Your final settlement is the last payment your employer makes when your contract ends. It is often the largest single payment of your time in the Gulf, and it is easy to miss an item when you are also packing, cancelling a visa or booking a flight. Use this checklist in the weeks before your last day.
1. Confirm how your contract is ending
Write down whether you resigned, were terminated, or your fixed-term contract ended. In Saudi Arabia and Kuwait this decides how much gratuity you receive; in the other four countries it usually does not. See our guide on resigning vs being terminated.
In Saudi Arabia, the resignation process changed in 2025: under Article 79-bis a resignation is deemed accepted after 30 days, the employer may defer it by up to 60 days, and you can withdraw it within 7 days.
2. Serve the right notice
| Country | Statutory notice |
|---|---|
| UAE | At least 30 days, at most 90 days (Art. 43) |
| Saudi Arabia | Monthly-paid, open-ended contract: employer 60 days, employee 30 days (Art. 75) |
| Qatar | 1 month up to 2 years’ service, 2 months after (Art. 49) |
| Kuwait | At least 3 months for monthly-paid, open-ended contracts (Art. 44) |
| Oman | 30 days monthly-paid, 15 days others (Art. 38) |
| Bahrain | 30 days, either party (Art. 99) |
Your contract can require more. Not serving notice can make you liable for compensation; in Saudi Arabia, Article 76 says so directly.
3. Calculate your end-of-service gratuity
Check the wage your country uses (basic or full; see basic vs total salary), your exact start date and your last working day. Days of unpaid absence may not count as service.
Two special cases:
- UAE: if your employer is enrolled in the voluntary savings scheme (Cabinet Resolution 96 of 2023), your benefit for enrolled service comes from that fund instead of the gratuity.
- Bahrain: for non-Bahraini workers, service from 1 March 2024 is paid by the Social Insurance Organization (SIO); you claim that part from the SIO. The employer still pays directly for service up to 29 February 2024.
4. Count your unused annual leave
Earned but untaken annual leave is paid when the contract ends. Check your balance on your last payslip or HR system and agree it in writing. In the UAE, unused leave at the end of service is paid on basic wage. Our leave calculators estimate the payout:
5. Check your last salary and any overtime
Your final settlement should include salary up to your last working day, plus any unpaid overtime and allowances owed. If you worked overtime in your final months, check the rate with our overtime calculators.
6. Review deductions
Employers may deduct sums you genuinely owe, such as an outstanding loan or advance. Ask for each deduction to be listed with the reason. A deduction you do not recognise is a reason to ask questions before you sign anything.
7. Know when payment is due
The research we rely on gives clear deadlines for two countries:
| Country | Deadline |
|---|---|
| UAE | Within 14 days of the contract ending (Art. 53) |
| Saudi Arabia | Within 1 week; within 2 weeks if you resigned (Art. 88) |
The other countries also set payment rules (Qatar Art. 67, Oman Art. 91), but we have not summarised their exact timing here. Ask your employer for the payment date in writing.
8. Collect your documents
Before your last day, ask for:
- a written settlement statement showing every item and how it was calculated
- your experience or service certificate
- your final payslip
- proof of visa or work-permit cancellation, if you are leaving the country
- copies of your contract and any amendments
Keep your passport. Employers are not allowed to hold your personal documents.
9. Do not sign a full and final release too quickly
Many employers ask you to sign a statement that you have received all your dues. Read the settlement first and compare it with your own calculation. If there is a gap, raise it in writing before you sign.
10. Where to complain if you are not paid
If you cannot resolve a dispute with your employer, contact the labour authority in your country:
| Country | Authority |
|---|---|
| UAE | Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) |
| Saudi Arabia | Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (HRSD) |
| Qatar | Ministry of Labour |
| Kuwait | Public Authority for Manpower (PAM) |
| Oman | Ministry of Labour |
| Bahrain | Ministry of Labour / Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) |
Keep copies of everything: your contract, payslips, emails about your resignation or termination, and the settlement statement.
Quick checklist
- Exit type confirmed in writing
- Notice served
- Gratuity calculated on the right wage
- Unused leave balance agreed
- Last salary, overtime and allowances included
- Deductions explained
- Payment date confirmed
- Documents collected
- Settlement checked before signing
Our calculators give estimates based on the statutory minimums, not legal advice. Your contract may give you more; confirm your final figures with your employer or labour ministry.