Authorities discovered 405 cases of "fake Emiratisation" by private sector companies looking to bypass the rules in the UAE employment initiative.
The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation said the breaches involved companies using “fake Emiratisation” to get around the rules.
“Our monitoring system detected 405 cases of fake Emiratisation in private sector establishments during the first half of this year, and legal action has been taken against the violators,” the ministry said on X.
“We reaffirm our firm commitment to enforcing Emiratisation policies and urge Emirati citizens and community members to report any suspected cases of fake Emiratisation and not to be misled by non-compliant companies.”
Paying the penalty
Companies found in breach of the UAE's Emiratisation rules face fines ranging from Dh20,000 to Dh100,000 ($5,455 to $27,229) for each case. There is also the risk of being referred to prosecutors depending on the severity of the offence, the ministry said.
Companies in breach must also make financial contributions towards Emiratisation targets and will be classified in the lowest ranking on the ministry's system.
Emiratis found to be in breach will have their Emirati Talent Competitiveness Council programme (Nafis) benefits ended and any previous benefits will be recovered, the ministry said.
Growing in numbers
The UAE has embarked on a major push to encourage more domestic talent to join the private sector in recent years.
Last month, The National reported that the number of Emiratis working in the private sector had passed 152,000, up from 100,000 in May last year, with UAE citizens employed across 29,000 companies in the country.
The Nafis programme, introduced in September 2021, aims to ensure 10 per cent of all private sector jobs are held by Emiratis by the end of 2026.
As part of the nationwide scheme, companies must increase their Emirati workforce by 1 per cent every six months. Employers with at least 50 staff were required to meet a 4 per cent target by the end of 2023.
As a result, the Emirati employment rate is expected to reach to 8 per cent by the end of the year and 10 per cent in 2026.
Earlier this year, private sector companies were urged to develop long-term strategies to attract and retain top domestic talent and guard against seeking to merely “fulfil a quota” to hit strict Emiratisation targets.
