The UAE Nafis programme (also called the Emiratisation Programme) requires UAE private sector employers to meet specific UAE national hiring quotas. Here is a complete compliance guide for 2025.
What Is Nafis?
Nafis (the Emirati Talent Competitiveness Programme) was launched by the UAE government to increase UAE nationals (Emiratis) employed in the private sector. The programme provides: cash incentives for Emiratis who join the private sector, employer subsidies for hiring UAE nationals, and mandatory Emiratisation targets for private sector companies.
Emiratisation Targets 2025
2024–2026 targets for private sector companies with 50+ employees: 2% Emiratisation rate in 2024, increasing by 1% per year. Companies with 1–49 employees: a minimum of 1 Emirati employee per company (new rule effective January 2024 for qualifying companies). Penalty for non-compliance: AED 96,000 per Emirati employee short of the target (paid quarterly as contributions to NAFIS fund). Companies with zero employees are exempt. Financial institutions, aviation, energy, and healthcare have sector-specific higher targets.
Nafis Employer Benefits
Employers who hire UAE nationals through Nafis receive: government salary top-up (Nafis pays the Emirati employee AED 5,000–7,000/month as a supplement to the employer’s salary payment), reduced pension contribution burden (GPSSA contributions are subsidised for Nafis-enrolled employees), and access to the Nafis talent pool for recruitment. Employer registration: via nafis.ae portal using UAE Pass. All private sector employers with 50+ employees must register and submit quarterly Emiratisation reports.