More than 600 Lebanese employees currently work with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), holding a wide range of civilian jobs from administrative support and logistics to translation, maintenance, and other roles supporting the international mission.

Divided into categories based on rank and years of service, their monthly salaries range from $2,500 to over $5,000. They also receive benefits including health insurance, transportation allowances, and retirement contributions, making UNIFIL employment a highly attractive option for many Lebanese. In the midst of Lebanon’s economic collapse, currency devaluation, and soaring unemployment, these salaries have become a vital lifeline for families, supporting both the local economy and community solidarity.

But that support may soon shrink as informed sources told Nidaa al-Watan that contract renewals for UNIFIL’s civilian staff will be limited to six months, with the possibility of one additional six-month extension. The mission is also preparing to scale back its size, with troop levels expected to fall by up to 30% in the coming months, alongside a parallel reduction in civilian staff.

Last week, UNIFIL leadership offered Lebanese employees over 60 years old a compensation package, in addition to legal benefits guaranteed under its labor rules, in exchange for voluntarily ending their service. According to the sources, around 100 staff members accepted the offer, reflecting both a desire to retire and a chance to benefit from financial compensation amid mounting uncertainty over the mission’s future mandate.

The sources explained that compensation and entitlements vary across three categories of staff:

• Employees aged 60 and above receive full end-of-service compensation, their accumulated dues from a “salary fund” — financed by monthly paycheck deductions and income tax contributions paid to the Lebanese state — and a pension based on their rank and years of service. For instance, an employee earning around $3,000 a month could receive a retirement pension of about $1,700, along with lifetime health coverage at hospitals contracted with UNIFIL.

• Employees over 55 with more than 15 years of service fall under the “early retirement” system, entitling them to half the pension value of those in the first category, plus their dues from the salary fund. They also receive a pension, though at a reduced rate because they have not reached the full retirement age.

• Employees under 55 with less than 15 years of service are the most disadvantaged, as they receive only their salary fund contributions without pension or medical benefits.