Payroll & WPS Compliance
In the UAE

Pay your team correctly and on time, through the channels the UAE requires. Avyanco runs payroll end-to-end — salary processing, WPS file submission, gratuity and leave accruals, and payslips — so wages are compliant with MOHRE and the Wage Protection System.

  • WPS via MOHRE
  • Salary Processing
  • End-of-Service Gratuity
  • Mainland & Free Zone
  • Central Bank Channels

Wages, the Way the UAE Requires Them Paid

The UAE's Wage Protection System (WPS) is an electronic salary-transfer system overseen by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) and the Central Bank. Mainland employers must pay wages through WPS, and many free zones run their own equivalent. Avyanco runs payroll end-to-end, including WPS files, gratuity and leave under Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021.

The UAE's Wage Protection System (WPS) is an electronic salary-transfer system overseen by the Ministry of Human Resources & Emiratisation (MOHRE) and the Central Bank. Mainland employers are required to pay employee wages through WPS via approved channels, and many free zones operate their own WPS-equivalent. Non-compliance — late or missing salary files — can trigger fines and a block on new work permits, so getting payroll right is a compliance matter, not just an HR one.

Payroll in the UAE is more than transferring salaries. It means processing pay accurately each cycle, generating and submitting the WPS file in the correct format, calculating end-of-service gratuity and leave, air-ticket and other entitlements under the UAE Labour Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021), issuing payslips, and keeping records audit-ready. Avyanco manages the full cycle for mainland and free-zone employers — so staff are paid correctly and on time, and the business stays clear of WPS penalties.

Payroll and WPS compliance in the UAE — Avyanco

What Payroll & WPS Covers

Three strands of a compliant payroll function.

Payroll Processing

Accurate monthly payroll — salaries, allowances, deductions, overtime and variable pay — with payslips.

  • Monthly salary runs
  • Allowances & deductions
  • Overtime & variable pay
  • Payslip generation
  • Payroll journals for accounting

WPS Submission

Generating and submitting the Wage Protection System file through the correct channel each cycle.

  • WPS file generation
  • Submission via approved agent / bank
  • MOHRE / free-zone WPS compliance
  • Exception & mismatch resolution
  • Records for inspection

Entitlements & Gratuity

End-of-service gratuity, leave, air-ticket and other entitlements calculated under the UAE Labour Law.

  • End-of-service gratuity
  • Annual-leave accruals
  • Air-ticket & other benefits
  • Final settlements on exit
  • Labour-law-aligned calculations

How Avyanco Runs Payroll

Six steps to a compliant, repeatable payroll cycle.

  1. 01

    Onboarding & Setup

    We capture your employees, contracts, salary structures and WPS setup, mainland or free zone.

  2. 02

    Monthly Inputs

    We collect variable inputs — joiners, leavers, overtime, deductions and one-offs — each cycle.

  3. 03

    Process & Review

    We process payroll, calculate entitlements and share a review summary before any payment.

  4. 04

    WPS File & Payment

    We generate the WPS file and coordinate the salary transfer through the approved channel.

  5. 05

    Payslips & Records

    We issue payslips and keep the payroll and WPS records audit-ready.

  6. 06

    Settlements & Reporting

    We handle gratuity and final settlements on exit and feed payroll into your accounts and Corporate Tax position.

Why Outsource Payroll & WPS

Compliant payroll protects the business and frees the founder.

Avoids WPS fines and work-permit blocks

Salaries paid accurately and on time

Gratuity and entitlements calculated correctly

Confidential handling of sensitive pay data

Audit-ready payroll and WPS records

Payroll feeds cleanly into the accounts

Scales as the headcount grows

Frees founders from a recurring admin burden

The Avyanco Advantage

Avyanco runs payroll as part of an integrated finance and compliance service.

WPS Compliance Built In

We keep mainland and free-zone employers compliant with WPS, every cycle, on time.

Accurate Entitlements

Gratuity, leave and benefit accruals calculated correctly under the UAE Labour Law.

