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Salary not paid on time in the UAE? The rules and what to do

Private-sector salaries are due on the 1st of each month through the Wage Protection System. From the 5th day late the employer is blocked from new work permits, and from the 16th a labour dispute is opened automatically.

By MyGuide AE Editorial 2 min read

Salaries in the UAE private sector are due on the first day of each month, for the month before, and must be paid through the Wage Protection System (WPS). If your employer is late, the Ministry acts on a fixed timetable, and you can complain to it directly.

What the law requires

  • Establishments registered with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation pay wages through the WPS, via banks, exchange houses or financial institutions authorised by the Central Bank.
  • At least 85% of total wages due must be transferred on time, where lawful deductions apply.
  • Salary can be paid in dirhams or another currency if the contract says so.
  • There is no minimum wage in UAE labour law; wages must be sufficient to meet the employee’s basic needs.

What happens when an employer pays late

When What the Ministry does
From the due date Electronic monitoring of the establishment
From the 2nd day late Alerts and notifications to pay
5th day New work permits for the establishment suspended, with a warning to the owner
11th day An administrative fine and a lower establishment category, for a repeat violation within six months
16th day A labour dispute is registered automatically for the affected workers, for establishments with 25 or more workers (and in some sectors across the same owner’s companies)
21st day For fewer than 50 workers, an enforcement order to pay; for 50 or more, a collective dispute; precautionary attachment and a travel ban on the person in charge; referral to the Public Prosecution in some repeat cases

What you can do

File a salary complaint with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation. How a complaint moves from the Ministry to the court is in how to file a labour complaint.

If the company fails completely

Every private-sector worker is covered by either a AED 3,000 bank guarantee or the workers’ insurance scheme. If a company goes bankrupt or cannot pay, the policy covers up to AED 20,000 per worker, including unpaid wages for up to the last 120 days, end-of-service benefits and the ticket home.

Related: notice period and the final settlement calculator.

Checked against the UAE government portal (u.ae), content sourced to the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, on 25 September 2026. General information, not legal advice. See our editorial policy.

Sources we checked

The official bodies where these figures and rules are kept up to date. Where an official page disagrees with us, the official page is right.

Prices are what we last paid or last verified, in dirhams. Opening hours change on public holidays and during Ramadan — always confirm on the venue’s own site before you travel. Our editorial policy

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