Repatriation Benefits and Gratuity Rules for Expats
TL;DR: Your employer must pay for your ticket home. This is separate from gratuity. They cannot deduct the ticket cost from your end-of-service pay.
What Is Repatriation?
Repatriation means your air ticket home when you leave your job.
It's a legal right for all expat workers in UAE.
Key Rules
Employer Pays Your employer must buy your ticket or pay you back.
Cannot Be Deducted The cost cannot come from your gratuity or salary.
Separate Rights You get both the ticket and gratuity.
Economy Class Standard is economy class to your home country.
When You Get It
Your employer must provide repatriation:
- Within 30 days of your last day
- Before or soon after you finish work
- At the same time as final settlement
What Class of Ticket?
Economy Class This is the legal standard.
Your Home Country Must be to the country on your passport.
Direct or Connecting Reasonable route at normal price.
Who Is Covered?
You: Always covered as the employee.
Your Family: Only if they are on your visa and your contract says so.
Most contracts only cover the employee.
How It Works
Option 1: Employer Books They arrange and pay for your flight.
Option 2: You Book You buy the ticket and they pay you back.
Get written approval before you book it yourself.
What to Do
Follow this checklist when leaving your job:
- [ ] Ask for repatriation in writing
- [ ] Tell them your preferred dates
- [ ] Get proof of the ticket booking
- [ ] Keep this separate from gratuity
- [ ] File MOHRE complaint if not given within 30 days
If Employer Refuses
Step 1: Request in Writing Email your HR asking for the ticket.
Step 2: Wait for Response Give them a few days to reply.
Step 3: File MOHRE Complaint If they refuse or ignore you, file online.
Step 4: Keep Evidence Save emails, contract, and messages.
Common Questions
Can I Get Cash Instead? Yes, if both sides agree. Get it in writing.
What If I Already Left UAE? You can still claim. File from outside UAE.
Can They Give Me a Cheaper Ticket? No. Must be reasonable price and route.
For an instant end-of-service estimate, use our online gratuity calculator UAE.
Understand Your Full Exit Benefits
Calculate gratuity and know your repatriation rights.
Remember
You have two separate rights:
- Gratuity payment
- Ticket home
Your employer must give you both.
They cannot use one to reduce the other.
Repatriation and gratuity are two separate rights!
