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WPS salary file (SIF) explained for UAE employers

The Wage Protection System (WPS) is how private-sector employers registered with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) pay salaries, so that the ministry can see each payment arrive.

Who must use it

Every establishment registered with MOHRE, paying through a bank, exchange house or financial institution authorised by the UAE Central Bank.
Salaries are paid in AED unless the contract says otherwise.
A few employers and cases are exempt (for example banks and financial institutions, and workers on documented unpaid leave). Check the u.ae page for the full list.

The due date and the 85% rule

Last month's salary is due on the 1st of each month.
An employer counts as paying on time when at least 85% of the wages due is transferred on time.

What happens after the due date

Day 2: alerts to the employer.
Day 5: new work permits are suspended, with a warning.
Day 11: an administrative fine for a repeat within six months, and a lower establishment category.
Day 16: an automatic labour dispute; permits suspended for establishments with 25 or more workers.
Day 21: further action, which can include attachment, a travel ban and prosecution for repeat cases.

What the salary file contains

Your bank or exchange house uploads a salary information file (SIF) for each payroll. It is a comma-separated file with one line per employee and one control line. The layout below is the one banks publish as the ministry's standard format; use the exact specification your bank or agent gives you.

Employee line (EDR): the employee's labour ID, the routing code of their bank or agent, their account or IBAN, the first and last day paid, the days in the period, the fixed salary, the variable pay and the days of unpaid leave.

Control line (SCR): the employer's establishment ID, the employer's bank routing code, the file's creation date and time, the salary month, the number of employee lines and the total salary, which must equal the sum of every line's fixed and variable pay, in AED.

Doing it in BOSS ERP Mini

ERP Mini runs the monthly payroll from attendance and leave, then produces the WPS salary file from each employee's labour ID, bank routing code and IBAN, ready to hand to your bank or exchange house.