Starting June 1, 2026, the rules have changed. Your employer must pay your salary by the first day of every month. Not the 10th. Not the 15th. The 1st. Any payment after that is legally considered delayed, and the consequences for your employer are immediate and serious.
This is not a minor tweak. The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation has eliminated the old 15-day grace period that companies previously enjoyed. Under Ministerial Resolution No. 340 of 2026, electronic warnings begin from the second day of non-payment. By the fifth day, MOHRE can suspend the company’s ability to issue new work permits. The penalties escalate from there, up to and including travel bans for company owners.
For the hundreds of thousands of Malayali workers across the UAE, this is one of the most significant labour protections in years. Late salary payments have been a chronic problem, particularly in construction, retail, and small-to-medium enterprises. Workers often waited weeks past their due date, afraid to complain because their visa was tied to their employer.
What you need to know: Your company is considered compliant if at least 85% of total payroll is processed through the Wage Protection System by the 1st. If your individual salary is delayed, you can file a complaint through the MOHRE app or by calling 800-60. You do not need to wait for your employer to fix it.
Who is exempt: Workers on approved unpaid leave, those with pending court cases related to wages, and foreign workers whose salaries are paid outside the UAE by foreign companies are excluded from the system.
Keep your pay slips. Check your WPS registration through the MOHRE app. And if your salary is late, do not stay silent. The law is now explicitly on your side.