End of Service Gratuity in the GCC
Pick your country to calculate your gratuity, or compare the rules of all six countries in one table built from the same data the calculators use.
Choose your country
Saudi ArabiaBased on: Saudi Labor Law
UAEBased on: Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations
KuwaitBased on: Law No. 6 of 2010 on Labour in the Private Sector
QatarBased on: Labour Law promulgated by Law No. 14 of 2004
OmanBased on: Labour Law issued by Royal Decree 53/2023
BahrainBased on: Labour Law for the Private Sector (Law 36/2012)
The six GCC countries compared
| Country | Award per year of service | Wage used | Cap | Effect of resigning | Minimum service | Recent changes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saudi Arabia | Half a month’s wage per year for the first 5 years, then one month’s wage per year | Last actual wage: basic pay plus regular allowances | None |
| None | The Labor Law amendments in force since 19 February 2025 left Articles 80 to 88 untouched, so the award is calculated as before. Resigning from a fixed-term contract now has its own definition and procedure. |
| UAE | 21 days’ wage per year for the first 5 years, then 30 days’ wage per year | Last basic salary, without allowances | 24 months’ wage | No reduction | One full year | Since 2 February 2022 (Decree-Law 33 of 2021), resigning no longer reduces the gratuity and dismissal under Article 44 no longer cancels it. |
| Kuwait | 15 days’ wage per year for the first 5 years, then one month’s wage per year | Last total wage, including regular allowances | 18 months’ wage |
| None | No change to the expatriate calculation since the law was issued in 2010. Law No. 85 of 2017 only changed how a Kuwaiti employee’s indemnity relates to social-security contributions. |
| Qatar | At least 21 days’ wage per year, or more if the contract says so | Last basic salary, without allowances | None | No reduction | One full year | Law No. 9 of 2026 (issued 11 June 2026) kept Article 54 as it was and added a case to Article 61 where dismissal forfeits the gratuity: inciting an unlawful strike. |
| Oman |
| Last basic salary, without allowances | None | No reduction | None |
|
| Bahrain | Half a month’s wage per year for the first 3 years, then one month’s wage per year | Last basic wage plus the social allowance | None | No reduction | None | Since 1 March 2024 the Social Insurance Organization pays non-Bahrainis the award for later service; the employer still owes it for service before that date. |
What is the end-of-service gratuity?
The end-of-service gratuity (EOSB) is a lump sum your employer pays once, when the employment ends, for the years you worked for it. The labour laws of all six GCC countries grant it to private-sector employees, and expatriates rely on it most. It is a legal right, not a bonus at the employer’s discretion: a contract may give you more, never less.
Three things decide the amount
The wage it is based on
Some laws calculate the gratuity on basic salary alone, others on pay including regular allowances such as housing and transport. That difference alone can double the figure. Check the “Wage used” column in the table, then enter in the calculator the wage your country’s law asks for, as shown on your last payslip.
Length of service and its tiers
The gratuity is earned for each year of service, and part years count pro rata. In most countries the first years earn a lower rate than the later ones, so the amount rises with service. Countries also differ in how they count days and whether unpaid leave is deducted; each calculator follows its country’s method and shows it in the breakdown table.
Why the employment ended
Resigning is not treated the same way everywhere, as the “Effect of resigning” column shows. Every law also lists dismissals that forfeit the gratuity, and cases where an employee may walk out and keep it. That is why each calculator asks why the employment ended and explains the effect in a note under the result.
Two countries split the gratuity
In Oman and Bahrain the gratuity is now calculated in two parts. In Oman, one part covers service before the new Labour Law took effect and the other the service after it, each with its own rule. In Bahrain, the employer pays for the earlier service and the Social Insurance Organization pays for the later service. Both calculators show the two parts separately on the estimate slip, and the recent changes column gives the date of each change.
How to use the calculators
Choose your country from the list, then enter your start date, last working day, wage and the reason the employment ended. The result appears with every step of the calculation, and you can print it or copy a link to share it. Calculated on your device. Nothing is sent to a server.
