The UAE Wages Protection System (WPS) is mandatory for all UAE employers paying staff. Here is the complete 2025 guide to UAE payroll banking and WPS compliance.
What is UAE WPS (Wages Protection System)?
WPS (Wages Protection System) is a UAE Central Bank electronic salary transfer system mandated by MOHRE (Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation). Under WPS: all UAE employers must pay salaries to employees via the WPS system, WPS creates an electronic record of each salary payment, and MOHRE monitors WPS compliance and investigates wage theft complaints. WPS requirement: applies to all UAE mainland and free zone employers (certain categories of domestic workers are exempt in some emirates).
WPS Banking Setup
To use WPS: open a UAE business bank account at a WPS-registered bank (most major UAE banks are WPS agents). Enrol in WPS through your bank. Upload monthly salary file (in SIF — Salary Information File format). Bank transmits salary to employees’ accounts. MOHRE receives confirmation of payment. WPS-approved banks: Emirates NBD, FAB, ADCB, Mashreq, RAKBank, and most other major UAE banks. WIO Bank: check current WPS integration status directly. WPS file format: the SIF (Salary Information File) is a specific format that must be uploaded monthly. Most UAE payroll software generates this automatically.
WPS Compliance Deadlines
WPS salaries must be paid within 10 days of the due date specified in the employment contract. For companies employing 100+ workers: MOHRE monitors more closely. WPS violations: if an employer fails to pay via WPS within the deadline, MOHRE may: issue a compliance notice, apply labour ban to the company (stopping new work permit issuances), refer the case to the Labour Court. Prevention: set WPS submission as a recurring calendar reminder. Automate using UAE payroll software that generates SIF files automatically.