The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) revealed that 1,818 private establishments have been violating Emiratisation policies since the second half of 2022.
A total of 2,784 UAE nationals were found to have been illegally employed from the middle of 2022 to September 2024 in an attempt to falsify the Emiratisation target, according to MoHRE.
Fines ranging from AED 20,000 to AED 50,000 have been imposed on each company caught breaching the policy.
Cases have also been referred to the Public Prosecution depending on their severity and private firms have been classified in the lowest level within the Ministry’s system.
MoHRE also demanded that the companies pay the required financial contributions and achieve their actual Emiratisation targets.
In 2022, the UAE government introduced the Emiratisation policy, mandating private firms with 50 or more employees to increase the hiring of skilled Emiratis by 2 percent annually, with the goal of reaching a 10 percent increase by 2026. Companies that excel in training and employing UAE citizens will be rewarded with incentives to further encourage their participation in the initiative.
Meanwhile, more than 22,000 firms have complied with the employment of Emiratis.
