The United Arab Emirates' General Pension and Social Security Authority concluded its awareness campaign with an update on the Gulf Cooperation Council Insurance Protection Extension System, reporting 19,808 registered employees across GCC countries. Of these, 8,572 are registered in the UAE, accounting for about 43% of the total. The system extends pension and social insurance protection to GCC nationals working in another member country. Employers must pay their required contribution share, while employees bear their statutory share and any applicable contribution differences. Benefits are governed by the employee’s home-country rules and include retirement pensions, immediate pensions for qualifying disability, payments to eligible heirs or beneficiaries after death, and an end-of-service gratuity where pension eligibility conditions are not met. Employees may also merge previous service periods to increase qualifying contribution years and potential pension benefits, while rights earned before the system’s implementation remain unaffected.
2026-09-18General Pension and Social Security Authority
United Arab Emirates' General Pension and Social Security Authority reports 19,808 registrations under GCC insurance protection system
The United Arab Emirates' General Pension and Social Security Authority reported 19,808 employees registered under the GCC Insurance Protection Extension System, including 8,572 in the UAE. The system provides cross-border pension and social insurance coverage under employees’ home-country rules, with employer contributions, pension or gratuity benefits, and the option to merge previous service periods.