Gratuity for Expats in UAE 2025: What Foreign Workers Need to Know

Note: This is general info, not legal advice. Talk to MOHRE or a lawyer for your specific case.

Gratuity for Expats in UAE: Your Rights

Quick Answer: Expats get the exact same gratuity as Emiratis. Same formula. Same rules. Same protections. The only differences? Visa stuff, your flight home, and taxes in your home country.

Good news: the UAE treats all workers the same when it comes to gratuity. Your passport doesn't matter. Indian, Filipino, British, American—you all get the same calculation.

Your Rights as an Expat

What you're entitled to:

Same eligibility rules (1 year after probation)
Same math (21 days per year for first 5 years, 30 days after)
Same deadline (paid within 14 days)
Same right to complain to MOHRE
Same legal protections
Same 2-year maximum cap

What's different for expats:

• Visa cancellation timing
• Getting your flight home
• How to receive money abroad
• Taxes in your home country (maybe)

How Your Gratuity Is Calculated

Same formula for everyone:

Daily pay = Basic salary ÷ 30 days
Gratuity = (Daily pay × 21 days × first 5 years) + (Daily pay × 30 days × years after 5)

Use our free calculator for your own estimate.

Visa and Gratuity: How They Work Together

Key point: Visa cancellation and gratuity are separate. One doesn't affect the other.

| What Happens | When | What to Do | |-------------|------|------------| | Last work day | Day 0 | Job officially ends | | Gratuity due | Within 14 days | Must receive full payment | | Visa cancelled | Usually 7-30 days | Boss starts the process | | Grace period | After visa cancelled | 30 days to leave or find new sponsor |

Important:

• Your boss can't wait until you leave to pay you
• Even with a cancelled visa, you're owed gratuity
• You can stay during your 30-day grace period to get paid
• If they delay past 14 days, file a MOHRE complaint

Your Flight Home

Your employer must pay for a one-way economy ticket home. This is separate from gratuity.

| Thing | Gratuity | Plane Ticket | |-------|----------|--------------| | Law | Article 51 | Article 13 | | Who gets it | Everyone with 1+ year | All expat workers | | How much | Based on salary | Actual ticket cost | | When | 14 days after leaving | When you leave |

What you can do:

• Take the actual ticket, or
• Ask for cash equivalent (your choice)

Watch out: Some bosses lump the ticket into your "final settlement." Make sure they list it separately.

Getting Paid After You Leave UAE

Left the country already? You can still get your money.

Option 1: Keep your UAE bank account open

• Don't close it for 30-60 days
• Give your bank details to HR
• They deposit directly

Option 2: Wire transfer abroad

• Ask for transfer to your home country bank
• Give them your SWIFT/IBAN details
• May have transfer fees (ask who pays)

Option 3: File MOHRE complaint remotely

• You can file online from anywhere
• MOHRE can freeze their accounts
• You can pick up money later or have someone collect it

Taxes in Your Home Country

In UAE: Zero tax on gratuity. It's all yours.

At home: Depends where you're from.

| Country | Tax on Gratuity | |---------|-----------------| | India | Usually tax-free if you're NRI | | Philippines | May be taxed if you're a resident | | Pakistan | Usually tax-free for NRPs | | UK | May be taxed based on residence | | USA | Generally taxable as foreign income | | Egypt | Usually tax-free for non-residents |

Best advice: Talk to a tax person in your home country BEFORE you leave UAE.

Common Situations for Expats

Going Home for Good

Steps:

1. Serve your notice (usually 30 days)
2. Ask for your final settlement statement early
3. Check the math
4. Get paid within 14 days
5. Keep your bank account open for 60 days
6. Complete visa cancellation
7. Use your 30-day grace period to wrap things up
8. Fly home

Don't leave until:

• You got your gratuity (or filed a complaint)
• Your plane ticket is sorted
• You collected your experience letters
• You closed utilities and cleared dues

Switching Jobs in UAE

How it works:

1. Resign from current job (serve notice)
2. Get full gratuity within 14 days
3. Old boss cancels your visa
4. You enter 30-day grace period
5. New boss applies for your work permit
6. You transfer to new visa

Important: Old boss must pay within 14 days. Don't let them say "we'll pay when your new visa is done."

