GCC countries strengthen wage protection systems, new ILO report finds

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries have made major advances in ensuring private sector workers receive full and timely wage payments, according to a new report released by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the Executive Bureau of the Council of Ministers of Labour and Social Affairs in GCC States (EB-GCC).

The report, Wage Protection Systems in the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries: A Regional Analysis, is the first to assess the region’s electronic wage protection systems (WPS), which were introduced to enhance transparency and oversight of wage payments in line with ILO labour standards.

Over the past 15 years, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE have developed national WPS platforms that enable governments to monitor salary transfers electronically.

These systems, designed in accordance with the ILO’s Protection of Wages Convention (No. 95) and Recommendation (No. 85), are described in the report as “a pioneering regional innovation” that has increased accountability and reduced wage delays.

The report, launched at the ILO headquarters in Geneva, brings together insights from GCC government focal points and the results of a joint ILO–GCC Executive Bureau workshop. It identifies best practices and challenges while proposing measures to expand coverage and strengthen compliance.

ILO Director-General Gilbert F. Houngbo commended the collaboration, describing it as “a powerful testament to what we can achieve together.” He said the report “provides a valuable reference point for other countries seeking to enhance transparency and fairness in wage payment.”

Mohammed Al-Obaidli, Director-General of the GCC Executive Bureau, praised the long-standing partnership with the ILO and highlighted the GCC’s leadership in wage transparency. “The GCC’s journey in implementing the Wage Protection System serves as a valuable model for nations seeking to boost transparency and ensure fairness in wage payments globally,” he said.

Developed under the ILO’s FAIRWAY Programme, funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, the report marks a milestone in regional cooperation on labour governance. The ILO and GCC Executive Bureau will next convene a follow-up workshop with member states to build on the findings and enhance wage protection across the region.