UAE Unemployment Insurance (ILOE) Calculator
See your ILOE category, what you pay, and how much the Involuntary Loss of Employment scheme pays you if you lose your job.
Basic salary only, without housing, transport or other allowances.
Check which schedules your provider offers when you subscribe.
You need at least 12 months in a row before you can claim.
The benefit is paid for up to 3 months a claim, and stops when you start a new job.
Workers paid only by commission, with no basic salary in their contract, may choose either category.
If your basic changed, the benefit uses the average. Blank months use the salary above. The number of months averaged: check the current rule (usually the last 6).
The official page gives AED 5 and AED 10 a month as the most you pay. It does not say if VAT is added; 5% is the UAE standard rate. Check your provider's quote.
| Schedule | Each payment | Payments a year | A year |
|---|
Who does not need to subscribe
- Investors who own the business they work in
- Domestic workers
- Employees on temporary contracts
- Juveniles under 18
- Emiratis who meet the retirement conditions, and retirees getting a pension who have joined a new job
How your unemployment insurance is worked out
Your basic salary sets the category. The benefit is 60% of salary, up to a cap, for up to 3 months.
- 1
Your category
12,000 ≤ 16,000
= Category A - 2
Your premium
5 × 3 + 5% VAT
= AED 15.75 - 3
Monthly benefit
60% × 12,000
= AED 7,200.00 - 4
Up to 3 months
7,200 × 3
= AED 21,600.00
Read more: the formula, a worked example, who can claim, fines and who is exempt
The Involuntary Loss of Employment (ILOE) scheme is the UAE's unemployment insurance, set up by Federal Decree-Law No. 13 of 2022. Workers must subscribe unless they are in one of the exempt groups. If you lose your job, it pays part of your salary for a short time while you look for a new one.
| Category | Basic salary | Premium | Benefit cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | AED 16,000 or less | up to AED 5 a month | AED 10,000 a month |
| B | Above AED 16,000 | up to AED 10 a month | AED 20,000 a month |
The formula
category = A if basic salary is 16,000 or less, otherwise B
premium each payment = premium a month × months in the schedule × (1 + VAT ÷ 100)
monthly benefit = 60% × basic salary, but no more than the category cap
total benefit = monthly benefit × months out of work (at most 3)
Worked example
Your basic salary is AED 12,000 a month, which is AED 16,000 or less, so you are in Category A. Paying quarterly, the premium is 5 × 3 = AED 15, plus 5% VAT of AED 0.75, so AED 15.75 each quarter, or 15.75 × 4 = AED 63 a year.
If you lose your job, the benefit is 60% × 12,000 = AED 7,200 a month. That is under the AED 10,000 cap, so it is paid in full. For 3 months that is 7,200 × 3 = AED 21,600. You have been subscribed for 18 months, which is more than the 12 needed, so you can claim.
Who can claim
- You have been subscribed for at least 12 months in a row and have paid all your premiums on your schedule.
- You lost your job for a reason other than resigning.
- You were not dismissed for disciplinary reasons, and there is no open absence-from-work complaint against you.
- You are in the UAE, and the claim is not based on fraud, a fake employer, strikes or non-peaceful protests.
- You claim within 30 days of the job ending, or of a labour dispute being settled. The money is paid within two weeks of the claim.
Fines
- Not subscribing to the scheme: AED 400.
- Not paying your premiums: AED 400.
Good to know
- The official page talks about 60% of the "subscription salary". Providers' policy wording is often quoted as the average basic salary of the last 6 months. Check the current rule; Advanced mode lets you enter your last 6 months.
- The benefit stops if you find a new job during the 3 months.
- The official page does not say whether VAT is added to the premium or list the payment schedules. The calculator adds 5% VAT by default; change it in Advanced if your quote differs.
Figures checked on 17 October 2026 against the UAE government portal: u.ae, Insurance against job loss. This is an estimate for general information, not legal or insurance advice. Check with your insurer, the ILOE scheme or the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) before relying on it.
Common questions
How much is unemployment insurance in the UAE?
There are two categories. If your basic salary is AED 16,000 or less (Category A), the premium is no more than AED 5 a month. Above AED 16,000 (Category B), it is no more than AED 10 a month. You pay on the schedule you choose when you subscribe. Check with your provider whether VAT is added.
How much will I get from ILOE if I lose my job?
You get 60% of your salary, which is your basic salary. The monthly benefit is capped at AED 10,000 in Category A and AED 20,000 in Category B, and it is paid for up to 3 months for each claim. It stops if you start a new job.
Who can claim UAE unemployment insurance?
You must have been subscribed for at least 12 months in a row and paid all your premiums. You must have lost your job for a reason other than resigning, and not have been dismissed for disciplinary reasons. You must be in the UAE and claim within 30 days of the job ending or of a labour dispute being settled.
What is the fine for not subscribing to ILOE?
The fine is AED 400 for not subscribing to the scheme. There is also an AED 400 fine for not paying your premiums.
Who is exempt from the UAE unemployment insurance scheme?
Investors who own the business they work in, domestic workers, employees on temporary contracts, juveniles under 18, and retirees who receive a pension and have joined a new job are exempt.
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