WPS, gratuity, and your rights as a UAE employee

The UAE labour system is more protective than most new arrivals assume, if you know the rules.

WPS, how your salary must be paid

The Wage Protection System requires mainland employers to pay salaries through monitored bank transfers. Cash-only salary arrangements for mainland jobs are a red flag. Your contract salary (basic + allowances) registered with MOHRE is what must hit your account.

Gratuity, your end-of-service bonus

After one year of service you're entitled to gratuity, based on your basic salary (not gross):

• 21 days of basic pay per year for the first 5 years
• 30 days of basic pay per year after that

Example: basic AED 8,000, leaving after 3 years → daily basic = 8,000 × 12 / 365 ≈ AED 263 → 21 × 3 × 263 ≈ AED 16,570.

This is why offers with a low basic and high allowances are worth less than they look, gratuity, leave pay and many benefits key off the basic. (Our offer evaluator flags this automatically.)

Your red lines, these are illegal

• Passport retention. No employer may hold your passport. Ever.
• Recruitment fees charged to you. The employer pays for your visa and permits.
• Unpaid salary beyond 15 days of the due date, complaint grounds with MOHRE (call 600590000 or use the app).
• Forcing resignation to dodge gratuity. Gratuity is owed on most exits after one year, including resignation.

Probation and notice

• Probation: maximum 6 months; during it, the employer needs 14 days' notice to terminate; you need 14 days (moving to another UAE employer: 30 days).
• After probation: notice is per contract, between 30 and 90 days.

Keep copies of your offer letter, MOHRE contract, and payslips from day one. Disputes are decided on documents, and 10 minutes of filing now protects months of salary later.