Last updated
WPS registration in Dubai is how a company links its payroll to MOHRE's Wage Protection System. Every establishment registered with MOHRE must pay wages through WPS, via a bank, exchange house or financial institution approved by the UAE Central Bank. Wages for a month are due on the first day of the next month, and at least 85% of what is due must go through on time.
The current rule is Ministerial Resolution 340 of , as summarised on the u.ae payment of wages page, updated . MOHRE's own WPS guidance page describes how the system works.
Who must use WPS
| Employer | WPS? |
|---|---|
| Any private sector establishment registered with MOHRE | Yes |
| Some domestic worker jobs (Ministerial Resolution 675 of ) | Yes, for the covered jobs |
| Banks and financial institutions | Exempt |
| Houses of worship | Exempt |
| UAE nationals owning fishing boats or public taxis | Exempt |
If you sponsor a domestic worker at home rather than through a company, check whether the job is one of the categories MOHRE has brought under WPS before the first salary. Our maid visa page covers the sponsorship side.
Some workers fall outside the rule even inside a covered company. u.ae gives examples: workers on unpaid leave, workers with a work abandonment report, and mission permits of 3 months or less.
The payment rules in plain terms
- Due date. Wages for October are due on the first day of November. Not the last day of October, and not "around the 5th".
- The 85% line. At least 85% of the total wages due must be transferred on time through WPS. Paying most staff on time and a few late can still put you under the line.
- Only approved channels. Cash in hand or a transfer outside WPS does not count as paid for MOHRE, even if the employee received the money.
MOHRE describes penalties for late and missing payments, and they become heavier for repeat violations and for bigger companies. The amounts on MOHRE's FAQ use an older threshold that may predate the current resolution, so confirm the current figures with MOHRE before relying on them.
How registration works, step by step
There is no single government "WPS registration" form for a company. You join through an agent. The usual sequence, as WPS agents describe it:
- MOHRE first. The company needs its MOHRE labour file, and each employee needs a MOHRE work permit. See company labour file and labour card.
- Corporate bank account. The account that funds payroll. See corporate bank account.
- Pick a WPS agent. A bank, an exchange house or another financial institution authorised by the UAE Central Bank.
- Sign up with the agent. You give your MOHRE establishment details and sign the agent's WPS agreement.
- Every month: upload the SIF. The Salary Information File is the payroll file the agent processes with the payment.
What it costs
MOHRE and u.ae list no government fee for WPS registration. Costs come from the agent. As examples from bank fee pages seen in :
| Agent | Published charge |
|---|---|
| Dubai Islamic Bank | AED 200 per salary file plus AED 0.50 per record |
| Emirates Islamic | AED 57.75 per file online or AED 787.50 at a branch, plus AED 3.15 per record (VAT included) |
| Mashreq NEO BIZ | AED 0 per transfer |
These are market figures read from bank fee pages, not government fees. Banks change their tariffs, so confirm the current charge with the bank before you sign. For a company with few staff, the per-file charge matters more than the per-record one. For a large headcount, it is the other way round.
Where WPS goes wrong
- Permit and payroll do not match. An employee paid under WPS needs a valid MOHRE work permit. New joiners whose permits are still pending, and leavers whose permits were not cancelled, cause mismatches. See work permit renewal.
- Contracts out of date. If pay changes, update the MOHRE employment contract too, so records and payroll tell the same story.
- Paying a few days late every month. The due date is the first of the month. Set the bank run a few days earlier.
- Final settlement outside WPS. When someone leaves, MOHRE's cancellation needs a statement that their dues are paid. Keep the payment trail. See visa cancellation.
WPS and the rest of the company file
WPS sits on top of other records, so problems elsewhere show up in payroll. MOHRE issues a new work permit only when the company has an available electronic quota and a valid licence with no violations that would lead to suspension. A new joiner without a permit is a payroll problem waiting to happen. Keep the licence, the establishment card and the MOHRE file current before you hire.
What you can do yourself
Choosing an agent and signing up is mostly a banking task. If your MOHRE file is clean, many owners do it with their bank's relationship team directly. The work that trips companies up is the MOHRE side: permits, contracts and cancellations that do not match what payroll shows.
Getting the labour file ready for WPS
Tell us your headcount, your bank and when the first salary is due, and send the payroll list. The partner team checks your MOHRE labour file and every work permit against that list, because a contract salary that differs from the amount paid is what usually causes WPS trouble. They fix contract amounts, complete pending permits or cancellations and prepare the papers your WPS agent asks for. They do not run payroll or hold company funds. You get one total price, any MOHRE fees shown apart from the service charge. More company tasks are under company services in Dubai.
