What does one employee cost in the UAE?
The salary is only part of it. Add gratuity, pension, insurance and visa costs, and see the real monthly figure.
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The real cost of one employee, as you type
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This is an estimate, not legal or tax advice. Fees differ by emirate and company; replace the defaults with your own.
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WhatsApp usAn expatriate on AED 6,000 basic + 3,000 allowances, in the first five years
- Salary: 6,000 + 3,000 = AED 9,000
- Gratuity: 6,000 ÷ 30 × 21 ÷ 12 = AED 350
- Insurance 1,000 ÷ 12 = AED 83.33; visa 5,000 ÷ 24 = AED 208.33
- Ticket 1,500 ÷ 12 = AED 125, so 8.5% on top of the salary
What sits on top of a UAE salary
Expatriates earn 21 days of basic wage a year for five years, then 30. It is owed when they leave, so it is a monthly cost.
GPSSA: the employer pays 15%, or 12.5% where the government pays 2.5% for salaries under AED 20,000.
Required for private-sector staff in every emirate since 1 January 2025, bought with the residence visa.
Residence visa, Emirates ID, medical test and MoHRE work permit, usually renewed every two years.
30 days a year after the first year, paid as normal salary: no extra cost unless you hire cover.
The ILOE scheme is paid by the employee, not the employer.
A salary is a promise. Its cost is bigger.
Know the real figure before you hire.
Staff cost, posted with every payroll
The provision, pension and insurance sit beside the salaries, per employee and per department.
| Line | October · AED | Of salaries |
|---|---|---|
| Salaries | 286,400.00 | 100% |
| Gratuity provision | 9,214.00 | 3.2% |
| GPSSA, employer share | 4,125.00 | 1.4% |
| Health insurance | 3,166.67 | 1.1% |
| Visas and permits | 7,916.67 | 2.8% |
| Cost of staff | 310,822.34 | 108.5% |
From your staff list to cost per head
Payroll, gratuity provision and staff cost on numbers like yours.
Contracts, allowances and visa dates go in once.
Each payroll run posts the salary and the costs behind it.
One price per user; set-up optional
AED 83 per user a month on the annual plan.
- Payroll, gratuity provision and the WPS file
- Staff cost per employee and per department
- Payslips in Arabic and English
- Your own workspace and database, backed up twice a day
Our team configures the system, moves in your data and trains your staff. Paid once.
See pricing in detail →Common questions
How much does an employee cost in the UAE on top of salary?
For an expatriate, usually about 8% to 15% on top of the gross salary: gratuity building up on basic pay, health insurance, visa and permit fees, and any ticket the contract gives. For a UAE national, the employer's pension share replaces gratuity.
Is gratuity a cost if the employee has not left?
Yes. It is earned every month of service and must be paid within 14 days of the last working day, so good books set it aside monthly as a provision.
What pension do I pay for an Emirati employee?
Under GPSSA rules the employer pays 15% of the contribution salary, or 12.5% where the government pays 2.5% (private-sector salaries under AED 20,000, and staff registered before 31 October 2023). The employee pays 11% (5% under the old law).
Do I pay the unemployment insurance (ILOE)?
No. ILOE premiums are the employee's, not the employer's.