Emiratisation is the UAE government's workforce nationalisation programme, requiring private sector companies of a certain size to hire and retain a minimum number or percentage of UAE national employees. The rules are set by MOHRE and managed through the Nafis platform.
Companies with 50 or more employees must increase their Emirati employment in skilled positions by 2 percentage points every year. Companies with 20 to 49 employees are also covered, but only if they operate in one of the sectors targeted under Ministerial Resolution No. 455 of 2023, such as construction, real estate, retail, healthcare, education, or hospitality.
Companies that miss their target pay an ongoing monthly financial contribution for every unfilled Emirati position, widely reported at around AED 9,000 per month in 2026, alongside classification downgrades and licence renewal friction for unresolved amounts.
The full guide covers company size thresholds, the annual increase requirement, what counts as a skilled position, the Nafis registration process, the financial contribution rules, and free zone treatment.
Read the complete guide: https://yalahdubai.com/uae-private-sector-emiratisation-rules-2026/
Top comments (0)