Social Security for Employees
Social Security benefits are provided to employees in GCC countries (UAE, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi, and Qatar) by their respective governments. Each GCC country has its own policies and regulations regarding social security and employee benefits.
If your organization is based in the UAE but has employees from other GCC states, it is essential to consider the social security regulations of the employee’s respective country to accurately calculate their pension.
Configuring Social Security
When creating an employee in Zoho Payroll, assign the employee’s nationality, especially if they are from a GCC country.
Zoho Payroll will automatically list the applicable social security options for that nationality in the social security module under settings.
Here are the list of social securities we support in Zoho Payroll for the GCC member states as of now:
| Authority | Employees’ Contribution | Employer’s Contribution | Can be renewed at the start of the fiscal year? | Applicable for Citizens of |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Pension And Social Security Authority (GPSSA) | 11.00% | * 12.50% (for salaries below AED 20,000) * 15.00% (for salaries equal to or exceeding AED 20,000) | Yes | UAE |
| Abu Dhabi Pension Fund (ADPF) | * 5.00% (for employees hired before 31/10/2023) * 11.00% (for employees hired on or after 31/10/2023) | 15.00% | Yes | Abu Dhabi |
| General Organization for Social Insurance (GOSI) | * 9.00% (for employees who joined before July 3, 2024) * 9.50% (for employees who joined on/after July 3, 2024) | * 9.00% (for employees who joined before July 3, 2024) * 9.50% (for employees who joined on/after July 3, 2024) | Yes | Saudi Arabia |
| Social Insurance Organization (SIO) | 7.00% | 15.00% | Yes | Bahrain |
| Social Protection Fund (SPF) | 7.50% | 11.00% | Yes | Oman |
| Public Institution for Social Security (PIFSS) | 7.50% + 2.50% | 11.00% | Yes | Kuwait |
| General Retirement and Social Insurance Authority (GRSIA) | 7.00% | 14.00% | Yes | Qatar |
NOTE GOSI has increased the contribution rate for employees who joined on or after July 3, 2024 to 9.50%. This revised rate is effective from July 3, 2025, and will increase by 0.5% every year until it reaches 11% on July 3, 2028.
NOTE SIO employer contribution rate is 15% as of 2026, and it will increase by 1% every year until it reaches 17% in 2028.
NOTE It is crucial to configure social security accurately to ensure compliance with the regulations of the employee’s specific GCC country.
Zoho Payroll will automatically take these configurations into consideration when calculating the employee’s salary, ensuring accuracy and compliance with relevant regulations.
You can click any of the social security mentioned below to learn how to configure them for your organisation in Zoho Payroll.