Can I still claim UAE unemployment insurance if I'm not sure I was ever enrolled?

Check before you assume anything — and check fast, because the claim window is short. The unemployment insurance scheme (ILOE) is mandatory for most private-sector and federal employees, and many people subscribed through payroll arrangements or bulk channels without paying much attention, so it is entirely possible you are covered without remembering it. You can verify your subscription status on the ILOE portal or app using your Emirates ID. If you are enrolled, two conditions matter most: you generally need to have been subscribed for at least twelve consecutive months, and the compensation claim must be submitted within thirty days of becoming unemployed — which is why this should be today's task, not next month's. Redundancy is exactly the kind of involuntary job loss the scheme covers, provided the loss was not for disciplinary reasons. If it turns out you were never enrolled, there is no benefit to claim, and unpaid-subscription fines can apply, so regularise your position before your next job starts. Check your old payslips too — a recurring small deduction would tell you the answer. If your employer's payroll handling caused you to miss enrolment you believed was in place, a lawyer can advise whether you have any recourse.