How to prepare a WPS SIF file in the UAE: step by step
Most UAE private-sector companies pay salaries through the Wages Protection System (WPS). The bank asks for a salary information file, called a SIF. This guide explains what is in it and how to prepare it without errors.
What WPS and the SIF file are
WPS is the electronic salary system run with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE). Instead of paying cash or by cheque, the employer pays salaries through a bank, exchange house or other approved institution, and the payment is recorded against each employee's labour card. The SIF (salary information file) is the file you send to that institution to make the payments.
What goes into the file
A SIF is a plain text file in a fixed layout. It normally has one header line for the company and one line for each employee paid.
| Line | What it holds |
|---|---|
| Header | Your establishment ID (MOHRE employer ID), your bank's routing code, the file date and time, the salary month, the number of employees and the total amount, and the currency (AED). |
| Employee line | The employee's labour card number, the routing code of their bank, their IBAN, the pay period start and end dates, the number of days paid, fixed salary, variable pay, and days of unpaid leave in the period. |
Step by step
- Collect the employee details once. For each person you need the 14-digit labour card number, the bank's routing code and the IBAN. Check them against the labour contract and the bank record.
- Finish the month's salary calculation. Include overtime, deductions, advance recoveries and unpaid leave before you create the file, so the file matches the payslips.
- Split fixed and variable pay. The file reports fixed salary and variable pay separately. Overtime and bonuses are usually variable.
- Leave out staff paid in cash. Only employees paid through the bank belong in the file.
- Create the file and read it before sending. Check the employee count and the total against your payroll register.
- Upload or hand it to your bank. Each bank has its own channel and sometimes small formatting rules. Ask your bank for a test or sample before your first live month.
- Keep the records. Keep the file, the payslips and the register together for each month.
Common mistakes
- Wrong or expired labour card numbers.
- An IBAN with a missing character, or a bank routing code from the wrong branch.
- A total in the header that does not match the sum of the employee lines.
- Including someone who has left, or leaving out someone who joined mid-month.
- Sending the file before the month's overtime and deductions are final.
Let software build the file
UAE Payroll & WPS creates the SIF file when you approve a payroll run, from the same figures that appear on the payslips, and leaves out cash-paid staff. Test the first file with your bank before you rely on it.
Frequently asked questions
Do all UAE companies have to use WPS?
WPS applies to establishments registered with MOHRE. Your bank or your MOHRE service centre can confirm whether it applies to your company and any exceptions.
Is the SIF format the same for every bank?
The layout is standard, but banks can have their own upload channel and small rules. Ask your bank for its current requirements and test with a sample file first.
What happens if one employee's details are wrong?
Banks usually reject the line or the whole file. Correct the detail and send the file again, so check labour card numbers and IBANs before the first run.
Do I need a separate file for each month?
Yes. Each salary month has its own file, created after that month's payroll is final.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Rules and bank requirements change; confirm with MOHRE, your bank or a qualified adviser.