How to Submit a WPS SIF File in the UAE 🇦🇪 : Step-by-Step MOHRE Compliance Guide for Employers

The Wage Protection System (WPS) is the UAE's mandatory electronic salary transfer mechanism, administered by MOHRE. Every mainland private sector employer must process salaries through WPS by submitting a Salary Information File (SIF) to an approved WPS agent each month. The SIF transmits payment data to MOHRE for real-time monitoring.

Who Must Comply

WPS is mandatory for all mainland private sector employers regardless of company size. Free zone employers are subject to their own free zone authority's salary protection requirements — verify with the specific authority.

Step 1: Register with a WPS Agent

Open a corporate account with a MOHRE-approved WPS agent (most UAE commercial banks and licensed exchange houses).

Requirements

Trade licence copy
Company establishment card
Authorised signatory's Emirates ID and passport copy
Company bank account details

Once registered, the agent provides a WPS employer code and access to their WPS submission portal.

Step 2: Prepare the SIF

The SIF is a structured text file in MOHRE's prescribed format. Each employee record must include:

Field	Description
Employee ID	Emirates ID (15-digit) or passport number
Routing code	Agent bank's routing code
Agent bank account	Employee's account number
Salary amount	Net salary in AED (or agreed currency)
Salary frequency	M for monthly
Payment date	Date salary is to be credited

SIF preparation options

Via WPS agent portal: Most UAE banks provide an online WPS portal where employers enter employee payment details directly. The portal generates and submits the SIF automatically.

Via payroll software: Payroll software with UAE WPS integration generates the SIF from the payroll run for direct submission or export.

Manual preparation: Use the MOHRE-prescribed Excel or CSV template. The file must be formatted exactly to specification — incorrect formatting causes rejection.

Step 3: Submit the SIF to Your WPS Agent

Log in to your WPS agent's portal.
Upload the SIF or enter payment data via direct entry mode.
The agent validates the file. Common errors: invalid Emirates ID formats, missing routing codes, zero salary amounts.
Correct errors and resubmit.
Once validated, the agent processes salary payments and transmits SIF data to MOHRE.
Retain the payment confirmation and WPS transaction reference.

Step 4: Verify MOHRE Compliance Status

After submission, verify compliance status on the MOHRE employer portal (mohre.gov.ae):

Log in using the establishment number.
Navigate to "WPS Compliance Status."
Confirm the current month shows as compliant.

Allow 24 to 48 hours for MOHRE to update after the agent's transmission.

WPS Deadline

Salary must be processed through WPS within 10 calendar days of the salary due date in the employment contract. If the contract states the 1st of the month, WPS must complete by the 11th. MOHRE monitors compliance from the contractual salary date, not from month-end.

MOHRE Penalty Escalation

Days after salary due date	MOHRE action
More than 10 days	Warning issued
More than 16 days	Work permit ban
More than 1 month (10%+ of workforce)	Referral to Ministry of Justice; fines up to AED 50,000 per employee; possible licence suspension

Common Mistakes

1. Using the wrong salary due date as the WPS deadline. The 10-day window runs from the contractual salary date. Employers who treat month-end as the baseline miss the actual deadline for employees with earlier contractual dates.

2. Not updating the SIF when employees change banks. SIF records with old account numbers either fail or credit the wrong account.

3. Submitting a SIF that excludes employees on probation. WPS applies from the first salary payment regardless of probation status.

4. Not verifying MOHRE compliance status after submission. A successful submission to the agent does not guarantee immediate MOHRE compliance status update. Always verify 24 to 48 hours after submission.

5. Paying a different amount than what is in the SIF. MOHRE compares the SIF amount against the actual transfer. Discrepancies generate compliance flags.

How Cadana Supports UAE Payroll Compliance

Generating MOHRE-compliant SIF files, managing the WPS submission cycle through approved agents, tracking per-employee salary amounts against contractual dates, and monitoring MOHRE compliance status — Cadana's global payroll tax engine handles the full WPS compliance workflow at the API layer.

Book a demo at cadanapay.com/book-demo to see how it works in practice.

Sources and References

Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation — WPS employer guide and SIF specifications
MOHRE — Approved WPS agents list
Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 — UAE Labour Law (WPS and wage payment obligations)
Cabinet Resolution No. 46 of 2013 — WPS regulatory framework

Process current as of April 2026. Verify the current SIF specification and WPS agent list via the MOHRE portal before implementation.