Home › UAE
UAE End-of-Service Gratuity & Expat Money Rights
The UAE rewrote its labor law in 2022 — and most of the internet never caught up. The old resignation-reduction tiers you see on page after page of Google results were repealed. Here is what Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, Article 51, actually says, with a free calculator and the Golden Visa guide.
The one-minute version
- Formula: 21 days’ basic wage per year for the first 5 years, 30 days per year after.
- Wage basis: basic wage only — allowances excluded (unlike Saudi Arabia).
- Cap: two years’ wages maximum.
- Minimum: 1 full year of continuous service.
- Resignation: no reduction. The pre-2022 tiers are gone.
UAE tools & guides
UAE gratuity calculator
Article 51 interactive tool: 21/30-day tiers, basic-wage basis, 2-year cap check — with the repealed-tier myth debunked.
Golden Visa requirements 2026
10-year residency categories: AED 2M investors, AED 30K/month professionals, entrepreneurs, talents, students — steps and FAQs.
Gulf comparison
How the UAE stacks up against Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman — including who still cuts resigners.
Why most UAE gratuity pages are wrong
Before 2 February 2022, the old UAE Labour Law (Federal Law No. 8 of 1980) reduced gratuity for workers who resigned — one-third, two-thirds tiers depending on service. That law was replaced. Under the current Article 51, your reason for leaving does not change the amount (except summary dismissal for gross misconduct). As of October 2026, per our checks, several page-1 results still teach the repealed tiers. If a calculator asks whether you resigned and then reduces your gratuity, it is using dead law.
Frequently asked questions
How is end-of-service gratuity calculated in the UAE?
Under Article 51 of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, full-time expatriate workers earn 21 days’ basic wage for each of the first 5 years of service, and 30 days’ basic wage for each year after that. The total is capped at two years’ wages, and at least one full year of continuous service is required.
Does resigning reduce UAE gratuity?
No — not under current law. The old pre-2022 resignation reduction tiers were repealed when Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 took effect on 2 February 2022. Many websites still show the old tiers; they are outdated.
Is there a cap on UAE end-of-service gratuity?
Yes. Article 51 caps total gratuity at two years’ wages (24 months of basic salary), regardless of how long you served.
Are allowances included in UAE gratuity?
No. Unlike Saudi Arabia, the UAE calculates gratuity on the basic wage only. Housing, transport and other allowances are excluded.
Related: compare all six Gulf countries · Saudi EOSB calculator · Qatar calculator
AFFILIATE PLACEHOLDER: “Recommended services” section goes here once affiliate relationships exist. No affiliate links yet — do not invent any.