How to Apply for UAE Unemployment Insurance Scheme 2023-Detailed Guide

What is the ‘UAE Unemployment Insurance scheme’?

The UAE Unemployment Insurance scheme provides economic aid to UAE nationals and expats who are employed in both the public and private sectors if they are laid off by their employers. It is designed to ensure the unemployed can still live comfortably and the country can remain attractive to the best worldwide talent by having a strong knowledge-based economy. The UAE Unemployment Insurance schem is called the Involuntary Loss of Employment (ILOE) and you can subscribe for it online, or through a total of seven different platforms.

Who is eligible for unemployment insurance in UAE?

The UAE Unemployment Insurance schem is available to all employees in both the public and private sectors, except for people who have investments, those who independently run their own business, people employed on a short-term basis, those under the age of 18, and those who have retired and are receiving a pension from a new employer.

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Is UAE Unemployment Insurance Scheme Mandatory?

The majority of the employees in the UAE are now eligible to join the UAE Unemployment Insurance scheme, however, to be able to obtain the monetary advantages from the policy, there are 10 certain prerequisites outlined in the Article 5 of the Federal Decree-Law No. 13 of 2022 concerning unemployment insurance scheme and Article 9 of a cabinet resolution that was issued after the law was passed – Cabinet Resolution No. 97 of 2022 that must be met.
It is extremely important to ensure that you met certain conditions. The new mandatory insurance policy provides security for employees who lose their jobs due to reasons beyond their control.

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What are the conditions to claim the compensation under UAE Unemployment Insurance Scheme?

As per the Article the below conditions must fulfil to claim the compensation under UAE Unemployment Insurance Scheme:

• The period of subscription in the unemployment insurance scheme should not be less than 12 consecutive months.
• You must ensure you pay all insurance premiums according to the prescribed frequency.
• You must provide evidence of unemployment due to reasons other than resignation.
• You should not have been dismissed from the job for disciplinary reasons according to the applicable laws regulating labour relations in the private sector and human resources in the federal government.
• A claim must be submitted within 30 days following the termination of the employment relationship, or when the court rules on the labour complaint.
• You should not be the subject of an existing absconding report.
• In order to obtain compensation, the claim should not be fraudulent or deceitful. Similarly, the establishment where the employee works should not be fictitious.
• The compensation pay out shall cease if you are hired by another employer.
• Loss of employment may not be attributed to strikes or other non-peaceful protests, regardless of the extent of damage caused.
• It is necessary for the insured to have a legal residence in the country.

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How can you claim the Insurance under UAE Unemployment Insurance Scheme?

The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation has declared that the worker who is covered by insurance must submit their application for compensation within thirty days after they become jobless.

According to Article 12, if you have applied for compensation and are eligible to receive it, the insurance provider that has been approved by The Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates must make the payment within two weeks of receiving your claim.

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How can you subscribe to the UAE Unemployment Insurance Scheme?

Here are all the subscription channels you will be able to use, according to MOHRE:

1. Insurance Pool website – www.iloe.ae
2. Al Ansari Exchange
3. Kiosk machines
4. Telecommunication bill payment channels (through du and etisalat)
5. Insurance Pool smartphone application – ‘iloe’
6. Bank ATMs and smartphone applications
7. Businessmen service centers

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How is the insurance pay out calculated under UAE Unemployment Insurance Scheme?

According to MOHRE, the insurance coverage compensation is calculated on a monthly basis at the rate of 60 per cent of the basic salary and the compensation salary is given for a maximum of three months from the date of unemployment.

The insurance scheme is divided into two categories:

1. Category A
2. Category B

Category A:

• Employees who are earning a basic salary of Dh16,000 or less.
• Insurance cost: Dh5 per month (or Dh60 annually)
• Monthly compensation: 60 per cent of your basic salary, up to Dh10,000

Category B:

• Employees earning Dh16,000 and above
• Insurance cost: Dh10 (or Dh120 annually)
• Monthly compensation: 60 per cent of your basic salary, up to Dh20,000

According to the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization, those who are employed and compensated through commission can also be a part of the scheme. The cost of the insurance is either five dirhams or ten dirhams (AED 10) each month, based on the category, which can be paid either on a monthly, quarterly, bi-annual, or yearly basis.

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What are the entities that provide Insurance Policy?

There are 9 national insurance companies under the Dubai Insurance Company that provides Insurance policy. They are:

1. Dubai Insurance Company : https://www.dubins.ae/en/
2. Abu Dhabi National Insurance Company : https://adnic.ae/
3. Al Ain Ahlia Insurance Company : https://alaininsurance.com/en-us/home/
4. Emirates Insurance Company : https://www.eminsco.com/
5. National General Insurance Company : https://ngi.ae/
6. Orient Insurance : https://orientonline.ae/
7. Abu Dhabi National Takaful Company : https://takaful.ae/en/
8. Oman Insurance Company : https://www.sukoon.com/
9. Orient UNB Takaful Company : https://www.orienttakaful.com/

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What do you do if you cannot subscribe to the UAE Unemployment Insurance Scheme?

If you are unable to subscribe to the unemployment insurance scheme you can raise your issue directly with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE), as per a notification on the subscription website.

