Will I be banned from working in any school in UAE for a yr if i leave my current job?

Good luck! And make sure you get rid of the Blackberry!

"No Competition Clauses" are unethical in nature to any employment agreements or contracts; sensitive positions (Top Executives, Banking, Finance and Insurance, Petroleum, Ad Agencies, Food Industry) involve such clauses due to the competition among business houses and revenue reasons but as far as the Education Industry goes it doesn't make sense. Education is everyone's right and a teacher imparts knowledge, with that being said the "No Competition" clause holds no water. Perhaps the person writing the contracts is copy pasting a template with no knowledge of what it actually entails and to what industry is applies to! You will have to meet the consultant at the local MoE (Ministry of Education) in AD and ask his / her opinion if this is legal in any way. Am sure with certain labor laws encompassing every sector of industry, you will be given the right direction and answers you are looking for. As far as your husbands sponsorship is concerned, you may have to cancel that and go on the schools sponsorship. EDIT 1: As per the UAE labor law everyone working in any industry needs to have their work permit issued by the employer or the entity which employs. Having said that you will be asked to get on to the schools sponsorship. As far as you leaving the school before your labor card gets ready sounds like you do plan on leaving your employer. Labor Card processing doesnt usually take long if all paper work submitted is in order and up to date.