Employer Not Paying Salary in UAE: What To Do and Your Legal Rights

What UAE law requires your employer to do

Under Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 (the UAE Labour Law) and the Wage Protection System (WPS) regulations, every private sector employer in the UAE is legally required to:

• Pay salaries within 10 days of the agreed payment date — delays beyond 10 days are a violation reportable to MOHRE
• Pay all salaries through the Wage Protection System, which creates a verifiable digital payment record for every transfer
• Pay end-of-service gratuity (EOSG) within 14 days of an employee's last working day
• Pay all outstanding salary, allowances, and benefits owed at termination, regardless of whether the termination was initiated by the employer or employee

These are not soft obligations. MOHRE has enforcement authority to sanction companies, freeze new hiring, and refer cases to the Labour Court for non-compliance. The system is designed to be used by employees — there is no cost to file, no lawyer required for the initial stages, and the process is available in multiple languages.

How the Wage Protection System (WPS) protects you

The WPS is a Central Bank of UAE system that requires all private sector salaries to be paid electronically through registered financial channels. Every payment is logged with the employee's Emirates ID, the amount, and the date. This creates an auditable trail that MOHRE can access directly.

If your employer misses a payment, MOHRE's automated monitoring system detects the gap and can issue a warning to the employer without you even filing a complaint. If the delay reaches 10 days, MOHRE can escalate sanctions automatically.

For you, this means: if your employer claims they paid and you never received it, the WPS record resolves the dispute without argument. Request your WPS payment history from MOHRE as part of any complaint — it is your strongest piece of evidence.

Step-by-step: filing a salary complaint with MOHRE

Step 1: File the complaint

You have three options for filing, all equally valid:

• MOHRE app (Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation app) — fastest; available on iOS and Android
• mohre.gov.ae — online portal; use the "Labour Complaints" section
• Tasheel service centres — in-person filing at any Tasheel branch across the UAE

When filing, have your Emirates ID, passport, employment contract, and the specific dates and amounts of the unpaid salary ready. You will receive a case reference number immediately.

Step 2: MOHRE mediation (within 2 weeks)

MOHRE will contact your employer and attempt to resolve the dispute through mediation. This stage typically takes 1–2 weeks. Many salary disputes — particularly straightforward non-payment cases — are resolved here. Your employer receives a formal notice from MOHRE, which most employers treat seriously given the consequences of non-compliance.

During mediation, MOHRE has the authority to: require your employer to produce WPS payment records, suspend the employer's ability to issue new work permits, and impose financial penalties for violations.

Step 3: Labour Court referral (if mediation fails)

If mediation does not produce a resolution, MOHRE automatically refers the case to the Labour Court. You do not need to initiate this — MOHRE handles the referral. Labour Court hearings for straightforward salary disputes are typically scheduled within 2–4 weeks of referral.

The Labour Court can issue a binding payment order against your employer. If your employer does not comply with a court order, enforcement options include: attachment of the employer's business assets, notification to the relevant licensing authority, and potential criminal referral for deliberate non-payment.

You do not need a lawyer to appear at the Labour Court for basic salary claims. Interpretation services are available. If your claim involves large sums, complex disputes, or any criminal element, legal representation is advisable.

Step 4: Workers Protection Programme — last resort

If your employer is insolvent, has disappeared, or is unable to pay even after a court order, the Workers Protection Programme (WPP) provides insurance coverage of up to AED 20,000 per eligible employee for unpaid wages and end-of-service benefits. Apply through MOHRE after a ruling is issued in your favour. In the 12 months to end of 2025, MOHRE recovered AED 289 million through this programme.

End-of-service gratuity: what you are owed and when

Under Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, end-of-service gratuity is calculated on your basic salary only — not your total package including housing allowance, transport allowance, or other benefits unless your contract specifies otherwise.

The calculation:

• First 5 years of service: 21 days of basic salary per year
• Each year beyond 5 years: 30 days of basic salary per year
• Maximum total gratuity: capped at 2 years of basic salary

Your employer must pay this within 14 days of your last working day. If they do not, file a MOHRE complaint immediately — do not wait for informal promises of payment. The 14-day deadline is a legal requirement, not a guideline.

