General Pension and Social Security Authority implements GCC unified system for insurance protection

General Pension and Social Security Authority implements GCC unified system for insurance protection

ABU DHABI, 11th December, 2021 – The General Pension and Social Security Authority (GPSSA) has been entrusted to implement the system of extending insurance protection for Emirati’s working in the GCC region as well as for GCC citizens working in the UAE.

Explaining the exact process, Hanan Al Sahlawi, Executive Director of the Pensions Sector in GPSSA, said: “A Gulf citizen who works in any of the GCC countries has the right to enjoy social insurance protection, as if he/she is working in their own home country.

The Arab Gulf states are known for their strong historical ties and cultural homogeneity that unifies their people.

Leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council have strengthened those ties through the establishment of economic, political and social entities.

”

The decision to provide the social insurance protection system to GCC citizens working in other countries was issued by Supreme Council of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in December 2004 during the 25th session, held in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

The UAE began implementing the system of extending social insurance protection on 1 January 2007 under law No.

18, which was issued by the UAE Council of Ministers on 22 July 2007.

“Under the unified system for extending protection, GCC citizens working in any of the GCC countries, provided that the provisions of the Pensions and Social Security Law in their country applies to them.

This includes employers across public and private sectors and their insured.

As a result, insured will receive end of service benefits in accordance with the retirement law in his/her own country,” stressed Al Sahlawi, adding that the provisions of the civil retirement law also include workers in free zones as well as in the hotel and tourism sector.

She affirmed the social insurance protection law is mandatory and failure to adhere by it by not registering employers will bear additional fines that should be settled in addition to paying the sue contributions.