We run people across several emirates and free zones. Can Global Kinect consolidate that?

Yes — that is the primary use case. One engine handles WPS in your bank's format, GPSSA on the federal-versus-DIFC split, ILOE, and EOSB across mainland and free zone employees. You send one diff; you get one pack. It replaces separate processes per emirate or per provider.

What is the difference between Bureau and Managed in the UAE?

Bureau returns the calculated pack and the WPS file; you lodge WPS and handle the statutory touchpoints yourself. Managed lodges WPS and handles the submissions on your behalf after you sign off the cycle. Managed and Managed plus HRIS are live across the six GCC, the UAE included.

How does the GPSSA federal-versus-DIFC split work?

Emirati nationals contribute to GPSSA on the federal scheme; within the DIFC, the DEWS arrangement governs end-of-service for applicable employees. Expatriates sit outside the contributory scheme. We apply the right treatment per employee based on their jurisdiction.

Is there income tax in the UAE?

No personal income tax — gross salary equals net take-home pay. Corporate tax was introduced in 2023 but does not apply to employment income.

Do you handle hiring where we have no UAE entity?

Yes — Direct EOR is the secondary route for new hires into the UAE where you hold no entity. The primary motion for established employers is Bureau and Managed against your own establishment.

COUNTRY · UAE

Payroll & EOR in UAE.

Statutory UAE payroll on one engine — Bureau, Managed, or Direct EOR. Country lead available on day one.

Book a Demo Estimate cost

CurrencyAED (د.إ)

LanguageArabic (English widely used)

Income taxNone (0%)

Statutory leave30 calendar days

Pay cycleMonthly via WPS

End of service21–30 days/year

Data residencyOCI Abu Dhabi

Global Kinect is the workforce control surface for businesses operating across MENA; the UAE layer runs on the same eleven-country MENA engine. Global Kinect runs your UAE payroll with the WPS file generated in your bank's required format every cycle, GPSSA applied on the federal-versus-DIFC split per employee, ILOE handled, and EOSB tracked across the 21-day / 30-day tier transition. Emiratisation band visible per cycle where it applies. Bureau when you lodge WPS yourself; Managed when we run the cycle and submit on your behalf.

For your in-region operation

UAE payroll, run where the regulator wants it

For employers running people across emirates and free zones, the model consolidates the operational reality: one engine across mainland and free-zone establishments, WPS in your bank's required format, and data hosted in the region on Oracle Cloud, Abu Dhabi.

WPS is generated in your bank's required format every cycle; on Managed we lodge it for you across mainland and free-zone employees.
GPSSA is applied on the federal-versus-DIFC split per employee, with DEWS where DIFC governs — handled per jurisdiction, not as a single flat rule.
Mainland versus free-zone status — visa cost and the regulatory wrapper — is held per employee, so a mixed establishment runs on one cycle.
Non-Saudi GCC data is hosted in the region (Oracle Cloud, Abu Dhabi); a UAE country lead is available in your timezone.

Hiring in United Arab Emirates: Overview

Global Kinect runs UAE payroll on one engine for employers who already operate here — WPS in your bank's required format, GPSSA on the federal-versus-DIFC split, ILOE applied per the federal scheme, and EOSB carried through the tier transition. For employers running people across multiple emirates or free zones through separate processes, Bureau consolidates that into one submission in and one pack out. Where entity standing is in place, Managed adds WPS lodgement and statutory submission on your behalf, with sign-off kept on your side. Direct EOR is the secondary route for new hires where you hold no UAE entity. Non-Saudi MENA data is hosted on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure in Abu Dhabi.

Payroll routes for United Arab Emirates

Two delivery models for payroll. Add EOR when you don’t have an entity.

Primary route

Payroll Bureau in United Arab Emirates

Calculation-only payroll for United Arab Emirates. You sign off, you submit.

Managed Payroll

We run the cycle on the platform. You keep sign-off authority.

Hiring without an entity (EOR)

Don't have a United Arab Emirates entity yet? We employ through ours.

Employment law & employer costs

GPSSA contributions apply to Emirati nationals on a federal-versus-DIFC split, with DEWS where the DIFC scheme governs. Expatriates fall outside the contributory scheme. The engine applies the correct treatment per employee per emirate.

WPS (Wage Protection System) requires every salary to pass through approved banking channels. We generate the file in your bank's required format on every cycle; on Managed we lodge it for you.

EOSB accrues across a tier transition — 21 days' wage per year for the first five years, 30 days per year thereafter. It is held as a continuous liability and settled at exit.

ILOE (Involuntary Loss of Employment) insurance is applied per the federal scheme. Emiratisation banding is tracked per establishment in scope so the line feeds your headcount reporting.

There is no personal income tax — gross equals net for the employee. Mainland versus free zone status affects visa cost and the regulatory wrapper, which we hold per employee.

Key compliance notes

WPS salary file generated in your bank's required format every cycle

GPSSA on the federal-versus-DIFC split — Emirati-national contributions on the federal scheme; DEWS where DIFC applies

ILOE (Involuntary Loss of Employment) insurance applied per the federal scheme

EOSB accrues across the tier transition — 21 days/year for the first five years, 30 days/year thereafter

Emiratisation band tracked per establishment in scope

No personal income tax

Statutory regimes

What we calculate in United Arab Emirates

The statutory stack we run every cycle. Headline rates are shown where they are settled; elsewhere the regime is named and the mechanism described — figures are confirmed in scoping.

GPSSA (Emirati nationals)

Social insurance on the federal-versus-DIFC split; expatriates exempt

ILOE insurance

Involuntary-loss-of-employment cover applied per the federal scheme

End-of-service (EOSB)

21 days/year to five years, 30 days/year thereafter; DEWS where DIFC applies

WPS

Salaries routed through approved channels in your bank's required format

Emiratisation (Nafis)

National-ratio band tracked per establishment in scope

Frequently asked questions

Employment Cost Calculator

Use the calculator for indicative employer costs in United Arab Emirates. It is useful for budgeting, not final pricing. For final EOR pricing, visa items, benefits, and service scope, request a full proposal.

Estimate Costs

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Setting up in UAE?

Talk to the UAE country lead. Country mix, headcount, delivery model — scoped proposal inside one business day.