Lost your job in the Gulf? The UAE (ILOE) and Bahrain can pay expats. Saudi Arabia, Oman and Kuwait pay their own citizens only, and Qatar's Social Insurance Law covers Qataris only and has no unemployment branch. Pick your country below to see if you are covered, what you could be paid and how to claim.
Read the full rules in the unemployment insurance guide for the Gulf.
In the UAE, yes: ILOE is compulsory for most private-sector and federal workers, expats included. In Bahrain, insured expats can get compensation while they stay lawfully resident. The Saudi, Omani and Kuwaiti schemes are for nationals only, and Qatar's Social Insurance Law covers Qataris only and has no unemployment branch.
In the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Bahrain, yes: all four exclude people who leave of their own will. A disciplinary dismissal is also excluded in those four countries. For Kuwait, ask PIFSS.
UAE: 30 days from the end of the job, or from the court's ruling on your labour complaint. Saudi Arabia: register within 90 days. Bahrain: register within 30 days to be paid from day 8, with an outer limit of 3 months. Oman: 12 months. Kuwait: register within 30 days to be paid from day 8.
No. In the UAE the law says ILOE payments do not affect your other statutory entitlements, and in Bahrain you can combine end of service entitlements with the compensation. Unpaid ILOE fines can be deducted from your UAE gratuity.