context, the Labour Law requires Arabic for the specified workplace data, records, files, employment contracts, and employer instructions; where an employer uses a foreign language alongside Arabic in those situations, the Arabic text controls. This does not mean that every foreign-origin document is void, nor does it replace the court rule on translating papers filed in a foreign language. Under the published pathway, a labour dispute begins with amicable settlement, with the employment contract if available or proof of the contractual relationship and documents required according to the claim type. If settlement fails, the service states that referral to the labour court occurs within 21 working days from the first session. Preserve the original and a legible copy, obtain a certified Arabic translation, and create an index explaining each document’s relevance. Translation alone does not prove a signature, authenticity, evidentiary weight, or the outcome of the dispute. The PDF, PNG, TIF, JPEG, and JPG extensions and 5 MB per-file limit are published instructions for the specified Wدي workflow and should not be generalized to every platform or update.
- The employment contract or offer letter, including a foreign-language version where relevant.
- Proof of the contractual relationship when no written contract is available.
- Payroll statements, wage records, or relevant bank-payment evidence.
- Termination, dismissal, resignation, or notice documents.
- Attendance, working-hours, leave, or workplace-policy records.
- Recruitment, assignment, or employment-agency documents connected with the employment relationship.
- Medical, work-injury, or occupational-health documents when relevant to the claim.
- Settlement correspondence, acknowledgements, releases, or offers relevant to the dispute.
Confirm that the matter concerns an employment dispute and identify the amicable-settlement route followed, where applicable, by the labour-court route.
Collect the employment contract if available or proof of the contractual relationship, then identify documents required by the claim type without assuming a universal checklist.
Preserve the original and a legible copy, and record the document’s name, date, issuer, language, and relevance.
Obtain a certified Arabic translation from a licensed office, including material text, tables, stamps, annexes, and qualifications.
In the Statement of Claim service, select the claim classification, enter the parties’ and claim data, attach required documents, and submit.
Follow the active platform instructions. In its published workflow, the Wدي guide lists PDF, PNG, TIF, JPEG, and JPG and a maximum of 5 MB per file; do not generalize these limits.
Log the first upload location for each document; the remote-litigation manual says not to attach again documents referred to in a written session or memorandum, and monitor correction requests through verified channels.
When needed, arrange session interpretation for non-Arabic speakers separately from document translation, since the two services serve different functions.
| Document type | Common use | Note |
|---|---|---|
Must every foreign document in a labour case be translated?
The Law of Civil Procedure states that foreign-language papers are submitted with a certified Arabic translation. The sources do not publish a general labour-specific exception list; assess each paper in context and follow the court or platform’s request.
What is meant by a certified translation?
The official text describes it as an Arabic translation from a licensed office. The sources do not prescribe a universal certificate form or publish a general office list.
Is a party’s own translation enough?
The sources do not establish that a party’s translation is sufficient. The published rule refers to a licensed office, so a self-prepared translation should not be labelled certified.
Is Arabic required in an employment contract?
Article 9 of the Labour Law requires Arabic for the specified employment contracts, data, records, and files, and provides that the Arabic text controls when the employer uses a foreign language alongside it.
Does Article 9 mean a foreign-language contract is void?
The reviewed text of Article 9 does not say that every foreign-language contract is void. It addresses the language of specified labour documents and the controlling Arabic text in the stated circumstances.
Does HRSD publish a document list for every labour claim?
The amicable-settlement page asks for the employment contract if available or proof of the contractual relationship and says documents depend on the claim type. It does not publish one universal list for all disputes.
Does a labour claim start directly in court?
The official sources describe amicable settlement as the first stage and referral to the labour court if settlement fails, under the published period.
What published period applies to referral after failed settlement?
The service page states referral within 21 working days from the first session. Do not turn that fact into a universal translation deadline or a deadline for every litigation stage.
Is a hearing interpreter different from a document translator?
They serve different functions. The Wدي guide mentions session interpretation for non-Arabic speakers, while the Law of Civil Procedure addresses Arabic translation of foreign-language papers by a licensed office.
Will the court translate a foreign document?
The sources do not impose a general duty on the court to translate parties’ papers. The published rule places submission of the certified Arabic translation with the foreign-language paper.
Which electronic file types are accepted?
The Wدي guide lists PDF, PNG, TIF, JPEG, and JPG and states a 5 MB per-file limit in that workflow. Do not generalize those specifications to every platform or future update.
May the same document be uploaded more than once?
The MOJ remote-litigation manual says documents referred to in a written session or memorandum should not be attached again. Keep a submission log and follow the panel’s instruction if a new copy is requested.
Does translation prove authenticity or a signature?
No. Translation conveys the content into Arabic; authenticity, signature validity, and evidentiary weight remain matters for the adjudicating authority based on the case and its evidence.
Must every foreign labour document be embassy- or foreign-ministry-legalized?
The official sources do not establish a universal requirement. They establish certified Arabic translation for foreign-language papers; any additional legalization requires a source specific to the document and requesting authority.
Does translation guarantee acceptance or success in the case?
No. Translation may satisfy a procedural or comprehension requirement, but it does not guarantee admissibility, sufficiency, or the outcome of the dispute.
This guide is for general information and is not legal or consular advice. Always verify current requirements with the receiving authority.