Emergency—You Need to Leave Now

Option A: Ask for quick release

• Tell your boss it's urgent
• Negotiate the timeline
• Get written agreement
• Leave once paid

Option B: Leave and claim later

• If you must go immediately, go
• File MOHRE complaint from abroad
• Authorize someone to collect for you
• MOHRE can enforce even if you're gone

Option C: Get paid abroad

• Share your international bank details
• Ask for wire transfer
• May take 5-10 business days

Company Went Bankrupt

Your rights don't disappear:

• Gratuity is still owed even if they close
• File MOHRE complaint right away
• MOHRE may pay from their bank guarantee
• Could take 2-6 months through insolvency

Steps:

1. File MOHRE complaint within 14 days
2. Include gratuity in your complaint
3. Bring all your documents
4. Attend MOHRE hearings
5. If they have assets, MOHRE can freeze them

Different Types of Expat Workers

Office Workers (White Collar)

Typical: Engineers, managers, IT, healthcare

• Higher salaries (AED 8,000-30,000+)
• Employers usually pay properly
• Gratuity can be AED 50,000-200,000+ for long service

Watch out for: Housing allowance (usually NOT included in gratuity)

Blue Collar Workers

Typical: Construction, manufacturing, retail, security

• Lower salaries (AED 1,500-5,000)
• Higher chance employers don't pay
• Language barriers can make things harder

Good news: MOHRE has help in many languages (Arabic, English, Urdu, Hindi, Bengali, more)

Domestic Workers

Who: Maids, nannies, drivers, cooks, gardeners

Do you get gratuity? Yes! Same rules apply.

Requirements:

• Contract registered with MOHRE
• 1 year of work
• Same formula

Problem: Many employers don't know domestic workers get gratuity. Make sure you have a registered contract.

Protect Your Rights

Keep Your Documents

Save these:

• Employment contract (signed by both)
• All contract changes
• All payslips (print and save digitally)
• Visa copies and labor card
• Performance reviews
• Your resignation or their termination letter
• Important work emails

Why? If there's a dispute after you leave, these are your evidence.

Use MOHRE's Online Tools

MOHRE app:

• View your contract
• Check visa status
• File complaints
• Track your complaint

MOHRE website (mohre.gov.ae):

• File labor complaints
• Download your contract
• Check employer compliance

You Can Complain Anytime

While still in UAE
During 30-day grace period
After leaving UAE (online)
From your home country
Up to 2 years after leaving

How to complain:

1. File on mohre.gov.ae (takes 15-20 minutes)
2. Upload your documents
3. Get a reference number
4. MOHRE contacts your boss (3-5 days)
5. Mediation meeting (within 30 days)
6. 70% settle at mediation
7. If not settled: goes to labor court

When to Get a Lawyer

Consider a lawyer if:

• Your claim is over AED 50,000
• Employer ignores MOHRE
• Contract is complicated
• Multiple issues (unpaid salary + gratuity + leave)
• You've already left and need representation

Cost: Usually 10-20% of what you recover, or AED 3,000-10,000 flat fee.

Quick Answers for Expats

Do expats get less gratuity than Emiratis?

No. Same calculation for everyone.

Can my boss deduct visa costs from gratuity?

No. Visa costs are their responsibility. Can't touch your gratuity.

I left before getting paid. What now?

File a MOHRE complaint online. Give your international bank details. Authorize someone to collect for you. Leaving doesn't cancel your rights.

Does visa cancellation affect gratuity?

No. They're separate. You get gratuity based on your work, not your visa status.

Can I get paid in my home currency?

Usually paid in AED to your UAE bank. For abroad, ask for a wire transfer. Your receiving bank will convert it.

My boss says "expats don't get gratuity."

Your boss is wrong. That's illegal. File a MOHRE complaint immediately.

Switching jobs—do I lose gratuity?

No. Your old boss must pay in full. New boss starts a fresh count.

Can I claim from old employers?

Yes, if you worked for them at different times. Submit separate claims.

Does probation count for expats?

No. Same as everyone—probation doesn't count toward your 1 year.

What if I'm banned from UAE?

A labor ban doesn't affect your gratuity. You still get paid. File through MOHRE online.

Get Help

MOHRE:

• Phone: 600590000 (multiple languages)
• Website: mohre.gov.ae
• App: MOHRE UAE (iOS/Android)

Your embassy:

• Most have labor attaché offices
• Can help with guidance
• Can assist with translation

Free legal help:

• Some embassies have free legal clinics
• Dubai Legal Affairs: Free basic consultations

Related Pages

• How to Calculate Gratuity in UAE
• Gratuity Eligibility in UAE 2025
• UAE Labour Law 2025
• How to File a Gratuity Dispute in UAE

Use our free gratuity calculator for an instant estimate.

Disclaimer: This is info for November 2025. It's not legal advice. Your situation may differ. Talk to MOHRE or a lawyer for help with your case.