Government service
Emiratisation: UAE quotas for hiring Emiratis in private companies
UAE quotas for hiring Emiratis in private companies
What is Emiratisation?
Who uses it
Private companies registered with MoHRE (50+ employees, and 20-49 employees in 14 sectors), Emirati job seekers, and expat professionals who want to understand hiring priorities.
What you can do with Emiratisation
- Companies with 50+ employees must raise Emiratis in skilled jobs by 1% every 6 months (2% a year), aiming for a 10% increase by the end of 2026.
- In 2026, the first-half target (1%) was due by 30 June and the full 2% by year end. Companies that miss targets pay AED 10,000 a month (AED 120,000 a year) for each Emirati not hired.
- Companies with 20-49 employees in 14 sectors, such as IT, finance, real estate, construction, retail, education, health and hospitality, had to hire one Emirati in 2024 and another in 2025, with contributions of AED 96,000 and AED 108,000 for missing them.
- Emiratis hired must be paid through the Wage Protection System, registered in the pension system, and paid at least AED 6,000 a month from 1 January 2026.
- Fake Emiratisation is punished: Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2024 sets fines of AED 100,000 to AED 1,000,000 for fictitious hiring, and companies can be downgraded in MoHRE's classification.
- Compliant companies can join the Emiratisation Partners Club, with up to 80% off MoHRE service fees and priority in government procurement.
Step by step
Know whether your employer is covered
Quotas apply to private companies with 50 or more employees, and to companies with 20-49 employees in 14 listed sectors. Companies with 19 or fewer employees are not covered.
Emiratis: register on Nafis
Emirati job seekers should create a profile on Nafis, the platform MoHRE urges companies to use when recruiting UAE nationals.
Expats: target the right roles
Quotas apply to skilled jobs, so expect strong Emirati preference in some roles at larger firms. The labour law's protections still apply to you in full.
Report fake Emiratisation
Report suspected fake hiring or attempts to get around the targets through the MoHRE call centre on 600590000, the MoHRE app or the MoHRE website.
Sources:u.aegulfnews.comkhaleejtimes.comgulfnews.comdubaieye1038.comknowledge.dlapiper.comgulfnews.com
Frequently asked questions
What is the Emiratisation target for 2026?
Companies with 50 or more employees must raise the share of Emiratis in skilled jobs by 2% in 2026: 1% by 30 June and another 1% by 31 December. This completes the plan of 2% a year that aims for a 10% increase by the end of 2026.
What is the Emiratisation fine per employee?
For 2026 targets, companies pay a financial contribution of AED 10,000 a month, or AED 120,000 a year, for each Emirati they should have hired. The amount started at AED 6,000 a month in 2023 and rose by AED 1,000 each year.
Does Emiratisation apply to small companies?
Companies with 20-49 employees in 14 sectors must hire Emiratis: one by the end of 2024 and another by the end of 2025. Companies with 19 or fewer employees are not covered.
Will Emiratisation affect my job as an expat?
Quotas push companies to hire more Emiratis in skilled roles, so competition can be tougher in some fields. The rules do not reduce your legal rights, and dismissing you still has to follow the labour law's notice and gratuity rules.
Last reviewed: 17 Oct 2026. General information based on the official sources cited - not legal advice. Check with the relevant authority before acting.
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