Joined to Your Accounts

Payroll flows straight into bookkeeping and the Corporate Tax position — one coherent finance view.

Confidential & Accurate

Sensitive pay data handled discreetly, with a review step before any payment goes out.

Scales with Headcount

From a handful of staff to a growing team, the process scales without adding internal admin.

Channel Coordination

We coordinate the salary transfer through the approved bank or WPS agent so payments clear cleanly.

Meet Our Specialists

Partner-level advisors covering payroll, WPS, entitlements and the link into accounting and tax.

Vikas Dhingra, CFO at Avyanco

Vikas Dhingra

Chief Financial Officer · Tax & Structuring

Anshul Agarwala, Senior Consultant at Avyanco

Anshul Agarwala

Senior Consultant · Accounts, Tax & Audit

Jaikishan Kishnani, Tax Consultant at Avyanco

Jaikishan Kishnani

Tax Consultant · Corporate Tax & VAT

Shoaib Shaikh, Tax Consultant at Avyanco

Shoaib Shaikh

Tax Consultant · Corporate Tax & VAT

Abel, Accounts & Tax Associate at Avyanco

Abel

Accounts & Tax Associate

Subura, Accounts & Tax Associate at Avyanco

Subura

Accounts & Tax Associate

Why Employers Choose Avyanco for Payroll

Three things that come up in every payroll engagement.

Avyanco advisor handling UAE payroll & WPS

WPS, Never Late

Salary files submitted correctly and on time, so you never face WPS fines or permit blocks.

Entitlements Right

Gratuity, leave and benefits calculated to the UAE Labour Law — no end-of-service surprises.

One Finance View

Payroll, bookkeeping and tax handled together, so the numbers always reconcile.

What Clients Say

A slice of recent feedback from employers who run payroll through Avyanco.

Payroll & WPS — Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about UAE payroll and the Wage Protection System.

What is the WPS?
The Wage Protection System (WPS) is the UAE's electronic salary-transfer system, overseen by MOHRE and the Central Bank. Mainland employers must pay employee wages through WPS via approved channels, and many free zones run their own WPS-equivalent. It ensures employees are paid in full and on time, and is monitored by the authorities.
What happens if we don't comply with WPS?
Late, incomplete or missing WPS salary files can trigger fines and a block on issuing new work permits, among other consequences. Because the penalty framework is set by MOHRE and can change, we keep your payroll to the current requirements so you stay clear of them.
How is end-of-service gratuity calculated?
End-of-service gratuity is calculated under the UAE Labour Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021), based on the employee's basic salary and length of service, with specific rules by contract type. We calculate gratuity, leave and other entitlements as part of payroll and final settlements.
Do free-zone companies use WPS?
Many free zones operate their own WPS or a WPS-equivalent salary-protection mechanism, while mainland employers use the MOHRE WPS. We set up and run payroll correctly for both, using the right channel for your licensing authority.
Can payroll be handled with our accounting?
Yes — and it should be. We run payroll so it feeds straight into your bookkeeping and Corporate Tax position, keeping one coherent finance view rather than disconnected spreadsheets.
Is our salary data kept confidential?
Yes. Payroll involves sensitive personal and pay data, which we handle discreetly and securely, with a review step before any payment is released.
Verification & independence

This page describes UAE payroll and Wage Protection System compliance in general terms, anchored to MOHRE/Central Bank WPS practice and the UAE Labour Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021) as understood in June 2026. Avyanco Business Consultancy LLC provides advisory and administrative services and is independent of all UAE government authorities.

WPS rules, approved channels, labour-law entitlements and penalties differ by licensing authority and free zone and evolve over time. Always confirm the current requirements for your specific entity directly with MOHRE, your free-zone authority and a qualified advisor before acting on any fact on this page.

Get expert advice

Speak to a UAE specialist

Tell us what you need and a senior advisor will respond within one business day — no obligation.

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  • A reply within one business day, every time
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Want Payroll Off Your Plate — And Compliant?

Speak to an Avyanco advisor about running your UAE payroll and WPS — salary processing, submissions, gratuity and reporting, handled end-to-end.

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