UAE Wages Protection System (WPS) compliance is mandatory for all mainland UAE private sector employers. Here is a step-by-step WPS compliance checker to ensure your payroll process is correct.
WPS Compliance Checklist
1. Employee MOHRE Registration: Every employee must be registered with MOHRE and have a MOHRE number. Check: log in to MOHRE portal (mohre.gov.ae) — every active employee should appear in your account. 2. WPS-Compatible Bank Account: Your company bank account must be with a WPS-approved bank. All major UAE banks (ENBD, FAB, ADCB, Mashreq) are WPS-approved. Check: ask your bank if your account is WPS-enabled. 3. Salary Information File (SIF) Format: The SIF must be in the standard format specified by MOHRE (CSV with specific columns: employee ID, MOHRE number, salary amount, payment date). Check: your bank’s WPS portal accepts and validates SIF format. 4. Payment Deadline: All salaries must be paid by the last day of the month (or within 10 days for weekly/daily workers). Check: your payroll processing date — allow 2–3 business days for bank processing before month end. 5. SIF Submission to Bank: The SIF must be submitted to the bank before the salary transfer. Check: bank confirms SIF receipt before processing. 6. MOHRE SIF Receipt: After the bank processes WPS, MOHRE receives the SIF data. Check: in the MOHRE employer portal, salary payment status for each employee shows as “paid.”
WPS Late Payment: What to Do
If you miss the WPS deadline (unusual circumstances): submit the WPS as soon as possible, document the reason for delay, and proactively contact MOHRE if a formal complaint is filed by employees. Do NOT wait for a MOHRE complaint to investigate — check the MOHRE portal regularly.