UAE Leave Salary Calculator
Work out your annual leave balance and leave salary: the cash owed for unused days when your job ends (after resignation or termination), and your pay while on leave. Based on the official law, Article 29 of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, the same in every emirate, and checked against the official text in November 2026. GulfPayCalc is independent, not a MOHRE or government site.
- Service counted
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- Leave earned
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- Leave taken
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- Unused days
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- Daily basic wage
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Estimate only. Not legal advice. Your final settlement may also include gratuity, notice pay and deductions for amounts you owe: see the final settlement calculator.
Pay while you are on annual leave
Leave you take while working is paid differently from leave cashed out when you leave. Annual leave is "with full pay" (Article 29), and the law defines wage as basic salary plus cash allowances, so leave you take is normally paid on your full wage. Unused leave paid out when your service ends uses basic salary only (Executive Regulations, Article 19). Your contract may give more. See the UAE annual leave rules.
How to calculate leave salary in the UAE
- Under 6 months of service: no annual leave is earned yet.
- Between 6 and 12 months: 2 days for each full month worked (Article 29, clause 1(b)).
- One year or more: 30 days for each year of service, with part of a year counted in proportion (clause 1(a) and (c)).
- Unused days = days earned − days already taken.
- Pay = unused days × (basic monthly salary ÷ 30), paid in cash when your service ends (clause 9 and Executive Regulations Article 19).
The law says part-years earn leave "for parts of the last year" and pay is on "basic salary", but does not give the conversions. We count part-years by days (30 × days ÷ 365) and take the daily wage as monthly salary ÷ 30, the usual convention.
Read differently by some calculators: for 6 to 12 months of service, the law says "two days for each month". We read that as 2 days for every month, so 8 months earns 16 days. A few calculators count only the months after the sixth, giving 4 days for the same 8 months. If your employer uses that reading, check your contract or ask MOHRE.
Examples
- • Basic salary: AED 6,000.00 a month, daily wage AED 200.00
- • 8 full months × 2 days = 16 days earned
- • Taken: 4 days, unused: 12.00 days
- • Basic salary: AED 9,000.00 a month, daily wage AED 300.00
- • 30 days a year × 2.5 years = 75 days earned
- • Taken: 40 days, unused: 35.00 days
Leave salary for unused days, by basic salary
What unused leave pays when your job ends: days × basic salary ÷ 30. Figures in AED, rounded.
| Basic salary (AED) | 10 days | 15 days | 20 days | 30 days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3,000 | 1,000 | 1,500 | 2,000 | 3,000 |
| 5,000 | 1,667 | 2,500 | 3,333 | 5,000 |
| 8,000 | 2,667 | 4,000 | 5,333 | 8,000 |
| 10,000 | 3,333 | 5,000 | 6,667 | 10,000 |
| 15,000 | 5,000 | 7,500 | 10,000 | 15,000 |
| 20,000 | 6,667 | 10,000 | 13,333 | 20,000 |
Leaving your job? Add the gratuity, unpaid salary and notice pay with the UAE final settlement calculator, or see the end of service gratuity calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate leave salary in the UAE?expand_more
It depends on when it is paid. For unused leave when your job ends: unused days × basic salary ÷ 30, so 20 days on AED 9,000 basic is 20 × 300 = AED 6,000 (Executive Regulations, Article 19). For leave you take while working: your full wage for the leave days, so 14 days on a total wage of AED 12,000 is 14 × 400 = AED 5,600 (Article 29, clause 6).
Is this the official MOHRE leave salary calculator?expand_more
No. GulfPayCalc is independent and not part of MOHRE or any government body. It uses the official rules, Article 29 of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 and Article 19 of its Executive Regulations, linked under Source below. If you and your employer disagree on the amount, you can take it to MOHRE, which decides claims up to AED 50,000 (Article 54).
Do I get leave salary after resignation in the UAE?expand_more
Yes. If you leave before using your leave, you are paid for the unused days, whatever the duration (Article 29, clause 9). The law does not reduce this for resignation. It is paid on basic salary (Executive Regulations, Article 19) and is due with the rest of your final settlement within 14 days (Article 53).
Can I get leave encashment while I am still working?expand_more
Only by agreement with your employer. The Executive Regulations (Article 19) let you carry forward up to half of your annual leave, or agree to be paid its cash equivalent at the wage you earn when the leave is due. Otherwise you are expected to take your leave in the year it is earned (Article 29, clause 4).
How many days of annual leave do I get?expand_more
At least 30 days of paid leave for each year of service. In your first year, once you have worked more than six months, you earn 2 days for each month (Article 29, clause 1).
Am I paid during annual leave?expand_more
Yes. You are entitled to your wage for the period of your annual leave (Article 29, clause 6).
Do I get paid for unused leave when I leave the job?expand_more
Yes, in cash, calculated on your basic salary (Article 29, clause 9, and Executive Regulations Article 19). You also earn leave for the part of the last year you worked.
Can I carry unused leave into next year?expand_more
With your employer's approval, up to half of your annual leave (Executive Regulations, Article 19), or you can agree to be paid cash for it instead. Your employer may not stop you taking leave for more than two years unless you choose to carry it forward or take cash (Article 29, clause 8).
Who decides when I take my leave?expand_more
Your employer can set the dates to suit the work, in agreement with you or by rotating staff, and must tell you at least one month before (Article 29, clause 4).
Do public holidays during annual leave count as leave days?expand_more
Yes, unless your contract or company rules give more. Article 29, clause 7 counts holidays set by law or by agreement that fall during your annual leave as part of the leave, so it is not extended. The official English translation says "rest days"; the Arabic text says holidays.
Is leave salary paid before the leave starts?expand_more
Article 29 and the Executive Regulations (Articles 18 and 19) set no date for paying it. Some guides say it must be paid in advance; that is not in these articles. Check your contract or company rules.
What about part-time workers?expand_more
Part-time workers earn leave in proportion to the hours they actually work, with a minimum of five working days a year (Executive Regulations, Article 18).
Source
UAE Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations, Article 3 (scope), Article 29 (annual leave; clauses 7 and 9 also read in the Arabic text), Article 53 (payment within 14 days) and Article 54 (disputes), and the Executive Regulations (Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022), Articles 18 and 19. Checked against the official text on . The 2024 amendment (Decree-Law No. 9 of 2024) changed Articles 54 and 60 only. Always confirm your entitlement with MOHRE or a qualified adviser.
Read the official text:Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 (UAE Legislation portal) · Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022, Executive Regulations (UAE Legislation portal)