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End-of-Service Benefit Calculator

UAE End-of-Service Gratuity Calculator

Free, accurate, and instant — based on UAE Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, Article 51

UAE End-of-Service Gratuity Calculator

Based on UAE Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, Article 51

AED

Your result will include

  • Total gratuity in AED

    Instantly calculated, no sign-up

  • Year-by-year accrual table

    See exactly how gratuity builds over time

  • Law citation & legal notes

    UAE Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, Article 51

  • Downloadable PDF report

    Share or file with HR

Calculation is instant and private — nothing is sent to a server.

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How much gratuity do you get in the UAE?

A private-sector employee in the UAE earns 21 days of basic salary for each of the first five years of service, then 30 days of basic salary for every year after that. Gratuity is paid in full after at least one year of service — whether you resign or are terminated — is calculated on basic salary only, and is capped at two years’ basic pay. This is set by Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, Article 51.

Wage base
Basic salary only
Per year of service
21 days (1–5 yrs), 30 days (6+ yrs)
Minimum service
1 year
Maximum
2 years’ basic pay
On resignation
Paid in full (since Feb 2022)
Daily wage
Basic salary ÷ 30

Last reviewed: July 2026

What is UAE end-of-service gratuity?

End-of-service gratuity — also called an end-of-service benefit (EOSB) or severance — is a lump sum your employer must pay when your employment ends in the UAE, provided you have completed at least one year of continuous service. For the country’s large expatriate workforce it acts as a statutory payout in place of a pension.

Gratuity in the private sector is governed by UAE Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 (the Labour Law) and its Article 51, which took effect on 2 February 2022. The amount depends on your basic salary, how long you worked, and — before 2022 — how you left. Since the 2021 law, the reason for leaving no longer reduces the amount for most employees.

This calculator applies Article 51 exactly: it uses your basic salary, counts your service to the day, applies the 21-day and 30-day rates, and caps the result at two years’ basic pay — so you get the same figure your employer should.

How UAE gratuity is calculated

The formula is simple once you separate basic salary from allowances. Follow these steps, or just use the calculator above.

  1. 1

    Start from your basic salary

    Use your monthly basic salary only. Housing, transport, and other allowances are excluded from the calculation.

  2. 2

    Work out your daily wage

    Daily wage = monthly basic salary ÷ 30.

  3. 3

    Count the first five years at 21 days

    For each of the first five years, you earn 21 days of basic pay: 21 × daily wage × years.

  4. 4

    Count later years at 30 days

    For every year beyond the fifth, you earn 30 days of basic pay: 30 × daily wage × those years.

  5. 5

    Prorate part-years and unpaid leave

    A partial final year is paid in proportion to the days worked, and any unpaid-leave days are removed from your service period.

  6. 6

    Apply the two-year cap

    The total gratuity can never exceed two years’ (24 months’) basic salary, however long you served.

UAE gratuity rate schedule (Article 51)
Service periodGratuity earned
First 1–5 years21 days’ basic pay per year
6th year onward30 days’ basic pay per year
Overall cap2 years’ (24 months’) basic pay

You must complete one full year before any gratuity is due. Basic salary — not gross salary — is always the basis.

UAE gratuity calculation examples

Three worked examples using the Article 51 formula (daily wage = basic ÷ 30). Your own figures will differ — run them in the calculator above.

  • 3 years of service, resigned

    • Basic salary: AED 10,000 → daily wage = 10,000 ÷ 30 = AED 333.33
    • First 3 years: 21 days × 3 = 63 days
    • 63 days × AED 333.33 = AED 21,000
    • Resignation does not reduce this since February 2022.
    GratuityAED 21,000
  • 8 years of service, terminated

    • Basic salary: AED 15,000 → daily wage = 15,000 ÷ 30 = AED 500
    • First 5 years: 21 × 5 = 105 days
    • Next 3 years: 30 × 3 = 90 days
    • Total 195 days × AED 500 = AED 97,500
    GratuityAED 97,500
  • 26 years of service (cap applies)

    • Basic salary: AED 20,000 → daily wage = AED 666.67
    • Formula gives 105 + (30 × 21) = 735 days
    • But the cap is 2 years = 24 months = AED 480,000
    • The 735-day result is reduced to the two-year cap.
    Gratuity (capped)AED 480,000

Who is eligible for gratuity in the UAE?

