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There is no separate “Dubai gratuity law” — but which rules apply to you depends entirely on where your employer is licensed.
People search for "Dubai gratuity law" expecting a Dubai-specific statute. There isn't one. Dubai is an emirate within the UAE federal system, and employment in mainland Dubai is governed by the same law as the rest of the country: Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021.
What genuinely differs is not the emirate but the jurisdiction your employer is licensed in. Three quite different regimes operate inside Dubai's borders:
| Where you work | Which rules apply | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Mainland Dubai (DED licence) | Federal Decree-Law 33/2021 | 21 days basic per year for 5 years, then 30 days |
| DIFC | DIFC Employment Law No. 2 of 2019 | Monthly DEWS contributions into a funded plan |
| Other Dubai free zones (JAFZA, DMCC, Dubai South, DAFZA…) | Free zone rules, which mostly mirror the federal law | Usually the same 21/30 day formula |
Check your labour card or employment contract — it names the licensing authority. That single fact determines your entitlement.
If your employer holds a Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism licence, your gratuity is the federal calculation:
Since February 2022, resignation no longer reduces the amount — the old sliding scale that cut gratuity to a third or two-thirds for resigning employees was abolished with the previous law.
The Dubai International Financial Centre operates its own legal system. Since 1 February 2020 it has replaced end-of-service gratuity with DEWS, the DIFC Employee Workplace Savings plan. Instead of a lump sum calculated when you leave, your employer pays a monthly contribution into a funded, invested account in your name.
The practical differences matter:
JAFZA, DMCC, Dubai South, DAFZA, Dubai Silicon Oasis and the rest are not separate legal jurisdictions in the way DIFC is. They administer their own employment procedures but the substantive end-of-service entitlement generally follows the federal 21/30 day formula.
The practical difference is usually in the process rather than the amount — visa cancellation, dispute routes and complaint handling go through the free zone authority rather than MOHRE. More on free zone gratuity →
Mainland employers must pay salaries through the Wage Protection System, which creates an electronic record of every payment. If you are disputing unpaid salary, WPS records are strong evidence and MOHRE can see them directly.
Employers sometimes imply that gratuity is discretionary or conditional on how you leave. It is a statutory entitlement. Visa cancellation and your final settlement are separate processes, and an employer cannot lawfully withhold gratuity as leverage in a visa or handover dispute.
No. Mainland Dubai follows UAE Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, the same as the rest of the country. What differs is the jurisdiction your employer is licensed in — DIFC in particular has an entirely different system.
For mainland employers: 21 days of basic salary for each of the first five years, then 30 days for each year after, with the daily wage being basic salary divided by 30. Minimum one year of service, capped at two years' wages.
Not as a lump sum. Since February 2020, DIFC employers contribute monthly to the DEWS savings plan instead. The money accrues from day one and is held outside the employer.
Generally no in substance — most Dubai free zones follow the same 21/30 day formula. The difference is procedural: disputes and visa cancellation go through the free zone authority rather than MOHRE.
No. Since February 2022 resignation no longer reduces gratuity. Anyone with more than one year of continuous service gets the full calculation.
14 days from the contract end date, under the federal law. That deadline applies in mainland Dubai and in most free zones.