Abu Dhabi: The General Pension and Social Security Authority (GPSSA) has launched a unified campaign in collaboration with pension and social security authorities across the GCC region.
According to Dr. Maysa Rashed Ghadeer, Government Communications Director at the GPSSA, the major aim of this campaign is to guarantee that citizens receive adequate insurance protection, regardless of their work location within the GCC.
The extension protection system allows GCC nationals employed in UAE-based entities to be registered with the GPSSA as well as receive end-of-service and retirement pensions according to the pension laws of their respective home countries.
Furthermore, the insurance system covers the beneficiaries and dependents of the insured or pensioner during their lifetime.
GCC nationals working in the UAE-based government and private sectors, including those in free zones, as well as the hotel and tourism sectors, are required to register under this system.
To qualify for registration, individuals must have GCC nationality and work for an employer subject to the provisions of the civil retirement law. Failure to meet these criteria will result in the suspension of an insured individual’s participation in the system.
The registration process involves coordination between the pension authority in the GCC individual’s workplace country and the pension authority in their home country. Monthly contributions will be collected following the insurance protection system established in their respective countries.
Employers are responsible for paying the contributions on behalf of their GCC employees, deducting a prescribed percentage from the insured’s salary, and ensuring that the amount is transferred monthly to the designated pension system bank account in the employee’s home country.
In addition, the protection extension system permits individuals covered by its provisions to merge employment years prior to the system’s application date with their current employer. Furthermore, they are allowed to join previous service periods in their home countries, following the terms of joining service periods in the relevant pension authority.
Both the employer and the insured individuals are mandated to register. Failure to register and contribute on behalf of an insured may result in insurance evasion, which is punishable by law. In such cases, the entity will be held fully responsible for paying additional amounts and fines due to non-compliance, and they will not be exempt from retroactive registration.