DIFC Gratuity Calculator

This DIFC gratuity calculator estimates your end-of-service benefit under the Dubai International Financial Centre's own employment framework — not mainland UAE labour law. It combines any frozen legacy gratuity earned before 1 February 2020 with ongoing DEWS (DIFC Employee Workplace Savings) contributions, calculated under DIFC Employment Law No. 2 of 2019. Enter your basic salary and dates below — no signup required.

Last Updated: July 2026 ·  Governing law: DIFC Employment Law No. 2 of 2019  ·  DEWS rate: 5.83% / 8.33% of basic salary

DIFC Gratuity & DEWS Calculator

Estimates legacy gratuity + DEWS contributions · Free · No signup

Use basic wage only — not housing, transport, or other allowances. Basic wage must be at least 50% of total fixed monthly remuneration under DIFC rules.

Are you a UAE or GCC national?

Estimated total end-of-service benefit

AED 116,522

7.3 years of service · excludes DEWS investment gains/losses

Legacy gratuity (pre-1 Feb 2020)

AED 12,740

0.9 yrs · frozen liability, owed by employer

DEWS contributions (from 1 Feb 2020)

AED 103,782

49 mo @ 5.83% + 28 mo @ 8.33%

This is an estimate for guidance only, based on the contribution formula in DIFC Employment Law No. 2 of 2019 (as amended). It excludes fund performance, DEWS administration charges (typically 1.26%–1.33%), voluntary contributions, and any probation deferral. Check your actual DEWS balance via the Zurich Workplace Solutions employee portal.

What Is DEWS?

DEWS (DIFC Employee Workplace Savings) is a mandatory, funded workplace savings scheme that replaced the DIFC's original end-of-service gratuity model from 1 February 2020, under the DIFC Employment Law No. 2 of 2019, as amended by DIFC Law No. 4 of 2020. Instead of your employer owing you a lump sum calculated only when you leave, your employer pays a set percentage of your basic salary into a personal investment account every month, administered by Zurich Workplace Solutions and regulated by the DFSA.

Because contributions are held in a ring-fenced master trust rather than as an internal company liability, your DEWS balance is protected even if your employer becomes insolvent — a key structural difference from mainland gratuity.

How DIFC End of Service Benefits Work

Your total entitlement depends on when you joined your DIFC employer:

Service before 1 Feb 2020

Calculated under the legacy formula — 21 days' basic wage per year for the first 5 years, 30 days' basic wage per year beyond that — frozen at your salary on the changeover date, and owed directly by your employer at termination.

Service from 1 Feb 2020 onward

Accrued as monthly DEWS contributions — 5.83% of basic salary under 5 years of service, 8.33% from 5 years onward — invested on your behalf and payable to you as an account balance, not a formula-calculated lump sum.

If you joined after 1 February 2020, you have no legacy portion — your entire entitlement is your accumulated DEWS balance. Contributions must reach the scheme by the 21st of the following month, and your basic wage for these purposes must be at least 50% of your total fixed monthly remuneration.

Who Uses This Calculator?

✓DIFC employees checking their entitlement before resigning or after termination
✓HR and payroll teams at DIFC-registered companies calculating DEWS obligations
✓Employers transitioning staff from legacy gratuity onto a Qualifying Scheme
✓Candidates comparing a DIFC job offer against a mainland UAE offer

Worked Examples

Example 1 — Joined after DEWS started

Sarah joins a DIFC law firm on 1 March 2021 with a basic salary of AED 15,000/month. She resigns on 1 March 2026 — exactly 5 years of service, entirely within the DEWS era.

DEWS contributions (60 months @ 5.83% of AED 15,000)AED 52,470
Estimated total benefitAED 52,470

Excludes investment returns on the DEWS balance since inception.

Example 2 — Service spans the DEWS changeover

Rajesh joins a DIFC-based bank on 1 June 2017 with a basic salary of AED 22,000/month and is still employed today — just over 9 years of service, split across both regimes.

