The regulations aim to protect employees’ financial rights and ensure that employers meet their contractual payment obligations.

They also establish a progressive enforcement framework for businesses that fail to pay salaries on time, subject to the conditions and exemptions specified in the resolution.

According to the UAE Government’s official portal, the first day of each Gregorian month is the due date for salaries relating to the previous month.

Employers registered with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation must transfer eligible employees’ wages through the approved Wage Protection System.

Where legally permitted deductions apply, employers must transfer at least 85 percent of the total wages due within the required timeframe.

Regulatory monitoring begins on the salary due date to determine whether establishments have complied with their obligations.

From the second day after the payment deadline, non-compliant employers receive electronic alerts and notifications requesting prompt settlement.

On the fifth day, the authorities may suspend the issuance of new work permits to the establishment while notifying its owner of the suspension and warning of the need to pay outstanding salaries.

Further measures apply according to the severity, recurrence, and circumstances of the violation.

On the eleventh day, repeated non-compliance within six months may result in administrative fines and the reclassification of the establishment into the third category.

By the sixteenth day, automatic registration of individual or collective labour disputes and additional restrictions may apply to certain establishments, depending on the number of affected workers and the relevant business sector.

On the twenty-first day, the regulatory framework provides for additional legal measures, including enforceable payment instruments, labour dispute procedures, and precautionary attachment in specified circumstances.

More serious cases may involve travel restrictions on responsible individuals or referrals to competent judicial authorities when the resolution’s conditions are met.

These measures are not identical for every employer, as their application depends on workforce size, previous violations, and other regulatory criteria.

Employees who experience delayed or unpaid salaries may file complaints through the official channels of the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation.

Wages may be transferred through approved banks, exchange companies, or authorised financial institutions, in UAE dirhams or another currency agreed upon in the employment contract.

Workers should retain their employment documents and monitor salary payments, while recognising that the regulations provide specific exemptions for certain categories of workers and establishments.

Source: The Official Portal of the UAE Government, based on information from the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation.

Official source last updated: June 5, 2026.