UAE nationals working in GCC require social insurance protection

The General Pension and Social Security Authority (GPSSA) implemented a unified system for insurance protection for UAE nationals who work across the region.

As per the new mandate, the region's citizens working in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries must be insured with the protection scheme.

The rule is also applicable to GCC citizens working in the UAE.

It also applies to GCC citizens working in both the private and public sectors. These companies must register and provide insurance protection.

Failure to adhere to the mandate by not registering employers will bear additional fines that should be settled in addition to paying the end of service benefits.

The value and eligibility of the benefit vary based on each country's Pensions and Social Security Law.

"As a result, (the) insured will receive end of service benefits in accordance with the retirement law in his/her own country," said Hanan Al Sahlawi, Executive Director of the Pensions Sector in GPSSA, adding that the provisions of the civil retirement law also include workers in free zones as well as in the hotel and tourism sector.

The UAE began implementing the system of extending social insurance protection in January 2007 under law No.18, issued by the UAE Council of Ministers on July 22, 2007.

The decision to provide the social insurance protection system to GCC citizens working in other countries was issued by the Supreme Council of the GCC in December 2004 during the 25th session, held in Bahrain.