Gulf Salary Not Paid: Your Step-by-Step Escalation Guide

Wage non-payment is the most common labour complaint lodged by Indian workers in the Gulf. The MEA Madad portal logged 47,200 wage-related complaints from Indian workers across GCC countries in 2024 - approximately 29% of all worker grievances submitted that year (MEA Annual Report 2024-25). Most of those workers did not know the correct escalation sequence, and many waited months before taking action that could have been taken in the first week.

The Difference Between a Delay and a Violation

A salary delay of 2 - 3 weeks is common across the Gulf and is not always indicative of employer bad faith. Payroll processing, banking delays, and end-of-month cycles account for many short-term gaps. The threshold that triggers formal enforcement rights differs by country:

• UAE: Salary delayed beyond 10 days from the due date triggers a WPS flag. Delayed beyond 30 days triggers MOHRE enforcement action.
• Saudi Arabia: Under Article 90 of the Saudi Labour Law, salary must be paid within 7 days of the due date. Beyond this, the worker has legal grounds for a formal complaint.
• Qatar: ADLSA requires payment within 7 days of the contract-specified date. Delays beyond 14 days trigger Wage Protection System alerts.
• Kuwait: Kuwait's Labour Law (Law No. 6 of 2010, as amended) requires payment on the contract date. Delays beyond 15 days entitle the worker to file a complaint with the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour.
• Oman: Oman's Labour Law (Royal Decree No. 35 of 2003, as amended) requires salary payment by the last working day of each month. Delays beyond 7 days from the due date trigger complaint rights.
• Bahrain: Bahrain's Labour Law (Law No. 36 of 2012) requires payment on the contract date. Delays beyond 15 days can be escalated to LMRA.

Step 1: Document Everything Before You Call Anyone

Before contacting any authority, compile the following:

• Your signed employment contract - both the version signed in India and the in-country version if they differ
• Pay slips or bank deposit records for every month payment was not received
• Any written communication from your employer or manager about the delay (WhatsApp screenshots, SMS, or email)
• Your iqama or residence permit number, and your employer's commercial registration number
• Your work permit details and the name of the sub-contractor or agency if you were placed through one

Without this documentation, no ministry or embassy can open a file. The record you build in the first 48 hours after a missed payment determines how strong your case is.

Step 2: File With the Host Country Labour Ministry

The labour ministry of the country where you are working has direct enforcement power over your employer. This is where the case must start. Indian embassies and the MEA Madad portal are important supporting steps - but neither has jurisdiction to compel a Kuwaiti or Saudi employer to pay.

Filing is free for workers in all six GCC countries. UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar have fully online complaint portals. Kuwait, Oman, and Bahrain require a combination of online registration and in-person follow-up.

Expected resolution timelines after a complaint is filed: UAE (MOHRE) typically resolves within 2 - 4 weeks. Saudi Arabia (HRSD) has a 21-day mediation window before escalation to the Labour Court. Qatar (ADLSA) targets a 3-week resolution under post-2022 labour reforms.

Step 3: File on MEA Madad in Parallel

MEA Madad Portal is the Government of India's tracking system for Indian worker grievances abroad. File here on the same day you file with the host country ministry - not after. The two processes run in parallel, not in sequence.

Filing on Madad creates an official Government of India record of your complaint, triggers follow-up from the Indian mission in your country of residence, and provides documented evidence if you later apply to the Indian Community Welfare Fund for legal or repatriation support. Case status is trackable online.

Step 4: Contact the Indian Embassy Labour Welfare Section

Every Indian mission across the six GCC countries has a dedicated Labour Welfare section. Contact this section - not the general consular desk - if your labour ministry complaint has not produced a resolution within 30 days, or if your employer is threatening you, withholding your passport, or preventing movement.

Indian missions cannot enforce payment directly. That jurisdiction belongs to the host country labour authority. But they can: apply diplomatic pressure through official channels, arrange emergency repatriation if you are stranded without support, connect you with legal aid via the Indian Community Welfare Fund, and formally record your case in MEA systems for escalation.

Specific Labour Welfare contact details for each GCC mission are available on the MEA Madad Portal.

Step 5: Know the No-Departure Rule

If your complaint has reached a formal labour court filing - in any GCC country - do not voluntarily leave the country before the case closes. Departure typically ends the case and permanently waives your wage claim.

Two additional rules that apply at this stage:

• Do not sign a "full and final settlement" document in exchange for a partial payment without legal advice. This waives all further salary claims regardless of the outstanding amount.
• If your employer offers an informal cash settlement, get it confirmed and recorded in writing at the labour ministry before signing anything.

The Indian Community Welfare Fund can cover legal costs for workers in genuine hardship cases. Request access through the Indian embassy Labour Welfare section.

The escalation sequence takes time. Starting it on the first day of a missed payment gives you the maximum window for recovery. Waiting three months, then acting, does not change the law - but it reduces the practical leverage you have.

Knowing the escalation route costs nothing. Not knowing it can cost you everything you are owed.

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