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In 2026, running a business in Dubai — particularly as a regional hub for global and multinational organisations — has become increasingly complex. Rapid changes in labour laws, heightened data security requirements, increased regulatory scrutiny, and the pressure to...

Pre-payment validation in advanced GCC wage protection systems, particularly Bahrain's Enhanced WPS (mandatory from February 2026), refers to automated checks that occur before salary files are approved for payment.​ How it works for HR teams HR submits a structured...

Across the GCC, 2026 is shaping up to be a turning point for HR and payroll systems. Enforcement around Wage Protection Systems (WPS) is becoming stricter, scrutiny on End-of-Service Benefits (EOSB) calculations is increasing, and many organisations are now operating...

HR leaders across the MENA region face a perfect storm of payroll and compliance pressures in 2026, with digital wage protection systems, nationalisation quotas, and automated enforcement turning isolated oversights into enterprise-wide risks. Waiting for labour...

GCC Wage Protection Systems (WPS) represent a pioneering regional framework that has matured across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) over the past 15 years, transforming wage payments from a private employer-employee matter into a government-monitored,...

Emerging enforcement trends across the GCC in 2026 signal a shift from reactive compliance to proactive, technology-driven oversight of payroll and labour practices, with authorities raising the stakes on wage delays, employee/contractor misclassification,...

Payroll in the UAE is being reshaped in 2026 by a smarter Wage Protection System, new Emirati minimum‑wage rules, evolving end‑of‑service (EOS) funding models, and the practical impact of corporate tax on how people‑costs are recorded and defended. For HR leaders in...

Payroll outsourcing in the Middle East has shifted from a back-office efficiency play to a core compliance and risk‑mitigation strategy for HR leaders, especially in the GCC. Today, companies use specialist providers not only to run payslips, but to stay ahead of WPS,...

Bahrain’s payroll compliance in 2026 centres on the mandatory rollout of the Enhanced Wage Protection System (WPS) through LMRA digital processes, updated Bahrainisation quotas, and stricter enforcement of timely salary transfers. These changes create a fully...

Saudi Arabia’s payroll landscape in 2026 is defined by mandatory digital processing through Mudad, tighter GOSI enforcement, more granular Saudization (Nitaqat) rules, and increasingly frequent salary‑transfer monitoring under the Wage Protection Program (WPP)....

Qatar’s 2026 payroll landscape hinges on strict WPS enforcement, tighter application of overtime and leave rules, and closer alignment between expat contracts and what is actually paid and worked. These sit within a broader labour‑reform agenda focused on minimum...

Oman’s 2026 payroll compliance for companies centres on the standardised Unified Labour Contract for expatriates, mandatory PASIs (Public Authority for Social Insurance) registration and reporting, and stricter rules around contract renewals and salary transfers under...