Emiratisation: MoHRE reminds private firms to comply with June 30 deadline

The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) has called upon private sector enterprises with 50 or more employees to meet their semi-annual Emiratisation quotas for 2024, emphasising a 1 per cent increase in the number of Emiratis engaged in skilled roles within these entities, as per the relevant Cabinet Resolution.

The ministry has set June 30 as the deadline for attaining set targets for the H1 2024, warning of rigorous monitoring of compliance beginning July 1.

Commending firms that have already achieved mandated targets, MoHRE underscored the necessity for enrolling UAE nationals in authorised pension funds and the wage protection system (WPS), while urging sustained progress until June 30.

Additionally, the ministry has encouraged entities falling short of the target to leverage the Nafis platform, which houses data on qualified Emirati nationals seeking roles across diverse fields and possessing requisite competencies.

Our partners, private sector companies with 50 employees or more,

The deadline for achieving semi-annual Emiratisation targets – 1% growth in skilled jobs – is 30 June.

We recognise the efforts of companies that have met targets, and we urge them to register Emiratis in one of… pic.twitter.com/oxLVOECpBF

— وزارة الموارد البشرية والتوطين (@MOHRE_UAE) May 21, 2024

Emiratisation is a ‘top priority’ for the government

In a statement released on Tuesday, May 21, MoHRE asserted, “We urge companies to adhere to Emiratisation targets, a top priority for the UAE government, pivotal in realising economic growth objectives and national aspirations, emphasising empowerment of domestic human capital.”

MoHRE’s digital and field supervision system identified 1,379 companies attempting to circumvent Emiratisation goals, unlawfully employing 2,170 UAE citizens from mid-2022 to May 16 this year.

These violators faced fines, rating downgrades, and referral of files to the Public Prosecution. Financial penalties were imposed retroactively, with corrective actions mandated.

Emphasising the importance of reporting violations, MoHRE urged contacting its call centre or via its smart application, stressing that Emiratisation targets enhance citizen participation in the job market and contribute to economic development, constituting a crucial national objective.

Taking positive steps

“We renew our confidence in companies’ ability to fulfill commitments amidst the country’s rapidly growing economy across all sectors,” MoHRE concluded. “UAE nationals’ participation in private-sector roles adds significant value and fosters growth within employing entities.”

MoHRE recently reported a 170 per cent increase in Emiratisation in the UAE private sector since September 2021 following the launch of Nafis programme.

Dr Abdulrahman Al Awar, Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation, said recently during a visit to the AW Rostamani Group office, “More than 97,000 UAE citizens are now employed in over 20,000 private sector companies, underline the effectiveness of the government’s Emiratisation decisions, policies, and initiatives, most notably the Nafis programme.”