Important: if you resign before completing one year of service, you are not entitled to gratuity under UAE law. If you resign after one year but before five years, you receive a prorated amount. If your employer terminates you without cause, you receive the full calculation regardless of length of service.

What to do if your employer threatens your visa over a salary dispute

Some employers attempt to use visa cancellation as leverage in a salary dispute — threatening to cancel your visa or withhold a No Objection Certificate if you file a complaint. This is illegal under UAE labour law. Filing a MOHRE complaint is a protected act, and retaliatory visa cancellation is itself a reportable violation.

Specifically: if you have filed a MOHRE complaint and your employer attempts to cancel your visa or have you removed from the country as a direct consequence, report this to MOHRE explicitly. The complaint system has provisions for retaliation cases. Additionally, MOHRE places a hold on case-related visa cancellations in active labour disputes in many circumstances — ask your case officer about this protection when you file.

Free zone employees

Most UAE free zones — including JAFZA, DMCC, DAFZA, Dubai Airport Free Zone, and most Abu Dhabi free zones — are covered by UAE Federal Labour Law and MOHRE jurisdiction. However, two free zones operate under their own legal frameworks:

• DIFC (Dubai International Financial Centre) — governed by DIFC employment law; salary disputes go to the DIFC Courts Small Claims Tribunal, not MOHRE
• ADGM (Abu Dhabi Global Market) — governed by ADGM employment regulations; disputes are handled by the ADGM Courts

For DIFC employees, the Small Claims Tribunal is efficient and designed for employment disputes up to USD 200,000 — it is the correct route, not MOHRE. For all other free zones, MOHRE is the right starting point.

Frequently asked questions

How long does the MOHRE complaint process take?

From filing to mediation resolution: typically 2–4 weeks. From filing to Labour Court ruling: typically 4–10 weeks for straightforward cases. Complex disputes involving multiple claims or employer insolvency take longer. The process is considerably faster than most expats expect — the Labour Court prioritises employment cases and does not have the same backlogs as civil courts.

Can I file a MOHRE complaint if I have already left the UAE?

Yes. MOHRE complaints can be filed from outside the UAE through the online portal or app. You do not need to be physically present to initiate or participate in the complaint process. Labour Court appearances may be conducted remotely in many cases — confirm the options with your case officer when filing.

My employer says my salary was paid but I never received it — what do I do?

Request your WPS transaction history from MOHRE as part of your complaint. This is the definitive record of every salary payment made through the system. If your employer paid through WPS and you did not receive it, the issue is with the receiving bank account — contact your bank with the WPS reference. If no WPS record exists for the payment period in question, the burden of proof is on the employer.

Can I claim for unpaid overtime, commissions, or allowances as well as basic salary?

Yes. MOHRE complaints can include any contractual payment that has not been made: basic salary, overtime, commission, housing allowance, transport allowance, and any other benefit specified in your employment contract or offer letter. Keep copies of your contract, any addenda, and any written communications about payments owed.

My employer is about to go bankrupt — will I get anything?

File your MOHRE complaint immediately — do not wait for the bankruptcy proceedings to complete. Employees are priority creditors in UAE insolvency proceedings, meaning unpaid wages are treated as a priority claim before other creditors are paid. The Workers Protection Programme provides up to AED 20,000 in coverage if the employer cannot pay after a ruling. File both the MOHRE complaint and the WPP claim as early as possible to preserve your place in the queue.

The bottom line

Unpaid salary in the UAE is not a grey area — it is a clear legal violation with an accessible, free enforcement mechanism. File a MOHRE complaint the moment your employer misses the 10-day window. Do not wait for informal promises. The process is faster than most people expect, and the WPS record makes straightforward cases hard for employers to contest. For a complete guide to managing a job loss, visa cancellation, and financial protection in the Gulf, see the Gulf Expat Emergency Playbook.