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What should an experience letter or salary certificate include?

Generate an experience letter or salary certificate in the format Gulf banks, embassies, landlords and new employers expect, then send it to HR to issue on company letterhead.

Document

Experience letterSalary certificate

Employee name

Nationality

Passport number (optional)

Job title

Department

Company name

Start date

End date

Still working there (currently employed)

Signatory name

Signatory title

Include the "in good standing" conduct line

This is the format to request, not the certificate itself. Send it to HR: your employer has to issue it on company letterhead, signed and stamped, for a bank, embassy or new employer to accept it.

Experience letter

[COMPANY NAME] [Company address · Telephone · Email · Trade licence / CR number]

Date: [Date of issue] Ref: [Reference No.]

To Whom It May Concern

EXPERIENCE CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that [Employee Name] was employed with [Company Name] from [Start Date] to [End Date], and held the position of [Job Title].

During this period, [Employee Name] remained an employee in good standing, and we found their work and conduct to be satisfactory. We wish them every success in the future.

This certificate is issued at the request of the employee for whatever lawful purpose it may serve, without any liability on the part of [Company Name].

For and on behalf of [Company Name]

______________________ [Signatory Name] HR Manager [Company stamp]

Next step

Changing jobs? Your CV needs the same proof: dates, title, achievements.

Build an ATS-friendly CV in the Gulf format recruiters expect: nationality, visa status and notice period in the right place.

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Experience letterReady to copy

What an experience letter and salary certificate must include

Both documents follow the same letterhead format: company name and details, date of issue, a reference number, the addressee ("To Whom It May Concern" or the bank), a title, the body, and a signature block for an authorised signatory with the company stamp. The experience letter certifies your employment dates, job title and department, with an optional line confirming good standing. The salary certificate adds your monthly basic salary, each allowance and the total, written in figures and in words, plus the purpose it is issued for.

Letterhead: Company paper showing the legal name, address, phone and trade licence or commercial registration number.
Reference number: HR's own tracking number for the letter. Banks and embassies sometimes use it to verify the letter with the company.
Basic salary: Your fixed monthly pay before allowances. Lenders often look at it separately from the total.
Allowances: Housing, transport and other fixed monthly payments on top of basic.
Good standing: A line confirming there are no disciplinary issues. Some visa and licensing applications ask for it.

Salary certificate examples

How the total and the amount in words appear on example certificates.

Country	Purpose	Basic	Allowances	Total monthly salary
UAE	Bank loan	AED 10,000	AED 5,500	AED 15,500 (fifteen thousand five hundred)
Saudi Arabia	Tenancy	SAR 9,000	SAR 3,150	SAR 12,150 (twelve thousand one hundred and fifty)
Qatar	Visa	QAR 12,000	QAR 6,500	QAR 18,500 (eighteen thousand five hundred)
Oman	To whom it may concern	OMR 800	OMR 350	OMR 1,150 (one thousand one hundred and fifty)

Monthly figures in local currency. The certificate lists each allowance on its own line.

Why HR may still change the wording

This tool gives you the format to request. The employer must issue the document on letterhead, with an authorised signature and the company stamp.
Many companies have their own template and will adapt yours. The information matters more than the exact wording.
Some banks want a salary transfer letter, not just a salary certificate. That letter commits the employer to pay your salary into the bank, and only HR can agree to it.
Figures on a salary certificate must match your payslip and, in the UAE, what is paid through the Wage Protection System. Don't round them up.

Put the same proof on your CV

The dates, job title and responsibilities on your experience letter should match your CV exactly: recruiters and background checks compare them. See how to present them:

Gulf CV format guide Resume examples by job Action verbs for achievements

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between an experience letter and a salary certificate?

An experience letter (or experience certificate) confirms that you worked for a company, your job title and your dates of employment. It is usually issued when you leave, and new employers, licensing bodies and embassies ask for it. A salary certificate confirms that you currently work there and what you are paid each month, broken down into basic salary and allowances. Banks, landlords and visa applications ask for it.

Is my employer obliged to give me an experience certificate in the UAE?

Yes. Under UAE labour law an employer must give an employee a service certificate free of charge when the contract ends. It states the start and end dates, the job title and the last wage. Use this tool to prepare the wording and send it to HR with your request.

What do banks check on a salary certificate?

