If you lose your job for a reason other than resignation or disciplinary dismissal, the UAE unemployment insurance scheme (ILOE) can pay 60% of your basic salary for up to three months. The monthly cap is AED 10,000 or AED 20,000, depending on your category. You must have subscribed for 12 consecutive months and claim within 30 days. The rules are in Federal Decree-Law No. 13 of 2022 and Cabinet Resolution No. 97 of 2022. MoHRE oversees the scheme.
Who this guide is for
This guide is for employees in the private sector and the federal government who have lost, or expect to lose, their job. The scheme does not cover investors who own and run their business, domestic workers, workers on temporary contracts, people under 18, UAE citizens who meet the conditions for retirement, or retirees who receive a pension and have taken a new job (Cabinet Resolution No. 97 of 2022, Article 2).
As of September 2026, the UAE Legislation portal lists both the decree-law and the Cabinet resolution as in force, with no amendments recorded.
How much does ILOE pay, and for how long?
| Point | Category 1 | Category 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Basic salary | AED 16,000 or less | More than AED 16,000 |
| Premium | Up to AED 5 a month, plus VAT | Up to AED 10 a month, plus VAT |
| Benefit | 60% of basic salary | 60% of basic salary |
| Monthly cap | AED 10,000 | AED 20,000 |
Each claim pays for a maximum of three months. Across your whole working life in the UAE, the total cannot go over 12 months (Article 10). Ministerial Resolution No. 604 of 2022 says the 60% is worked out on your average basic salary over the six months before the job loss. The insurer must pay within two weeks of receiving a claim that meets the conditions (Article 13).
If you use the full three months, you must subscribe for another 12 consecutive months before you can claim again.
Am I eligible to claim?
Article 9 of Cabinet Resolution No. 97 of 2022 lists the conditions. You must:
- have subscribed for at least 12 consecutive months;
- have paid all premiums on your chosen schedule;
- show that you lost your job for a reason other than resignation;
- not have been dismissed for disciplinary reasons;
- claim within 30 days of the end of employment, or of the court's ruling if your labour complaint went to court;
- not have an open absconding (work abandonment) complaint against you;
- not have lost the job through strikes or non-peaceful protests;
- be legally resident in the UAE.
A claim is refused if it involves fraud or if the employer is fictitious. Payments stop if you start a new job during the benefit period (Federal Decree-Law No. 13 of 2022, Article 5).
Resigned? Resignation is excluded. MoHRE uses the reason recorded in the work permit cancellation application (dismissal or resignation) to decide your claim. Check that entry before you sign it. If the record is wrong, you can send the insurer an official dismissal letter showing the date and reason, and MoHRE decides whether you qualify (Ministerial Resolution No. 604 of 2022, Article 7).
Fines for not subscribing or not paying
Cabinet Resolution No. 97 of 2022 (Article 8) and Ministerial Resolution No. 604 of 2022 (Article 9) set two fines:
- AED 400 for not subscribing by the deadline;
- AED 200 if you do not pay premiums for more than three months after they fall due. Your insurance certificate is also cancelled.
MoHRE's 2023 announcement gives the same two figures. However, the UAE Government portal's page (updated December 2025) says a worker who does not pay the premiums is fined AED 400. Because the official sources differ, confirm your own fine with MoHRE on 600590000.
If a fine is not paid within three months, it can be deducted from your salary through the Wage Protection System or from your end-of-service gratuity. Until it is paid, you cannot get a new work permit. You can ask MoHRE to let you pay in instalments or to waive the fine (Articles 9 and 10).
Step by step
- Check your subscription. Log in to the ILOE website or app and confirm you have 12 consecutive months with no unpaid premiums.
- Get the reason in writing. Ask for a termination letter showing the date and reason.
- Check the cancellation form before signing. Make sure it does not record a resignation if you were dismissed.
- Count your 30 days. They run from the end of employment, or from the court ruling if your labour case went to court.
- Submit the claim. Use the ILOE website, app or call centre (600599555).
- Upload the documents. Include the dismissal document. If your labour case went to court, send the insurer a copy of the final ruling within 30 days of it (Ministerial Resolution No. 604 of 2022, Article 7).
- Tell the insurer about a new job. Payments stop once you are hired.
- Keep your status legal. One condition is legal residence in the UAE. Plan the claim around your grace period.
Your combined job-loss checklist
Several deadlines start on the same day. Put them all in one list:
- ILOE claim: within 30 days of the end of employment.
- Final pay: your employer has 14 days to pay wages and dues (Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, Article 53). See our visa cancellation and final settlement checklist.
- MoHRE complaint: file within 30 days of the breach if you are not paid.
- Gratuity: estimate it with the gratuity calculator.
- Grace period: after your residence permit is cancelled, you have a limited time to leave or change status. See our guide to overstay fines and grace periods.
The visa cancellation and final dues organiser turns these into dated steps.
Documents checklist
- Emirates ID and passport
- ILOE insurance certificate and premium payment receipts
- Termination letter showing the date and reason
- Copy of the MoHRE work permit cancellation form
- Last six months of payslips, to check the basic salary used
- Bank account details for the payment
- Any MoHRE complaint number, court referral and final judgment
Common mistakes
- Signing a resignation by mistake. A cancellation form that records "resignation" can defeat the claim.
- Waiting for the final settlement. The 30-day claim window does not wait for your employer to pay.
- Letting premiums lapse. A gap of more than three months cancels the certificate and resets the 12-month count.
- Leaving the UAE first. Legal residence is a condition of the claim.
- Assuming the gross salary counts. The benefit is based on basic salary, not allowances.
- Not reporting a new job. Payments stop when you start work, and the insurer can recover benefits paid on incorrect information (Cabinet Resolution No. 97 of 2022, Article 15).
When to speak to a licensed lawyer
Most ILOE claims are handled directly with the insurer. Advice may help if your employer recorded a resignation or a disciplinary reason you dispute, if there is a labour case in court, or if an absconding report was filed against you. See our guide on wrongful termination. The free case check can help you set out the facts first, and CaseDaleel can introduce an independent licensed professional only if you choose.
Frequently asked questions
Can I claim ILOE if I resigned?
No, Cabinet Resolution No. 97 of 2022 requires you to show that the job loss was for a reason other than resignation.
How long do I have to claim?
You must claim within 30 days of the end of employment, or of the court ruling if your labour complaint was referred to court.
How much will I get?
You get 60% of your basic salary, up to AED 10,000 a month in category 1 or AED 20,000 in category 2, for up to three months.
Can I claim if I was dismissed for misconduct?
No, dismissal for disciplinary reasons under the labour law excludes a claim.
What if my employer vanished or the company closed?
Closure is not a resignation, so you may qualify if the other conditions are met, but claims involving fictitious employers are refused; see our guide on a closed company and unpaid salary.
How quickly is the benefit paid?
The insurer must pay within two weeks of receiving a claim that meets the conditions.
What is the fine for not subscribing?
AED 400, and the official texts set AED 200 for unpaid premiums, although the UAE Government portal shows AED 400, so confirm with MoHRE.
Official sources
- UAE Government portal — Unemployment Insurance scheme
- UAE Legislation — Cabinet Resolution No. 97 of 2022 on the unemployment insurance scheme (official Arabic text)
- MoHRE — Ministerial Resolution No. 604 of 2022 on the unemployment insurance scheme (PDF)
- ILOE — Frequently asked questions
- MoHRE — Fines for workers who do not comply with the Unemployment Insurance Scheme
General information, not legal advice. CaseDaleel is not a law firm.