In a significant move, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has announced a mandatory health insurance scheme for private sector employees and domestic workers.
The decision will be effective from January 1, 2025.
On Monday, March 18, the UAE Cabinet approved a mandatory health insurance scheme, marking a significant step towards ensuring the health of employees across various sectors.
Under this initiative, employers are now obligated to provide health coverage to their registered workers when issuing or renewing residency permits, the Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported.
The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) will be tasked with executing crucial awareness campaigns and programmes regarding this issue.
Currently, Abu Dhabi and Dubai laws mandate employers to obtain health insurance for their employees, including coverage for employees and their families in the UAE capital.
This marks the second mandatory insurance rollout initiative for UAE employees.
In 2023, a scheme was introduced to protect workers from job loss, enrolling over 7.2 million private and federal government sector employees thus far.