Banks in the Gulf look for your full name as on your passport, job title, date of joining, the monthly salary split into basic and allowances, the total, and an authorised signature with the company stamp on letterhead. Banks often want the certificate addressed to them by name and recently dated, so ask HR for a fresh one for each application.

Should the salary certificate show basic salary separately?

Yes. Gulf pay is split into basic salary and allowances, and lenders and landlords often assess the two differently. Showing each line and the total, with the total also written out in words, is the standard format and avoids the certificate being sent back.

Does an experience letter need to be attested?

For many professional licences and some visa and residence applications, yes: an experience letter from abroad may need attestation by the relevant authorities and the embassy. Requirements vary by country and by licensing body, so check the specific authority's checklist before you start.

Can I write my own experience letter?

You can draft it, and many HR teams welcome a ready-made draft. But it only counts once your employer issues it: printed on company letterhead, signed by an authorised person and stamped. A letter you sign yourself will be rejected.

Turn this into a CV that gets interviews.

Build an ATS-friendly CV in the Gulf format recruiters expect: nationality, visa status and notice period in the right place.

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What should an experience letter or salary certificate include?

Generate an experience letter or salary certificate in the format Gulf banks, embassies, landlords and new employers expect, then send it to HR to issue on company letterhead.

Document

Experience letterSalary certificate

Employee name

Nationality

Passport number (optional)

Job title

Department

Company name

Start date

End date

Still working there (currently employed)

Signatory name

Signatory title

Include the "in good standing" conduct line

This is the format to request, not the certificate itself. Send it to HR: your employer has to issue it on company letterhead, signed and stamped, for a bank, embassy or new employer to accept it.

Experience letter

[COMPANY NAME] [Company address · Telephone · Email · Trade licence / CR number]

Date: [Date of issue] Ref: [Reference No.]

To Whom It May Concern

EXPERIENCE CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that [Employee Name] was employed with [Company Name] from [Start Date] to [End Date], and held the position of [Job Title].

During this period, [Employee Name] remained an employee in good standing, and we found their work and conduct to be satisfactory. We wish them every success in the future.

This certificate is issued at the request of the employee for whatever lawful purpose it may serve, without any liability on the part of [Company Name].

For and on behalf of [Company Name]

______________________ [Signatory Name] HR Manager [Company stamp]

Next step

Changing jobs? Your CV needs the same proof: dates, title, achievements.

Build an ATS-friendly CV in the Gulf format recruiters expect: nationality, visa status and notice period in the right place.

Build my Gulf CV

Experience letterReady to copy

What an experience letter and salary certificate must include

Letterhead: Company paper showing the legal name, address, phone and trade licence or commercial registration number.
Reference number: HR's own tracking number for the letter. Banks and embassies sometimes use it to verify the letter with the company.
Basic salary: Your fixed monthly pay before allowances. Lenders often look at it separately from the total.
Allowances: Housing, transport and other fixed monthly payments on top of basic.
Good standing: A line confirming there are no disciplinary issues. Some visa and licensing applications ask for it.

Salary certificate examples

How the total and the amount in words appear on example certificates.

Country	Purpose	Basic	Allowances	Total monthly salary
UAE	Bank loan	AED 10,000	AED 5,500	AED 15,500 (fifteen thousand five hundred)
Saudi Arabia	Tenancy	SAR 9,000	SAR 3,150	SAR 12,150 (twelve thousand one hundred and fifty)
Qatar	Visa	QAR 12,000	QAR 6,500	QAR 18,500 (eighteen thousand five hundred)
Oman	To whom it may concern	OMR 800	OMR 350	OMR 1,150 (one thousand one hundred and fifty)

Monthly figures in local currency. The certificate lists each allowance on its own line.

Why HR may still change the wording

This tool gives you the format to request. The employer must issue the document on letterhead, with an authorised signature and the company stamp.
Many companies have their own template and will adapt yours. The information matters more than the exact wording.
Some banks want a salary transfer letter, not just a salary certificate. That letter commits the employer to pay your salary into the bank, and only HR can agree to it.
Figures on a salary certificate must match your payslip and, in the UAE, what is paid through the Wage Protection System. Don't round them up.

Put the same proof on your CV

The dates, job title and responsibilities on your experience letter should match your CV exactly: recruiters and background checks compare them. See how to present them:

Gulf CV format guide Resume examples by job Action verbs for achievements