The UAE free-zone end-of-service calculator
UAE free zones do not all end service the same way. Pick your zone first: most apply the federal law exactly as the mainland does, the DIFC replaced the gratuity with monthly contributions altogether, and the ADGM sits between the two.
The DIFC
The DIFC does not accrue an end-of-service gratuity at all, so there is no lump sum to calculate here. Since 1 January 2020, DIFC employers instead make monthly contributions into DEWS or another approved Qualifying Scheme. The number you need is that monthly contribution.
Your estimated end-of-service benefit
The statutory cap applies to this amount.
Statutory rules current as of August 2026. This is an indicative estimate, not legal advice. Everything is computed on your device — your salary is never sent or stored.
Two regimes, not one
The federal free zones
DMCC, JAFZA, DAFZA, RAKEZ, SHAMS, Masdar City, KEZAD and the great majority of UAE free zones follow Federal Decree-Law 33/2021: 21 days' basic wage per year of service for the first five years, 30 days per year after that, a one-year minimum, no reduction for resignation, capped at two years' wage. Jafza states this on its own site.
- Requires at least 1 year of continuous service
- First 5 years: 21 days' wage per year
- After 5 years: 30 days' wage per year
- Partial years are calculated proportionally
- Full gratuity on both resignation and termination
- Maximum cap: 2 years' total wage
The DIFC
Since 1 January 2020 DIFC employers do not accrue an end-of-service lump sum. They make mandatory monthly contributions on basic salary into DEWS or another approved Qualifying Scheme — 5.83% for an employee's first five years of service, 8.33% from year six. Since March 2024, UAE and GCC nationals also require a comparison against GPSSA contributions, with any shortfall topped up.
Calculate your DIFC DEWS contributions
The ADGM
The ADGM default is a federal-style gratuity — 21 days' basic wage per year for the first five years, 30 days per year after, a one-year minimum, and basic wage of at least 50% of total salary. An employer may substitute an approved workplace savings scheme instead, but only with the employee's written consent.
Running payroll for a team?
We calculate end-of-service, WPS files and payroll for every employee, to your country's labour law — and we set it up for you. Your trial starts with your staff, contracts and policies already in it.
The law: UAE Labour Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021)
Worked example
End-of-service in United Arab Emirates is based on the employee's length of service and final salary under the local labour law. Use the AhlanHamad calculator for an exact figure for your case.
Frequently asked questions
Is free-zone gratuity the same as mainland in the UAE?
In most zones, yes. DMCC, JAFZA, DAFZA, RAKEZ, SHAMS and the great majority apply Federal Decree-Law 33/2021, so the calculation is identical to mainland. The DIFC is the exception — it has no gratuity at all, only monthly DEWS contributions — and the ADGM applies a federal-style gratuity by default but allows an approved savings scheme with the employee's written consent.
Does the DIFC pay end-of-service gratuity?
No. Since 1 January 2020 the DIFC has replaced the gratuity with mandatory monthly employer contributions into DEWS or another Qualifying Scheme, calculated on basic salary. A DIFC employer using a mainland gratuity calculator gets an answer describing a liability they do not have.
What applies in the ADGM?
A federal-style gratuity by default — 21 and 30 days' basic wage, a one-year minimum, and basic wage of at least 50% of total salary. An employer may substitute an approved workplace savings scheme, but only with the employee's written consent.
Is my salary stored when I use this calculator?
No. The calculation runs entirely in your browser using the same statutory engine that powers AhlanHamad payroll — your salary is never transmitted or stored.
Open the free United Arab Emirates end-of-service calculator· Calculate your DIFC DEWS contributions