Emiratisation (the policy of increasing UAE national employment in the private sector) is now a legal obligation for many UAE companies under the Nafis programme and MOHRE regulations. Here is what private sector employers need to know.
What Is UAE Emiratisation (Nafis)?
Nafis (Arabic: “compete”) is the UAE federal programme to accelerate UAE national employment in the private sector, managed by the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources (FAHR) in coordination with MOHRE. The programme provides: salary top-ups for UAE nationals in private sector jobs (the government supplements private sector salaries to make them competitive with government sector pay), training and upskilling subsidies, and incentives for companies that exceed Emiratisation targets.
Emiratisation Quotas: Who Must Comply?
UAE companies with 50+ employees: must meet annual Emiratisation targets set by MOHRE. Target: 2% of total workforce must be UAE nationals (as of 2023), increasing by 1% each year until reaching 10% (target year: 2031). UAE companies with fewer than 50 employees: exempt from the 2%+ quota but encouraged to participate in Nafis voluntarily. DIFC and ADGM companies: separate Emiratisation targets apply under DIFC/ADGM authority rules — check with your zone authority.
Emiratisation Non-Compliance Penalties
Companies that fail to meet their Emiratisation quota face monthly penalties: AED 6,000 per unfilled Emirati position per month. Example: a company that should have 5 UAE national employees but has 0 faces AED 30,000/month in fines. The funds collected from non-compliant companies go into the Nafis fund to subsidise UAE national salaries in compliant companies.