Payroll & WPS · United Arab Emirates
Salaries paid on time, under the 2026 rules
Payroll processed, SIF files generated, WPS transfers scheduled, gratuity and leave accrued correctly. The fifteen-day grace period is gone; the process has to be tighter than it used to be.
- Monthly payroll and payslip generation
- WPS files submitted before the first
- Gratuity and end-of-service calculated to the current rules
- Leave and air ticket accruals tracked, not guessed at year end
- GPSSA contributions for UAE and GCC nationals
Speak to a specialist
Free 30-minute consultation. Written proposal within one business day.
The problem
Ministerial Resolution 340 of 2026 removed the grace period
Until June 2026, employers had a fifteen-day window after the salary due date before non-payment was treated as a breach. That window no longer exists. Salaries must reach employees through the Wage Protection System or an approved channel by the first day of the following month, and monitoring begins automatically on day two.
The escalation is mechanical. By day five the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation may suspend the issue of new work permits. By day eleven administrative fines apply and the establishment is reclassified into a lower compliance category. By day sixteen labour dispute procedures can be opened, and by day twenty-one the matter can reach legal proceedings, asset attachment and travel restrictions. Establishments must pay at least 85% of total wages on time to hold compliant status. DIFC and ADGM employers are generally outside the MOHRE regime; other free zones should confirm with their own authority.
Since June 2026: salaries are due by the 1st of the following month. Monitoring starts on day 2, work permit suspension is possible from day 5, and fines apply from day 11. Emiratisation shortfalls are separately penalised at around AED 96,000 per unfilled position per year, assessed in June and December.
Scope
What is included
Monthly payroll
- Salary computation including allowances and deductions
- Timesheet tracking and consolidation
- Overtime and commission processing
- Individual payslips issued to employees
- Payroll journal posted to your accounts
WPS & statutory
- SIF file generation and bank submission
- WPS registration and setup
- Gratuity and end-of-service benefit calculation
- Annual leave and air ticket accrual
- GPSSA pension contributions for UAE and GCC nationals
- Emiratisation quota tracking and reporting
How it works
Four steps
Setup
WPS registration confirmed, employee master data built, salary structures loaded.
Monthly input
You send changes — joiners, leavers, overtime, deductions. Nothing else.
Processing
Payroll run, payslips issued, SIF file generated and checked against the bank format.
Submission
File submitted so salaries clear before the first of the month, every month.
Pricing
What it costs
Published, fixed, and quoted in writing before we start. All fees exclude 5% UAE VAT.
| Service | Basis | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Payroll & WPS setup | One-off | from AED 1,000 |
| Monthly processing | Per employee, per month | AED 50 |
| Up to 15 employees, included in Growth package | Monthly | AED 2,000/month |
| Unlimited employees, included in Accelerate package | Monthly | AED 3,000/month |
Questions
Payroll & WPS — frequently asked
What is the Wage Protection System?
An electronic transfer system operated through the UAE Central Bank and MOHRE that records salary payments from employer to employee through approved agents. Employers generate a Salary Information File in a prescribed format, the bank processes it, and MOHRE monitors whether wages were paid in full and on time.
When exactly must salaries be paid now?
By the first day of the month following the wage period. The previous fifteen-day grace period was removed by Ministerial Resolution No. 340 of 2026, effective June 2026. Automated monitoring begins on day two.
Do free zone companies have to use WPS?
It depends on the free zone. DIFC and ADGM are generally outside the MOHRE regime and operate their own employment rules. IFZA, DMCC, JAFZA, RAKEZ and most others fall within it or operate an equivalent requirement. Confirm with your zone — assuming exemption is a common and expensive mistake.
What happens if we pay late?
Day 2 brings automated alerts. Day 5 can bring suspension of new work permits and a formal warning. Day 11 brings administrative fines and reclassification to a lower compliance category. Day 16 opens labour dispute procedures. Day 21 can escalate to legal proceedings, asset attachment, travel restrictions and referral for prosecution.
How is gratuity calculated?
End-of-service benefit is based on basic salary and length of service, with different accrual rates before and after five years, and different treatment for resignation against termination under the current labour law. We calculate it monthly as an accrual so the liability is visible in your accounts rather than arriving as a shock when someone leaves.
Is payroll included in your packages?
The Growth package includes payroll and WPS for up to fifteen employees. The Accelerate package covers unlimited employees. Standalone processing is AED 50 per employee per month after a setup fee from AED 1,000.
Next step
Thirty minutes, no obligation
Tell us where you are. We will tell you what is required, what it costs, and whether anything is already overdue — before you have paid us anything.
Prefer to see numbers first? Take the 3-minute assessment — package, indicative fee and your own filing deadlines, no contact details required.
Request a call back
A senior advisor, not a call centre.