The Labour Standards Development Authority was established in Sharjah by an Emiri decree issued in June 2014, to realize the vision of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, stating that: “The greatest goal is to serve human beings, and improve their well-being and provide a decent life for them.”

Hence, His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah ordered the establishment of LSDA to contribute to the advancement of workers and employees, to boost the work environment for them, and to enable them to harness their skills and energy.

The mere name of LSDA came to reflect that vision, as the name expressly stated that it is an authority for developing the "labour standards", that must be achieved to ensure decent work.

The labour standards are not only the basic condition for achieving decent work, but they also result in equal opportunities, equality, and fairness. The labour standards also guarantee workers' rights to a decent life and decent, productive, and freely chosen work.

Thus, the labour standards enhance jobs and social security, and well-being. They control the relationship and responsibilities among the parties involved in the work environment, mainly the government, workers, and employers.

The Labour Standards Development Authority in Sharjah seeks to achieve five objectives:

1. Developing the labour standards and their implementation mechanisms to ensure a distinct and attractive work environment for workers and employers. For that, LSDA lays down policies and strategies necessary to promote and develop the labour market in Sharjah; it proposes legislation, bylaws, and systems related to the labour standards and labour accommodations; proposes general standards for training and qualifying labour cadres and mechanisms for their implementation; conducts studies and research on labour affairs in the Emirate of Sharjah. LSDA also monitors and evaluates the impact of applying labour legislation and standards on the labour market in the emirate.
2. Enhancing awareness and compliance with labour legislation and standards to guarantee the rights of workers and employers' interests. For that, it organizes activities, training courses, and educational and awareness programs related to labour legislation and standards, and sets and implements inspection programs on establishments to ensure their compliance with labour legislation and standards.
3. Seeking to achieve the well-being and decent life for workers, and to improve their working and living conditions. For that, it holds events and labour activities and participates in such events locally and internationally. It takes the necessary precautionary measures for establishments in the event of disasters, crises, and emergencies, and provides the necessary support for them.
4. Strengthening the labour relationships between employers and workers and motivating them to implement labor legislation and standards. For that it establishes effective channels of communication with employers and workers, receives suggestions, recommendations, and complaints and takes the necessary actions in this regard, and organizes related educational and awareness activities, courses, and programs.
5. Ensuring the availability of the necessary standards and requirements in the labour accommodations in accordance with best practices. For that, it proposes legislation, regulations, and systems related to labour standards and labour accommodations, supervises, controls, and inspects the labour accommodations to ensure their compliance with the labour housing standards, manages, operates, and develops projects, establishments, buildings, and facilities in the labour housing areas.

To achieve these objectives, LSDA implements several programs, projects, and awareness and educational activities that serve workers and employers, including The Labour Day Festival, the Sharjah Labour Sports Tournament, and the Sharjah Labour Sector Forum. It also conducts many educational and awareness workshops, free medical examination campaigns, and entertainment events on all local and international occasions, with the support of the Sharjah government and in cooperation with community institutions.

LSDA seeks to highlight the experience of the Emirate of Sharjah and that of the UAE in preserving workers' rights, and stresses the importance of community appreciation for workers and their important and effective role. Workers are partners in the development and growth, and supporting them is an ethical approach that we adhere to in the light of the vision of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah, who has always stressed the importance of workers in the development process.