Abu Dhabi Retirement Fund begins implementing the “optional subscription” for mothers and postgraduate students

The Abu Dhabi Retirement Fund announced the start of implementing the “optional subscription” system, which allows citizens the possibility of voluntary registration in the retirement system, and targets women who have children and wish to devote themselves to caring for them, and postgraduate students inside and outside the country. The system enables citizens to count this period within their years of retirement service, ensuring the continuation of their retirement path without interruption, and allowing them to benefit from the insurance benefits stipulated under the retirement system in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.
The activation of this new system comes under Law No. (18) of 2023, coinciding with the “Year of the Family,” and as an affirmation of the Fund’s keenness to support the directives of the Abu Dhabi government in establishing family stability, enhancing the role of women, and enabling citizens to continue their educational journey and achieve their academic ambitions, which contributes to strengthening the role of the family as a basic pillar in society.
Khalaf Al Hammadi, Director General of the Abu Dhabi Retirement Fund, said: “The retirement system in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi is based on a vision that puts people at the heart of its priorities, through developing an advanced legislative framework that keeps pace with the transformations that citizens may go through throughout their educational, professional and family careers. The Fund continues to work to establish a sustainable retirement system that maintains the continuity of insurance protection and safeguards the rights and retirement gains of citizens, in a way that enhances their stability and keeps pace with their future aspirations, in accordance with best international practices.”
He added: “The introduction of the optional subscription system comes in response to realistic needs that some citizens go through during their life, such as devoting themselves to completing higher studies or caring for children, as it allows them to continue building their retirement rights during these periods without interruption, thus enhancing the sustainability of their insurance path and giving them greater flexibility in planning for their professional and family futures.”
The Fund explained that the voluntary subscription system includes two main categories. The first is women who have children and wish to stop working to devote themselves to caring for them, provided that there is a previous subscription to the Fund. The second is the category of postgraduate students inside or outside the country (master’s, doctorate, professional fellowship), whether they have previously subscribed to the fund or are registering for the first time, in accordance with the controls set by the law.
The Fund indicated that participation in the system requires the applicant to meet a number of general conditions, including that he be a citizen of the United Arab Emirates and not be registered as an insured with any employer subject to the Abu Dhabi Retirement System when submitting the application.
He stated that the value of the optional monthly contributions paid by the subscriber is determined according to the applicant’s condition. If he has a previous subscription to the fund, the optional monthly contributions are calculated on the basis of the last salary subject to deduction before the end of service. As for new subscribers, they can choose the salary bracket from 10 different income brackets starting from 12,750 dirhams and reaching a maximum of 100 thousand dirhams, with the possibility of annual adjustment according to the approved controls and conditions.
The Fund noted that the insured has the right to terminate the subscription at any time according to his desire, provided that the subscription ends obligatorily in the event of joining an employer operating under the umbrella of the Fund, the end of the study period, or the failure to pay contributions for a period of six consecutive months.
The Fund explained that if the subscription period expires and the citizen wishes to submit a new application, he can do so if he meets all the conditions when submitting the application, with the actual subscription period calculated according to the subscription period already paid. The Fund pointed out that the participant in the “optional subscription” system is treated in accordance with the Law on the Treatment of Workers in the Private Sector, and enjoys all the benefits and insurance rights that the Fund provides to them.
The Fund stated that those wishing to register can submit the application through its digital services on the “Tamm” platform with ease, calling on citizens to follow the Fund’s official accounts on social media platforms, where all detailed information about the system, its purpose, the benefits it provides, and how to benefit from it is available.