Yes, if you have completed at least one year of continuous service. Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 sets no reduction for resignation: Article 51 pays 21 days of basic wage for each of the first five years and 30 days for each year after, whichever side ends the contract. Under one year, there is no gratuity at all.
What does the law say about resigning?
Nothing that reduces gratuity. Article 51 pays the full time foreign worker who "completed a year or more in continuous service" at "the end of his service", without asking who ended it, and the English text of the Decree Law does not use the word resignation at all. Article 42 lists the ways a contract ends, including the wish of either party with notice, and Article 43 lets either side end it for a legitimate reason with written notice.
| Service | Gratuity | In rupees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 year | AED 3,500.00 | PKR 263,587 |
| 2 years | AED 7,000.00 | PKR 527,174 |
| 4 years | AED 14,000.00 | PKR 1,054,347 |
| 6 years | AED 22,500.00 | PKR 1,694,486 |
| 10 years | AED 42,500.00 | PKR 3,200,696 |
What do you need to qualify?
One year of continuous service, counted in days of 365 to the year (Article 67), without unpaid absence (Article 51(4)). A worker who resigns at eleven months gets nothing; one who resigns at one year and six months gets the year and a half in proportion (Article 51(3)). A renewed or extended contract counts as one continuous term (Article 8(4)).
What if you resign during probation?
Probation can last up to six months and counts as part of the service (Article 9). There is no gratuity this early, because one year is needed. The notice rules differ: a worker moving to another employer in the UAE must give at least one month's written notice, and the new employer compensates the old one for recruitment costs unless agreed otherwise (Article 9(3)); a foreign worker leaving the country must give at least 14 days (Article 9(4)). Leaving without following these rules can bar a new work permit for one year (Article 9(6)).
Do you have to work your notice?
The notice in your contract must be between 30 and 90 days (Article 43(1)), and you are paid your full wage for it. If either side does not keep to the notice, it owes the other a notice period allowance equal to the wage for the notice, or for what is left of it (Article 43(3)). That is separate from gratuity, but the employer may deduct amounts payable under the law or a judgment from the gratuity (Article 51(7)).
Can you leave without notice and keep your gratuity?
In four cases, Article 45 lets a worker quit without notice "while retaining his rights upon end of service": the employer breaks its obligations and does not put it right within 14 working days of the worker telling the Ministry; the employer or its representative assaults or harasses the worker, reported within 5 working days; a grave danger at work that the employer knows of and does not remove; or being told to do work fundamentally different from the contract without written consent.
What if the employer dismisses you?
Article 44 lists ten cases in which the employer may dismiss without notice after a written investigation, such as forged documents or long unexcused absence. It does not mention end of service benefits. Among disciplinary penalties, Article 39 lists termination of service "while preserving the worker's right of end of service benefits". Disputes go to the Ministry and then to the courts.
When is it paid?
Within 14 days of the end of the contract (Article 53). Check the figure with the calculator before you sign any final settlement.
Sources
- Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 and its amendments, MOHRE English text (PDF, Internet Archive copy of 2 March 2026), checked 18 October 2026
- UAE Legislation portal, Federal Decree by Law No. 33 of 2021 (Internet Archive copy of 4 October 2026), checked 18 October 2026
Last checked 18 October 2026. Rates on this page are from 8 November 2026 and are refreshed daily. If a rule here has changed, the official source wins.