The number of Emiratis working in the private sector reached 113,000 by the end of July, it was announced on Wednesday.
Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, was briefed on the achievement during a meeting with members of the Emirati Talent Competitiveness Council at Qasr Al Watan in Abu Dhabi.
The council, also known as Nafis, was established in September 2021 to drive the nation's Emiratisation strategy, which aims to ensure 10 per cent of skilled private sector jobs are filled by citizens by the end of 2026.
About 81,000 Emiratis have joined private companies since Nafis was launched. Sheikh Mansour serves as chairman of the federal body.
The latest Emirati employment figures represent a rise of about 13,000 since May 26, when it was announced that the milestone 100,000 mark had been passed.
Sheikh Mansour praised the role of the council in providing opportunities for Emiratis in the private sector, the growth of which is key to the UAE economy.
Encouraging local talent
Companies must increase their Emirati workforce by 1 per cent every six months under the nationwide Emiratisation scheme.
Employers in the UAE with at least 50 members of staff were required to meet a 4 per cent target by the end of 2023.
The Emirati employment rate will increase to 6 per cent by the end of 2024, 8 per cent in 2025 and 10 per cent in 2026.
Last year, the government directed that businesses employing between 20 and 49 people must have at least one Emirati staff member by the end of 2024, and two by the end of 2025, in a further expansion of the Emiratisation campaign.
Emiratis on Emiratisation – in pictures
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Abdulla Galadari, an Emirati lawyer and senior partner at Galadari Advocates & Legal Consultants in Dubai. Ruel Pableo for The National -
Abir Araki, Emiratisation and nationalisation manager at Cigna Insurance Middle East in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National -
UAE National Career Fair, World Trade Centre, Downtown, Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Young men at the Dubai Islamic Bank stand during the National Career Exhibition in Sharjah. Satish Kumar / The National -
Emiratis at the Armed Services stand at a job fair at Adnec. Silvia Razgova / The National -
Emirati job seekers and students at the RAK Career Fair in Ras Al Khaimah. Satish Kumar / The National -
Young Emiratis at a jobs fair in Fujairah trying to get a foot on the career ladder. Satish Kumar / The National
In March, the UAE approved a Dh6.4 billion budget to boost Emiratisation in the private sector.
In July, President Sheikh Mohamed welcomed the winners of an award recognising outstanding Emiratis in that sector.
Sheikh Mohamed received the 10 winners of the Nafis Awards in the individuals' category for 2023-2024 at Qasr Al Bahr, state news agency Wam reported.
During the reception, he emphasised the UAE leadership's commitment to encouraging national talents to continue excelling in the private sector.
Sheikh Mohamed also highlighted the importance of private institutions in promoting Emirati participation and fostering a culture of excellence and competition in the labour market.
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How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
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Six industrial scale vats of 500litres each are used to cook the kanji or broth
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Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo
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From Europe to the Middle East, economic success brings wealth - and lifestyle diseases
A rise in obesity figures and the need for more public spending is a familiar trend in the developing world as western lifestyles are adopted.
One in five deaths around the world is now caused by bad diet, with obesity the fastest growing global risk. A high body mass index is also the top cause of metabolic diseases relating to death and disability in Kuwait, Qatar and Oman – and second on the list in Bahrain.
In Britain, heart disease, lung cancer and Alzheimer’s remain among the leading causes of death, and people there are spending more time suffering from health problems.
The UK is expected to spend $421.4 billion on healthcare by 2040, up from $239.3 billion in 2014.
And development assistance for health is talking about the financial aid given to governments to support social, environmental development of developing countries.
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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
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Moral education needed in a 'rapidly changing world'
Moral education lessons for young people is needed in a rapidly changing world, the head of the programme said.
Alanood Al Kaabi, head of programmes at the Education Affairs Office of the Crown Price Court - Abu Dhabi, said: "The Crown Price Court is fully behind this initiative and have already seen the curriculum succeed in empowering young people and providing them with the necessary tools to succeed in building the future of the nation at all levels.
"Moral education touches on every aspect and subject that children engage in.
"It is not just limited to science or maths but it is involved in all subjects and it is helping children to adapt to integral moral practises.
"The moral education programme has been designed to develop children holistically in a world being rapidly transformed by technology and globalisation."
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