Frequently asked questions
Does the gratuity differ much between GCC countries?
Yes. For the same salary and service, one country can pay twice as much as another. The biggest factor is the wage used, since some countries count basic salary only and others include allowances. Then come the rate per year, the cap in the countries that have one, and the effect of resigning. Compare those columns in the table, then calculate your own figure for your country.
Why does the calculator give a different figure from my employer’s?
Usually because a different wage was used, for example total pay instead of basic salary, or because unpaid leave was not deducted. Your contract or company policy may also give more than the legal minimum, and the employer may deduct amounts you are proven to owe. The breakdown table under the result shows every step, so you can see where the two figures part ways.
Does resigning reduce the gratuity everywhere?
No. In Saudi Arabia and Kuwait an employee who resigns receives a share of the award that grows with service, and nothing after a short service. In the UAE, Qatar, Oman and Bahrain resigning pays the same as being let go. Everywhere you still owe the notice period set by the law or your contract; each country page explains it.
I worked in two GCC countries. Are my years added together?
No. The gratuity is owed by the employer for the service with it, under the law of the country where you worked, so years do not carry over from one country to another. Calculate each period separately on its country’s page, with the last wage you earned from that employer and the dates of that job.
Do these calculators work for GCC nationals?
They are built for expatriate employees in the private sector. In several countries nationals are covered by a pension or social-insurance scheme that replaces the gratuity or changes the amount. Each country page lists, under special cases, who the calculator does not cover, such as government staff and, in some countries, domestic workers.
Does unpaid leave count as service?
Each country has its own rule. Most laws do not count days of unpaid leave or absence as service, and some let a limited number of days count. Enter the total days in the unpaid-leave field of your country’s calculator; it removes what the law removes and says so in a note under the result.
How do I know the table is up to date?
Every row comes from the rules file the calculator for that country uses, and the table caption shows when those rules were last verified. The recent changes column gives the latest change in each country with its date. Each country page lists its official sources and access dates, and we review them whenever a law is amended.
Sources
The sources for each row are listed on that country’s calculator page. The recent changes rely on:
- Umm Al-Qura — Amendment of certain articles of the Labor Law (2024) · accessed 27 September 2026
- King & Spalding — Amendments to the Saudi Labor Law · accessed 27 September 2026
- Al Ramsy Advocates — Article 51 gratuity rules · accessed 27 September 2026
- Morgan Lewis — United Arab Emirates updates federal labour law · accessed 27 September 2026
- Ogletree Deakins — Kuwait: new rules on annual leave and pension contributions (2018) · accessed 27 September 2026
- Al Meezan — Labour Law, Article 61 · accessed 27 September 2026
- Official Gazette no. 11 of 2026 — Law No. 9 of 2026 amending the Labour Law (pages published by Al-Sharq) · accessed 27 September 2026
- Ministry of Labour (Oman) — Labour Law issued by Royal Decree 53/2023 · accessed 27 September 2026
- Decree.om — Royal Decree 53/2023 issuing the Labour Law (English translation) · accessed 27 September 2026
- Qanoon.om — Royal Decree 52/2023 issuing the Social Protection Law · accessed 27 September 2026
- Qanoon.om — Royal Decree 60/2025 amending Royal Decree 52/2023 · accessed 27 September 2026
- Atheer — Social Protection Fund programmes 2026–2028 (March 2026) · accessed 27 September 2026
- Legislation and Legal Opinion Commission — Prime Minister’s Decision 109/2023 (end-of-service regulation for non-Bahrainis) · accessed 27 September 2026
- Social Insurance Organization — End of Service Benefit (Decision 109/2023) · accessed 27 September 2026
Please note
The table summarises each country’s general rule as the published laws state it. It is not legal advice. Your contract, company policy or a court decision can change your amount, so calculate it on your country’s page and read its special cases.