If you work in Dubai, your gratuity follows the same federal formula as the rest of the UAE: 21 days’ basic salary per year for your first five years, then 30 days’ per year after that, capped at two years’ total salary. The one real exception is DIFC, which uses a different system entirely.
CheckGratuityUAE’s calculator above gives you your exact number based on your salary and service dates.
Dubai Free Zones: JAFZA, DMCC and DIFC Gratuity Rules
Dubai has more free zones than any other emirate, and that matters for gratuity. JAFZA, DMCC, and DAFZA all sit inside Dubai and follow the same standard federal formula as any mainland Dubai company. DIFC, also in Dubai, is the odd one out: it runs DEWS, a monthly savings scheme, instead of paying a lump-sum gratuity at all. If you’re not sure which category your employer falls into, check your offer letter for which free zone authority issued your work permit, since that determines which rules actually apply to you.
Dubai’s DDA free zone (covering areas like Dubai Media City and Dubai Internet City) operates under its own Dubai Technology and Media Free Zone Employment Regulations from 2004, alongside federal law.
Dubai Salary Structure: Basic Pay vs. Allowances
Dubai employment packages split pay into a smaller basic salary plus a larger housing allowance, more so than in some other emirates, since Dubai’s cost of living pushes many employers to structure compensation this way. That matters directly for your gratuity, since only the basic salary line counts toward the calculation.
If your Dubai offer letter shows AED 15,000 total monthly pay but only AED 7,000 of that is listed as basic salary, your gratuity is built on the 7,000, not the 15,000. This is completely legal and standard practice, but it’s the single most common reason people are surprised by their final number when they leave a Dubai employer. Before you calculate anything, check your contract’s salary breakdown specifically, not just your total monthly pay.
Dubai Gratuity Calculation Example
Say you’re on a mainland Dubai contract earning AED 9,000 basic salary, and you’re leaving after 4 years and 6 months.
| Step | Calculation | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Daily wage | 9,000 ÷ 30 | AED 300 |
| Full years (4) | 300 × 21 × 4 | AED 25,200 |
| Remaining 6 months | 300 × 21 × 0.5 | AED 3,150 |
Since this is under five years of service, the whole period uses the 21-day rate. Once you pass five years, only the years beyond that point switch to the 30-day rate, as explained in full on our main gratuity calculator page.
Getting Help in Dubai If Your Gratuity Isn’t Paid
If your employer misses the 14-day payment deadline, Dubai has its own practical path for sorting it out. Most routine MOHRE transactions, including initial complaint filing, can be done through a Tasheel service centre, with locations across the city including Al Qusais, Deira, and JLT, or directly through the MOHRE app and website. In-person conciliation hearings for unresolved disputes are typically handled at Dubai’s Al Tawar labour office.
Bringing your employment contract, salary certificate, and your own gratuity calculation to any of these channels makes the process faster, since it gives MOHRE something concrete to work from rather than a verbal disagreement over numbers. Most disputes get resolved through this conciliation stage before ever reaching a courtroom. For the full step-by-step process, including what to do if conciliation doesn’t resolve it, see our guide on what to do if your employer won’t pay your gratuity.
One detail worth double-checking directly with MOHRE before you rely on it: the complaint hotline number has appeared differently across sources, so confirm the current one on mohre.gov.ae rather than trusting any single number you find online, including this one.
FAQs
JAFZA follows the standard federal formula, the same as any mainland Dubai employer. DIFC is different: it uses DEWS, a monthly savings contribution, instead of a lump-sum gratuity payment. Check our DIFC and ADGM guide for the full comparison.
That depends on your contract and whether you’re returning home or joining a new employer in the UAE, and it’s separate from your gratuity calculation itself. It’s typically part of your broader final settlement, not the gratuity formula.
Start with a Tasheel service centre or the MOHRE app for a formal complaint. If that doesn’t resolve it, in-person conciliation for Dubai cases is generally handled at the Al Tawar labour office.
Yes, but only for a few of them. Most Dubai free zones, including JAFZA, DMCC, and DAFZA, use the standard federal formula. DIFC is the main exception, since it uses a savings scheme instead of a lump-sum payout.
This page explains general gratuity rules for Dubai-based employees and is meant as guidance, not legal advice. For a specific dispute, check directly with MOHRE or a licensed UAE labour lawyer. CheckGratuityUAE (checkgratuityuae.com) reviews this page against current UAE labour law, but it does not replace professional legal advice.