Abu Dhabi: The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) has revealed that 916 companies have been fined for violating Emiratisation rules since they came into force in mid-2022.
These private sector companies hired a total of 1,411 Emiratis.
This came as the MoHRE have reminded private sector companies with 50 employees or more to meet their Emiratisation targets for 2023.
Private sector establishments are mandated to record a 2 percent growth in having Emiratis in skilled jobs before the end of December.
The ministry has issued a warning to companies to avoid evading Emiratisation targets or engaging in false Emiratisation. The ministry also warned companies that fail to comply with Emiratisation will be liable to pay fines starting in January 2024.
What is Emiratisation?
Emiratisation is an initiative launched by the UAE government to increase the employment of UAE nationals in the private sector (free zone companies are exempt).
Employers at eligible companies must meet a 4 percent target by the end of this year, increasing to 6 percent by 2024, 8 percent the following year, and 10 percent by 2026.
More than 18,000 private enterprises now employ Emiratis, with the total number of citizens working in the private sector exceeding 88,000.