Legacy gratuity (Jun 2017 – Jan 2020, ~2.7 yrs @ 21 days/yr)≈ AED 40,500
DEWS @ 5.83% (28 months, service still under 5 yrs)≈ AED 35,900
DEWS @ 8.33% (49 months, service past 5 yrs)≈ AED 89,800
Estimated total benefit≈ AED 166,200

Figures rounded for illustration. Use the calculator above with your exact dates for a precise breakdown.

DEWS vs UAE Labour Law Gratuity

DIFC and mainland UAE run on entirely separate legal frameworks. Which one applies to you depends on your employment contract and work permit, not your office location.

FeatureDIFC (DEWS)Mainland UAE
Governing lawDIFC Employment Law No. 2 of 2019Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021
Benefit modelFunded monthly contributionsUnfunded lump-sum accrual
Payment timingContinuous deposits into a personal accountSingle payment within 14 days of termination
Contribution rate5.83% (<5 yrs) / 8.33% (5+ yrs) of basic salary/month21 days/yr (first 5 yrs), 30 days/yr (5+ yrs)
Who holds the fundsTrustee-administered master trustEmployer, as an internal liability
Investment growthYes — invested in selected fundsNo — fixed formula only
PortabilityStays with the employee across DIFC employersPaid out and closed at each employer
RegulatorDFSAMOHRE

If your role is based outside DIFC — including most other UAE free zones such as DMCC, JAFZA, and DAFZA — the mainland formula applies instead. Use our UAE Gratuity Calculator or the Dubai Gratuity Calculator for those cases.

Common Mistakes

✗ Applying the mainland 21/30-day formula to a DIFC salary

Fix: DIFC gratuity for post-2020 service is not a formula applied at exit — it is an accumulated DEWS balance built from monthly contributions. Mixing the two regimes overstates or understates the true figure.

✗ Assuming all service is covered by DEWS

Fix: Any service completed before 1 February 2020 is frozen under the legacy gratuity formula and remains a separate, employer-owed amount unless it was voluntarily transferred into DEWS.

✗ Calculating contributions on gross salary instead of basic wage

Fix: DEWS contributions are based on basic wage only, which by rule must be at least 50% of total fixed monthly remuneration — not housing, transport, or other allowances.

✗ Assuming UAE/GCC nationals get nothing under DIFC rules

Fix: They are enrolled in GPSSA instead of DEWS, and since DIFC Law No. 1 of 2024 are entitled to an employer top-up if GPSSA contributions fall short of the DEWS-equivalent amount.

✗ Treating probation as a contribution exemption

Fix: Employers may defer DEWS contributions during probation, but if the employee passes, a lump-sum back-payment covering the full probation period is due — it is a deferral, not a waiver.

