Your salary for September is due in your account by 1 October. Since 1 June 2026, every private-sector employer registered with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) must pay the previous month’s wages through the Wage Protection System (WPS) by the first day of each Gregorian month. There’s no longer a grace period on top of that date.
WPS is the reason a salary in the UAE leaves a trail. Here’s how the system moves your pay, what counts as late, and what you can do when it is.
WPS salary overview
| Point | Rule |
|---|---|
| Who it covers | Private-sector establishments registered with MoHRE |
| Salary due date | 1st of each Gregorian month, for the previous month |
| Rules in force | Ministerial Resolution No. 340 of 2026, effective 1 June 2026 |
| Minimum paid on time | At least 85% of total wages due, after lawful deductions |
| Paid through | Banks, exchange houses and financial institutions authorised by the Central Bank of the UAE |
| Currency | AED, or another currency if your contract says so |
| Run by | Central Bank of the UAE, monitored by MoHRE |
How a WPS salary reaches you
The Central Bank of the UAE launched WPS in 2009 for the labour ministry, now MoHRE. A salary passes through four steps:
- Your employer sends a salary file and the funds through its bank.
- The Central Bank secures the employer’s funds before releasing the wage information.
- The wage details go to the agent that holds your account or card: a bank, an exchange house or another authorised institution.
- The agent credits you and reports back that the money was received and paid out.
The Central Bank passes regular data feeds to MoHRE throughout. That’s how the ministry can see, employee by employee, whether wages were paid in full and on time without anyone filing a complaint.
Where your WPS salary can land
WPS pays into whatever your employer has set up with an authorised agent:
- A bank account with an IBAN, such as Emirates NBD, ADCB, DIB or Mashreq.
- A payroll card for workers without a bank account, such as FAB’s Ratibi card, Edenred’s C3Pay card or LuLu’s My Pay card.
The route changes how you check it. A bank account shows the credit in its app. A payroll card has its own app or enquiry portal: the C3 card balance check, the Ratibi card salary check and My Pay My Card each work differently.
When a WPS salary counts as late
The due date is the first day of the month for the month just worked. An employer counts as compliant only if at least 85% of the total wages due across its workforce arrive on time, allowing for lawful deductions.
From the second day after the due date, MoHRE’s measures begin, and they tighten on a fixed timetable.
What happens to an employer that pays late
| Timing after the due date | Measure | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| From the due date | Electronic monitoring until payment is proven | All establishments |
| Day 2 onward | Notifications and alerts to pay | Non-compliant establishments |
| Day 5 | New work permits suspended, owner warned | Non-compliant establishments |
| Day 11 | Administrative fine under Cabinet Resolution No. 21 of 2020, and reclassification to the Third Category | Repeat violation within 6 months |
| Day 16 | Individual or collective labour dispute registered automatically for affected workers, and work permits suspended | 25 or more workers in any sector, or 25+ unpaid across commonly owned firms in construction, transport and storage, security, cleaning, recruitment and domestic-worker recruitment |
| Day 21 | Executive instrument to pay wages (under 50 workers) or collective dispute (50+), precautionary attachment, travel ban on the person in charge, and Public Prosecution notified for repeat violations at 50+ workers | 50 or more workers, commonly owned firms in the same sectors, or any case that risks labour-market stability |
For you, day 16 matters most at a larger employer. If your company has 25 or more workers and still hasn’t paid, a labour dispute is registered for you automatically.
Who WPS doesn’t cover
Some employees are outside WPS compliance:
- Employees with a wage complaint already referred to court
- Employees reported for work abandonment (absconding)
- Employees whose freedom is restricted by an order or judgment, for that period, once MoHRE is notified with documents
- Employees on unpaid leave, with supporting documents submitted to MoHRE
- Seafarers on vessels, on the establishment’s request and per ministry decision
- Foreign workers of foreign establishments or branches in the UAE who are paid abroad, with the worker’s approval
- Holders of mission work permits of three months or less
On the employer side, UAE nationals who own fishing boats or public taxis, banks and financial institutions, and houses of worship are outside WPS compliance too.
No minimum wage under WPS
The UAE Labour Law sets no minimum salary. It requires wages to be enough to meet an employee’s basic needs. WPS checks that the agreed salary is paid on time. It doesn’t set the amount.
Checking whether your WPS salary arrived
- On the 1st, check your bank app or payroll card app, not just an ATM receipt. The transaction list shows the credit and the sender.
- Turn on salary alerts if your bank or card offers them. C3Pay and ADCB, for example, send alerts when a salary is credited.
- If nothing has arrived by the 2nd, ask HR or payroll whether the salary file was submitted.
A UAE salary balance check covers bank-by-bank and card-by-card methods if you’re not sure where your salary goes.
Reporting an unpaid or late salary
You can complain to MoHRE about a private-sector salary that’s late or unpaid. File a My Salary complaint through the MoHRE website or app, or call MoHRE on 600590000.
Before you file:
- Keep your employment contract and your offer letter showing the agreed salary.
- Save screenshots of your bank or card transactions for the months in question.
- Note the date each salary should have arrived and the date it did.
FAQ
What is WPS salary in the UAE?
A salary paid through the Wage Protection System, the Central Bank of the UAE’s electronic system for private-sector wages. MoHRE uses it to check that employers pay in full and on time.
When must WPS salaries be paid?
By the first day of each Gregorian month, for the previous month’s wages, under Ministerial Resolution No. 340 of 2026.
Is there a grace period for WPS salary payments?
No. From 1 June 2026, salaries paid after the 1st are late, and MoHRE alerts begin from the second day after the due date.
Can my WPS salary be paid on a card instead of a bank account?
Yes. WPS pays through authorised banks, exchange houses and financial institutions, including payroll cards such as Ratibi, C3Pay and My Pay.
What happens if my employer pays less than 85%?
The employer doesn’t meet the WPS compliance threshold and faces the same escalating measures as a late payer, after lawful deductions are taken into account.
How do I complain about a late WPS salary?
File a My Salary complaint on the MoHRE website or app, or call 600590000.
If your salary is due this month
- Know your due date: the 1st of next month for this month’s work.
- Switch on salary alerts in your bank or card app.
- Raise it with HR on the 2nd if nothing has arrived.
- Keep your contract and transaction records together in case you need MoHRE.
Bank and payroll-card checks for every UAE issuer are on the UAE bank balance check page.
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