;

© 2025, design with by 7awi Media Group

UAE to Enforce Emiratisation Fines from January 1, 2026

Private companies urged to meet hiring targets for Emiratis before the December 31 deadline to avoid penalties starting January 2026.

  • Publish date: Tuesday، 28 October 2025 Reading time: 1 min read
UAE to Enforce Emiratisation Fines from January 1, 2026

The UAE’s Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (Mohre) is giving private sector companies a heads-up — hit your Emiratisation goals by December 31 or expect fines once the new year begins.

Companies with 50 or more employees must ensure a 2% increase in Emirati hires for skilled roles before the year ends. Meanwhile, smaller firms with 20 to 49 workers in fast-growing sectors must hire at least one UAE citizen by January 1, 2026.

What Happens If You Don’t Comply

Those who miss the mark won’t just get a slap on the wrist. Starting January 1, 2026, financial penalties will apply, and violators risk being downgraded in the ministry’s classification system — which can seriously affect business operations.

The ministry also reminded firms that fake Emiratisation schemes won’t fly. Their monitoring system, now backed by AI tools, tracks violations and flags any attempts to cheat the system.

How to Stay on Track

To make life easier, Mohre encourages companies to use the Nafis platform, which connects employers with qualified Emirati job seekers. Firms can also report suspicious activity or fake hires through Mohre’s call centre (600590000), website, or smart app.

Rewards for Doing It Right

The government isn’t all about penalties — compliant companies get perks too. Those excelling in Emiratisation can enjoy discounts of up to 80% on Mohre service fees, plus priority access in government procurement through the Emiratisation Partners Club.

According to Mohre, the private sector’s growing participation shows “a strong sense of national responsibility” and genuine effort to empower Emiratis in the workforce.

Follow us on our Whatsapp channel for latest news
 

Related videos

Related articles