GCC Job Loss and Unemployment Benefits Compared

Choose the country and your nationality, then enter your wage and why you left work to see what each scheme in that country pays you.

Prepared and reviewed by the Mustahaqati team · Last updated: 2026-11-03

What would you get if you lost your job?

GCC unemployment schemes in one table

Scheme	Covers	Monthly contribution	Benefit	Duration
UAE: unemployment insurance (ILOE)	Nationals and expats in the private sector and federal government	AED 5 (basic up to 16,000) or 10	60% of the average basic salary of the last 6 months, capped at 10,000 or 20,000	3 months per claim
UAE: Nafis job loss support	Emiratis aged 18 to 60	None	AED 7,000, plus 4,500 for a non-working spouse and 2,400, 2,400 and 1,600 for children	6 consecutive months, 12 in total
Saudi Arabia: SANED	Saudis in the private sector	0.75% employee and 0.75% employer	60% of the 24-month average (capped at 9,000), then 50% (capped at 7,500)	Up to 12 months
Saudi Arabia: Hafiz	Saudi job seekers aged 20 to 40	None	SAR 2,000, then 1,500, 1,000 and 750, minus own income	15 months
Oman: job security allowance	Omanis	0.5% employee and 0.5% employer	60%, then 50%, then 40% of the two-year average, minimum 115	One year
Bahrain: unemployment insurance	Bahrainis and expats with lawful residence	1% employee, 1% employer (paid by the Labour Fund) and 1% government	60% of the 12-month average between BHD 200 and 1,000, or a 200/150 allowance for first-time Bahraini job seekers	9 months

What they share: nothing for resignation or disciplinary dismissal, and most schemes require prior contributions (12 consecutive months in the UAE and Bahrain, 12 months within 36 for SANED) and registering as a job seeker within a deadline. Payment stops when you find work or refuse a suitable offer.

Expats are covered by only two schemes: the UAE's unemployment insurance, which is mandatory with fines for non-subscription, and Bahrain's. Emiratis may receive both UAE unemployment insurance and Nafis support; sources do not settle whether one is deducted from the other.

We have not added Qatar and Kuwait yet because we have not verified their unemployment schemes; Kuwaitis in the private sector receive national labour support while in work. For what your employer owes you at the end of service, see the GCC end-of-service comparison.

Frequently asked questions

Which GCC country pays the highest unemployment benefit?

On a wage of 12,000 in each local currency: Saudi SANED pays about SAR 75,600 over 12 months, while UAE unemployment insurance pays AED 21,600 over three months, with Nafis adding AED 7,000 a month for Emiratis. Raw figures are misleading because currencies, caps and durations differ, so compare the replacement rate and the duration.

Do GCC unemployment schemes pay if you resign?

No, in all four schemes: UAE unemployment insurance, Saudi SANED, Oman's job security allowance and Bahrain's compensation are for people who lost their job for reasons beyond their control, and exclude resignation and disciplinary dismissal.

Are expats covered by unemployment benefits in the GCC?

In the UAE, yes, through the mandatory unemployment insurance scheme, and in Bahrain, yes, while the residence is lawful. SANED and Hafiz in Saudi Arabia, Oman's job security allowance and Nafis in the UAE are for nationals only.

How much is deducted from salary for unemployment insurance?

UAE: AED 5 a month for basic salaries up to 16,000 and AED 10 above. Saudi Arabia: 0.75% from the employee and 0.75% from the employer. Oman: 0.5% from each side. Bahrain: 1% from the employee, 1% from the employer (paid by the Labour Fund for the private sector) and 1% from the government.

Sources

Figures and formulas on this page were last reviewed on 2026-11-03.