The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) has confirmed 30 June as the final deadline for private sector companies with 50 or more employees to meet their Emiratisation obligations for the first half of 2026.
Under the current framework, targeted companies are required to achieve a 2 per cent annual increase in the number of UAE nationals employed in skilled roles, split into two equal increments across the year. The first-half quota of 1 per cebt must be met by the end of this month.
From July 1, the ministry will begin imposing financial contributions on non-compliant companies: AED 10,000 per month, or AED 120,000 annually, for each position that should have been filled by an Emirati citizen but wasn’t.
Companies that meet or exceed their targets stand to benefit from membership in the Emiratisation Partners Club, which comes with discounts of up to 80 per cent on MoHRE service fees and priority access to government procurement.
The ministry directed companies to use the Nafis platform, which holds a pool of job-seeking UAE nationals across a range of specialisations, to help them identify and hire qualified candidates.
MoHRE also issued a warning against “Fake Emiratisation” schemes, describing attempts to manipulate the targets as serious labour market violations. The ministry said its digital and field inspection systems are capable of detecting such practices, and that violations will be handled in accordance with applicable legislation.
Members of the public can report suspected violations through the ministry’s call centre at 600590000, its website, or its mobile application.
