Three pivotal steps are necessary during an insured Emiratis start and end of employment service, namely: registering with the General Pension and Social Security Authority (GPSSA) once employed, ensuring monthly contributions are paid on time, i.e. from the first month of employment, and following up on a retirement pension, end-of-service gratuity or compensation amount due to be disbursed. 

If an insured Emirati is not registered with the GPSSA, he/she will not be entitled to receive insurance benefits. While it is an entities responsibility to ensure Emiratis are registered with the GPSSA, this does not exempt the employee from double checking with the entity that the registration and contribution process have been successfully complete within 30-days from the joining date; if this has not been done, the individual is required to be proactive and inform the GPSSA immediately in order to preserve his/her rights.

As part of GPSSA's registration and contribution criteria's, the insured must be an Emirati national (applicable to anyone who obtains the UAE nationality at any time), between the age of 18 to 60, with a medically fit health certificate submitted upon employment. This applies to all Emiratis working in the federal, government or private sectors in the UAE, with exception to employees working in the government and private sectors in Abu Dhabi, and those working in the government sector in Sharjah.

Once registered, the insured must be familiar with the exact contribution percentage and amount due from both the entity and him/herself, in order to ensure there is no delay in the transaction. This safeguards the insured's rights in receiving insurance entitlements by the GPSSA, since it is the GPSSA and not the employer who are authorized to disburse insurance entitlements (pension, end-of-service gratuity or additional compensation) at the end of their employment. Entities are only responsible in registering their employees and ensuring due contributions are deducted from their salaries on time each month. 

Emiratis working in the private sector who wish to benefit from the NAFIS program must ensure they too register and contribute on monthly basis with the GPSSA. It is worth noting that the GPSSA shares an electronic link with NAFIS which shows the extent by which employers are abiding by registration and monthly contribution requirements for their employees.

General Pension & Social Security Authority