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Deadline for companies to meet Emiratisation targets on July 7

The deadline was extended from June 30 to July 7 to give companies more time to reach their targets

by Gulf Business

July 6, 2023

Image credit: Getty Images

The deadline for meeting semi-annual Emiratisation targets for private sector companies with 50 employees or more ends on July 7.

The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) announced on June 13 that the deadline was extended from June 30 to July 7.

MoHRE said this decision was considered due to the Eid Al Adha holiday, which was celebrated from June 27-30.

Private sector companies with a workforce of 50 or more employees, should ensure prompt fulfillment of the 1% semi-annual Emiratisation targets for skilled positions to avoid fines of AED 42,000 per unemployed citizen.

Deadline: July 7, 2023.#MoHRE #UAE pic.twitter.com/EpEW5mCfdR

— وزارة الموارد البشرية والتوطين (@MOHRE_UAE) July 4, 2023

Earlier this year, the government said companies must increase their proportion of Emirati workers by one per cent every six months.

Non-compliance with Emiratisation targets to incur penalties

Non-compliant companies will face an Dhs42,000 fine for each Emirati not employed starting July 8, based on the 1 per cent semi-annual requirement.

“As the ministry is committed to achieving its objectives of creating a competitive job market for UAE nationals and developing their skills through more collaboration with the private sector, we decided allowing more time for companies to comply with the decision and avoid relevant penalties,” MoHRE said in a statement.

Last month, the MoHRE fined a private sector company Dhs100,000 for fraudulently evading Emiratisation targets.

The company in question must fulfill its actual targets by July 7, 2023. According to the Cabinet Resolution Regarding Penalties and Violations Relating to the Initiatives and Programmes of the Emirati Talent Competitiveness Council (Nafis), there will be a fine of Dhs300,000 if a company commits a violation for the second time, and Dhs500,000 for the third violation, as well as for each time after the third time.

Read: UAE’s MoHRE fines companies failing to achieve Emiratisation targets for 2022