Wage protection files: what payroll teams must get right every month

Since 1 June 2026, UAE private-sector salaries for each month are due through the Wage Protection System (WPS) by the 1st of the next month. The margin for a late or rejected file is now much smaller.

What changed

Ministerial Resolution No. 340 of 2026 from MOHRE set one deadline for every employer registered with the Ministry:

• One due date. Last month's wages are due by the 1st of each Gregorian month, whatever the contract says.
• 85% counts as paid. An employer is compliant when at least 85% of total wages due are transferred on time. The threshold used to be 80%.
• Faster escalation. Warnings start on day 2. New work permits are suspended from day 5. Fines and a lower MOHRE category can follow from day 11, and larger employers face labour disputes and further measures from day 16 and day 21.

Five things to get right every month

1. Close inputs early. Attendance, unpaid leave, joiners and leavers must be final a few days before month end, not on the 30th.
2. Check employee and bank details. A wrong labour number, routing code or IBAN gets the line rejected, and that employee counts as unpaid.
3. Match the file to the payroll. The total in the salary file must match the approved payroll and the amount funded at the bank.
4. Watch the 85% line. One rejected batch, or a large group held back, can take you below it.
5. Keep the evidence. Keep the approved register, the file sent and the bank confirmation together for each period.

Why spreadsheets struggle here

When payroll is built in a spreadsheet and the file is typed or exported by hand, every step above depends on one person on one day. A missed change in employee data shows up only when the bank rejects the file.

How Nurayn helps

In Nurayn, the payroll cycle has a check at each step: inputs, calculation, approval, then payment. The wage protection file is produced from the approved payroll and checked before it goes to the bank, in the format each market expects.