UAE companies reminded of year-end Emiratisation targets

The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) is urging private sector companies to meet their Emiratisation targets for 2024 by December 31.

Firms with 50 or more employees are required to increase the Emiratisation of skilled positions by 2% by year-end.

The same deadline applies to certain smaller establishments, with 20 to 49 employees, in rapidly growing economic sectors. These companies must hire at least one UAE national and retain any Emiratis already employed before January 1, 2024.

In a statement, MoHRE expressed confidence in the private sector’s awareness and adherence to Emiratisation policies, citing that over 124,000 Emiratis are currently employed across 23,000 private companies.

It also encouraged businesses to use the Nafis programme to connect with Emiratis seeking employment across various fields.

The MoHRE highlighted the effectiveness of its monitoring system in identifying fraudulent practices like fake Emiratisation.

Companies found violating the rules face penalties, including downgrading in the Ministry’s classification system and fines of AED 96,000 for each Emirati national not hired in line with the targets.

The Ministry reminded Emirati jobseekers to verify the legitimacy of job offers to avoid involvement in fraudulent activities. It also encouraged individuals to report any violations of Emiratisation policies by contacting the MoHRE call centre or through its app and website.