Frequently Asked Questions — DIFC Gratuity Calculator

Does DIFC still pay traditional end-of-service gratuity?▾
Only for service completed before 1 February 2020. From that date, DIFC Employment Law No. 2 of 2019 (as amended by DIFC Law No. 4 of 2020) replaced ongoing gratuity accrual with mandatory monthly contributions into the DEWS scheme or an approved Qualifying Scheme. Any gratuity you earned before the changeover date is frozen and remains payable by your employer at termination.
What is DEWS?▾
DEWS stands for DIFC Employee Workplace Savings. It is a defined-contribution, funded savings plan — employers pay a percentage of your basic salary into a personal, ring-fenced investment account each month, instead of holding an unfunded gratuity liability internally. The scheme is administered by Zurich Workplace Solutions and regulated by the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA).
How are DEWS contributions calculated?▾
Employers contribute 5.83% of your basic monthly salary for service under five years, rising to 8.33% once your total service reaches five years. These rates are designed to mirror the old 21-day and 30-day gratuity formula, but are paid monthly rather than as a single lump sum at the end of employment.
What happened to gratuity I earned before February 2020?▾
It is frozen, not lost. Your employer calculates your accrued gratuity as at 31 January 2020 using the traditional 21-days/30-days formula and either keeps it as an internal liability payable at termination, or transfers it into your DEWS account (which requires your written consent if it is less than your accrued entitlement).
Are UAE and GCC nationals covered by DEWS?▾
No. UAE and GCC nationals are enrolled in the General Pension and Social Security Authority (GPSSA) instead. Since DIFC Law No. 1 of 2024, employers must also pay a top-up if an employee's GPSSA contributions fall short of the DEWS-equivalent amount by AED 1,000 or more per month.
Can I withdraw my DEWS savings before I leave my job?▾
Generally no for employer contributions — these are paid out when you leave DIFC employment, whether through resignation, termination, or retirement. If you have made voluntary top-up contributions, DEWS allows up to two partial withdrawals per year, capped at 30% of your voluntary savings balance.
What happens to my DEWS account if I change employers within DIFC?▾
Your DEWS account is portable — it belongs to you individually, not your employer. If you move to another DIFC-registered employer, your existing balance stays intact and your new employer simply begins making contributions into the same account or an equivalent one.
Is DEWS mandatory for every DIFC employer?▾
Yes. Every DIFC-registered employer must enrol eligible employees in DEWS or an alternative Qualifying Scheme approved by the DIFC Authority, which must offer benefits equal to or better than DEWS. Non-compliance — late contributions, incorrect calculation, or failure to enrol — can result in fines of up to USD 2,000 per employee per violation.
How is DIFC gratuity different from mainland UAE gratuity?▾
They are governed by entirely different laws. Mainland UAE end-of-service gratuity follows Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 and is a single lump sum paid by the employer at termination. DIFC follows its own Employment Law No. 2 of 2019, and post-2020 benefits accrue through monthly funded DEWS contributions instead. If your work permit and employment contract are issued under DIFC, the DIFC rules apply — not MOHRE rules — regardless of your physical office location in Dubai.
What if my employer isn't paying into DEWS?▾
Request your contribution statement from the Zurich Workplace Solutions employee portal. If contributions are missing or late, you can raise this with your employer's HR team first, and escalate to the DIFC Authority if unresolved — DIFC employment disputes are handled by the DIFC Courts, not MOHRE, since MOHRE has no jurisdiction over DIFC-registered entities.

Conclusion

DIFC end-of-service benefits follow a genuinely different system from the rest of the UAE — a funded, portable DEWS account for service from 1 February 2020, plus any frozen legacy gratuity from before that date. Use the calculator above to get an instant estimate, but confirm your exact DEWS balance through the Zurich Workplace Solutions employee portal, since it also reflects investment performance that a formula-based estimate cannot capture.

Related UAE Gratuity Tools

→UAE Gratuity Calculator (Mainland)→Dubai Gratuity Calculator→UAE Gratuity Law Explained→End of Service Demand Letter Generator→Gratuity After Resignation→Employer Not Paying Gratuity — What To Do→Gratuity Calculator + Demand Letter Bundle→MOHRE Complaint Letter Generator (Mainland)

Official Sources & References

Methodology & Accuracy Note

This calculator applies the contribution rates and legacy gratuity formula set out in DIFC Employment Law No. 2 of 2019, as amended by DIFC Law No. 4 of 2020, DIFC Law No. 4 of 2021, and DIFC Law No. 1 of 2024. DEWS contribution rates (5.83% under 5 years of service, 8.33% from 5 years) and the legacy gratuity formula (21 days/year for the first 5 years, 30 days/year thereafter) are drawn directly from published DIFC and Zurich Workplace Solutions documentation. Results exclude investment performance, DEWS administration charges, voluntary contributions, and probation deferrals, and are provided for guidance only — they do not constitute legal or financial advice.

Last Updated: July 2026. Content maintained by the OfficeDraft UAE employment compliance team.