UAE companies have until July 7 to meet Emiratisation deadlines, or they will face fines of AED42,000 ($11,400) for each Emirati not employed.
An Emiratisation push in the UAE means firms with more than 50 employees have targets over the number of citizens they must hire.
By the end of 2022 UAE firms were instructed to make sure a minimum of two per cent of employees were UAE nationals.
UAE Emiratisation targets
This figure must increase by a further two per cent every year until reaching 10 per cent in 2026.
The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) had previously announced that private sector companies must achieve one per cent Emiratisation targets every six months and the yearly two per cent target increase target before the end of each year.
For the first half year target a deadline extension was announced. In a statement on social media companies were told they have until July 7 (Friday) to meet the targets.
The MOHRE said: “We urge private sector companies with 50 employees or more to achieve the semi-annual Emiratisation targets for skilled positions, which require a 1% Emiratisation growth by July 7, 2023, to avoid a AED42,000 fine for each Emirati not employed.”
For every Emirati not hired by targeted private sector companies, a penalty of AED42,000 will be applied, at a rate of AED7,000 per month for 2023, in line with a Cabinet Decision.
The fines will increase by AED1,000 yearly until 2026.
Last month, the Emirati Talent Competitiveness Council announced new enhancements to the Nafis platform, enabling companies to post professional opportunities and reach qualified Emirati talent more easily.
The new platform provides users with a more user-friendly look and feel as well as an improved user experience.
Job seekers are now able to add more details to their educational qualifications, skills and professional experience, enabling them to find more suitable jobs based on their profiles.
Job seekers will also be able to gain a quick insight into their entitlements including the benefits they are eligible for as well as job applications and their status.
On the other hand, the partners section of Nafis’ dashboard now provides an overview of their relevant entitlements including benefits and posted professional opportunities, allowing an easier access to suitable Emirati candidates for their job vacancies.
Partners will also have more flexibility to contact candidates and the option to conduct the entire recruitment process through the platform, from candidate selection to the agreement on the final offer while documenting every step of the process.
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