Why amend mechanisms for achieving Emiratisation targets?

Author : Farida Abdulla Al Ali Assistant Undersecretary of National Human Resources Employment

A blog by Her Excellency Farida Al Ali, Assistant Undersecretary for National Human Resources Employment The UAE Cabinet’s decision to amend the mechanism for achieving Emiratisation targets reiterates the annual increase of 2% for skilled jobs in private sector companies that employ 50 people or more that was implemented in 2022, with the aim of achieving a 10% increase in Emiratisation by the end of 2026. The new decision now requires a semi-annual increase of 1% to reach the 2% annual target before the end of the year. The key question here is why was this decision made, and what does it aim to achieve? And, does mutually benefit employers and job seekers alike? This decision reflects the unprecedented results of Emiratisation in the private sector during 2022, which compared to 2021, registered a 70% increase of Emirati employees in the private sector and a 96% increase of companies employing Emiratis. These achievements confirm the private sector’s ability to regularly create job opportunities, especially skilled jobs, in line with the positive shift in Emiratis’ perception of working across economic sectors in the UAE and their growing registration on Nafis. Therefore, the new mechanism strikes a balance between the registration rate of job seekers, and the rate of job creation being offered on Nafis’ platform year-round. It also pushes companies to employ continuously to achieve their mid-year targets, instead of waiting until the end of the year, as well as distributes the job opportunities throughout the whole year. The UAE Cabinet’s decision helps companies plan resourcing without risking non-compliance with Emiratisation targets. Notably, the amendment does not include any additional financial penalties on non-compliant companies. At the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, we are confident in the private sector’s role as a strategic partner in Emiratisation, which is a national priority, and its ability to fulfil the Emiratisation increase targets.