If you are subscribing to the insurance scheme through the Involuntary Loss of Employment (ILOE) website – iloe.gov.ae – applicants are now being provided the following notification:

1. Private Sector Employees: If you are employed in the private sector and have received a work authorization from the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE), but your information is not showing up when inputting your data, you should generate a technical support ticket on the MOHRE website or mobile application, or you can contact the MOHRE call center.
2. Federal Government Employees: When you enter your data, if you do not find your information, please contact the Human Resources Department in the entity where you work.
3. Free Zone Employees: If you are an employee in a free zone please note that workers in free zones are not currently covered by the unemployment insurance product (ILOE).

It is important to note that the deadline for subscription to the mandatory scheme is June 30, 2023.

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How to raise a technical support ticket with MOHRE?

You can request a support from:

1. Call Centre 600590000
2. Visit the MOHRE website mohre.gov.ae and click on the ‘Contact us’ option in the top menu. Enter your details in the form provided and click ‘submit’.
3. Email [email protected]
   

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Can employer sign you up for the mandatory UAE Unemployment Insurance Scheme?

Employers can register their workers to the scheme, but they will not pay for the subscription. The cost is borne by the employee.

As per Federal Decree-Law No. 13 of 2022 and its resolutions, it is mandatory for all employees in the UAE’s federal and private sectors to sign up for the unemployment insurance scheme before the June 30 deadline to avoid fines.

However, according to the Involuntary Loss of Employment (ILOE) scheme call centre – 600 599 555, an employer can only sign up their employees for the insurance policy if there is a mutual agreement between the parties. The cost of the insurance, however, needs to be borne by the employee, as per the law.

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How to apply for the UAE Unemployment Insurance Scheme Online?

How do the employer register their employees for the UAE Unemployment Insurance Scheme?

The website belonging to ILOE, found at iloe.ae, offers employers a distinct log in portal in order to register their workers for the insurance coverage.

• Visit the website – www.iloe.ae – and click on ‘Subscribe. You will then be redirected to the log in page, where you will see two options:
  • Individual
  • Company
• To log in, you will have to input your establishment card number and the personal number that is featured on the e-signature card given to you by the company. Generally, the Human Resources (HR) department, the administrative office, or the Public Relation Officer (PRO) have access to the establishment card and the e-signature card information.
• Once you have logged in using your establishment details, you will then be able to sign up the company’s employees for the scheme.

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How do you (an Employee) register for the UAE Unemployment Insurance Scheme?

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How does an employee know they are enrolled in the UAE Unemployment Insurance Scheme?

When the registration is finished, the worker will be required to pay a premium for their insurance depending on which category they fall under. The employee can choose to pay on a monthly, quarterly, semi-annual or yearly basis. Value-added tax (VAT) will be included in the sum of the insurance policy. Upon completing the payment, the worker will be issued with a certificate of insurance. This document serves as evidence that the employee is signed up to the scheme and also serves as a reminder to the employee that they must pay their instalments on time.

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6 things to know about the mandatory UAE Unemployment Insurance Scheme:

Subscription to the UAE’s new joblessness protection strategy is compulsory, and private sector and federal government workers have until June 30 to enroll in the Involuntary Loss of Employment (ILOE) insurance. However, it is preferable not to wait until the last minute as the time you register for the insurance will have an impact on when you will be able to get the payment in the event that you are laid off. The following are six things to keep in mind regarding ILOE.

1. To take advantage of this offer, you must be a subscriber for a period of twelve months.
2. For a duration of three months, you are eligible to receive up to 60% of your standard wage. However, there is a maximum amount that you are eligible to receive, so it is important to be mindful of this.
3. There will e no compensation for workers if: dismissed for a disciplinary reason, or resigned.
4. You will not continue to receive the payout if you find a new job within three months.
5. It is applicable only if you are staying in the UAE : “It is necessary for the insured to have a legal residence in the country.”
6. The claim has be honoured in two weeks.

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What are the fines and penalties for not subscribing UAE Unemployment Insurance Scheme or complying with the ILOE Policy?

As per the Articles 9 and 10 of the Ministerial Resolution No. 604 of 2022, regarding Unemployment Insurance Scheme,  the fines and penalties for not subscribing or complying with the ILOE policy  are of two types 

1. Failure to subscribe to the scheme: AED 400 fine will be applicable if you do not subscribe to the Unemployment Insurance Scheme after the deadline, which is June 30.
2. Failure to pay insurance instalment on time: A penalty of AED 200 will be imposed if you have subscribed to the scheme but have not paid the premiums according to the selected payment frequency (monthly, quarterly, semi-annual or annual) for a period exceeding three months from the due date.

Note:

1. According to clause 4 of Article 9 of the resolution, an employee who fails to pay their fines for three months from the due date will have the fine amount deducted from their wages through the Wage Protection System (WPS), or end-of-service gratuity.
2. As per Article 10 of the resolution, if there are fines resulting from non-subscription or non-compliance with the ILOE scheme – the employee will not be eligible for a new work permit.

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What happens to UAE Unemployment Insurance Scheme when You change or switch the job?

The ‘Cabinet Resolution No. 97 of 2022, provides details of the conditions under which the employee is protected from income interruption in the event of loss of work.

The Job change will not required the insured to cancel their current subscription and subscribe to a new insurance policy as long they adhere to the general conditions for subscription stipulated in the ministerial decision. However, for change in place of employment, the insured would be required to provide the Insurance Authority with the updated new permit card information.

You also would need to pay the difference premium amount in case if you move your Job category A to the Job category B within the scheme.

For any further details you may contact Dubai Insurance (authorised insurer to issue the ILOE policies on behalf of the ILOE Insurance Pool). You can reach out to them through email – [email protected] – or by calling 600 599 555.

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