Most private-sector employees on the UAE mainland qualify once they meet the service condition. A few groups are covered by separate systems.

  • You completed at least one year

    Gratuity is due only after one full year of continuous service. Days of unpaid leave are not counted toward that period.

  • Private-sector employees

    Article 51 covers employees of mainland private-sector companies registered with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE).

  • UAE and GCC nationals are excluded

    Emirati and GCC nationals receive a pension and end-of-service benefits through the GPSSA social-security scheme instead of employer gratuity.

  • Free zones can differ

    Financial free zones such as the DIFC (which uses the DEWS savings plan) and ADGM run their own end-of-service schemes, so the figure there may not match this calculator.

  • Domestic workers

    Domestic workers are covered by a separate law (Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2022) with its own end-of-service rules.

  • Dismissal for gross misconduct

    An employee lawfully dismissed for serious misconduct under Article 44 can lose entitlement to gratuity.

Resignation, termination, and contract type

Resignation vs termination: since Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 took effect in February 2022, the reason you leave no longer changes your gratuity. Whether you resign, are terminated (without gross misconduct), or reach the end of your contract, you receive the full amount once you have completed one year.

This is the biggest change from the old law. Before 2022, an employee who resigned from an unlimited contract before five years could receive only one-third or two-thirds of their gratuity. Many older articles and calculators still show those reduced rates — they no longer apply.

Limited vs unlimited contracts: the 2021 law also removed the limited/unlimited distinction. All UAE employment contracts are now fixed-term (limited). If you still see “unlimited contract gratuity” rules, that is the pre-2022 system and does not affect your current entitlement.

The one exception is lawful dismissal for gross misconduct under Article 44, which can result in loss of gratuity.

Common gratuity calculation mistakes

  • Using total salary instead of basic

    Gratuity is calculated on basic salary only. Including housing, transport, or other allowances inflates the result.

  • Forgetting the two-year cap

    No matter how long you served, total gratuity is capped at 24 months’ basic pay.

  • Assuming resignation cuts your gratuity

    That was the pre-2022 rule. Today resignation and termination pay the same amount.

  • Counting unpaid leave as service

    Unpaid-leave days are excluded from the service period used in the calculation.

  • Expecting gratuity before one year

    No gratuity is due until you have completed one full year of continuous service.

  • Applying mainland rules in a free zone

    DIFC (DEWS) and ADGM use separate schemes — the mainland formula may not match your entitlement there.

Tips for UAE employees

  • Check your employment contract or payslip for the exact basic-salary figure — that is the number your gratuity is based on.
  • Keep copies of your contract, your joining date, and your last working day.
  • Confirm your final settlement includes gratuity plus payment for any unused annual leave.
  • If your basic salary changed over time, your last basic salary is used for the calculation.
  • If you believe you have been underpaid, you can file a complaint with MOHRE (free) before taking legal action.

Frequently asked questions

How is gratuity calculated in the UAE?

Gratuity is 21 days of basic salary for each of the first five years of service and 30 days of basic salary for each year after that. The daily wage is your monthly basic salary ÷ 30, and the total is capped at two years’ basic pay — per Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, Article 51.

Is UAE gratuity based on basic salary or gross salary?

Basic salary only. Housing, transport, and other allowances are excluded from the wage base used to calculate gratuity.

Do I still get gratuity if I resign in the UAE?

Yes. Since February 2022, resignation no longer reduces your gratuity. As long as you have completed at least one year, resignation and termination are paid the same amount.

What is the minimum service to qualify for gratuity in the UAE?

One full year of continuous service. Below one year, no gratuity is due; unpaid-leave days do not count toward the year.

What is the maximum gratuity in the UAE?

Total gratuity is capped at two years’ (24 months’) basic salary, regardless of how many years you worked.

How many days of gratuity do I get per year in the UAE?

21 days of basic pay for each of the first five years, and 30 days of basic pay for every year beyond the fifth.

Is there still a difference between limited and unlimited contracts?

No. The 2021 Labour Law removed the limited/unlimited distinction — all contracts are now fixed-term, and gratuity is the same regardless of the old contract type.

Do UAE nationals get gratuity?

UAE and GCC nationals are covered by the GPSSA pension and social-security scheme instead of employer-paid gratuity.

Does gratuity include allowances like housing and transport?

No. Only basic salary is used. Allowances such as housing, transport, and utilities are excluded from the gratuity calculation.