Mohre will begin fining noncompliant businesses on July 1st and will check compliance levels going forward.
UAE's Emiratisation Compliance Deadline Approaches
From July 1 onwards, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (Mohre) will enforce strict monitoring measures to ensure companies' compliance with Emiratisation regulations. As per a recent reminder issued by authorities on Tuesday, UAE-based companies with a workforce of 50 or more employees are mandated to achieve their semi-annual emigration quota by June 30.
Penalties for non-compliance
This requirement entails an expansion of the Emirati workforce by 1 percent before the stipulated deadline, as outlined by Mohre. Beginning July 1, the ministry will conduct assessments of companies to verify their adherence to these regulations. Those found in violation of the prescribed Emiratisation targets will face penalties, with fines set at Dh48,000 for each Emirati position left unfilled during the initial half of the year. The fine, calculated at Dh8,000 per month per individual, escalates for each subsequent month that a company remains non-compliant. Additionally, the monthly penalty increases by Dh1,000 annually.
Private enterprises in the UAE are mandated to incrementally raise their Emirati workforce percentage by 2 percent annually, aiming to achieve a minimum of 10 percent by 2026. This target is bifurcated into two segments: 1 percent in the first half and another 1 percent in the latter half of the year.
A recent report from Mohre indicates that over 97,000 Emiratis are currently employed across more than 20,000 private companies in the country. Dr. Abdulrahman Al Awar, the Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation, emphasized the success of governmental Emiratisation initiatives, particularly the Nafis program, in facilitating this achievement.
Earlier this year, Mohre expanded the scope of emigration to include companies with 20 to 49 employees, in line with a decision by the UAE Cabinet. Over 12,000 such companies operating in 14 specified economic sectors are now obligated to hire at least one Emirati employee in 2024 and another in 2025.
Regular inspections are conducted to ensure compliance with Emiratization regulations. From mid-2022 to May 16 this year, more than 1,300 violations of emancipation rules were identified and addressed.
The implementation of the Nafis program, initiated by the government in September 2021, has led to a significant increase in Emirati employment within the private sector, with the number of Emirati employees growing by approximately 170 percent.
Mohre has urged companies to align with Emiratization targets and emphasized the availability of the Nafis platform, which hosts data on qualified Emirati candidates seeking employment across various domains. Companies found to be non-compliant with Emiratisation regulations face fines, downgraded ratings, and potential legal action, with corrective measures mandated by authorities.
