What is WPS in UAE? The Wage Protection System for private sector salaries

According to the government portal, all establishments registered with MOHRE must pay employees' wages on the due date through the WPS. Salaries for the previous month are due on the first day of each Gregorian month, and are paid in dirhams unless the employment contract agrees another currency. Employers must transfer at least 85% of total wages due on time where lawful deductions apply.

The governing instrument is Ministerial Resolution No. 340 of 2026 on the Wage Protection System. Some employer categories are excluded, such as banks and financial institutions and houses of worship.

MOHRE monitors WPS data and applies graduated penalties for late or unpaid wages, starting from the second day after the due date. Late salaries can also lead to restrictions on the establishment. For a Dubai restaurant group with 60 staff, a delayed salary run is not just an employee-relations problem but a compliance one.

For the books, WPS means the salary run produces one bank or exchange-house payment that needs to be matched to many individual salary lines.

Payroll runs in HelloTime, which posts salary journals to HelloBooks so wages, allowances and deductions land in the right accounts. HelloBooks does not produce WPS salary files; your bank or exchange house prepares the WPS transfer. When the salary payment appears on your uploaded bank statement, the AI agent matches it to the salary journal and flags any difference for review.

If you need payroll accounts split by branch or project, the team can set up the chart of accounts with you after a call booked at /book-a-demo.

Payroll terms that sit next to WPS.

• MOHRE
• End of service gratuity
• Salary journal
• Basic salary