The General Pension and Social Security Authority (GPSSA) has emphasized the importance of continuous and uninterrupted employment for Emiratis to ensure a smooth retirement and access to full pension entitlements.
As part of its April 2025 awareness campaign, the GPSSA clarified that the minimum requirement to receive a retirement pension is 15 years of service and reaching the age of 60. However, voluntary resignation comes with stricter criteria—under Federal Law No. 7 of 1999, employees must have completed 20 years of service and be at least 50 years old. Under Federal Law No. 57 of 2023, the threshold increases to 30 years of service and age 55.
To maintain pension eligibility, insured Emiratis are advised to merge previous and future employment periods, either through legal provisions or via the "Shourak" programme—available to those who joined the workforce from July 1, 2023. Failure to do so may reset their pension contributions, requiring them to start accumulating service years from scratch.
The pension amount is calculated based on service duration. Under Law No. 7 of 1999, 70% of the pension salary is granted after 20 years, increasing by 2% annually up to a maximum of 100% after 35 years. Under Law No. 57 of 2023, the pension is calculated at 2.67% per year up to 30 years, and 4% per year beyond that, with retirees receiving triple pension salaries for every year worked beyond 35 years.
GPSSA urges all insured Emiratis to stay informed, plan ahead, and ensure proper documentation to safeguard their retirement future.
News Source: Emirates News Agency
