Small companies to remain exempt from Emiratisation targets, says official

Policy also includes companies in free zones, but more are voluntarily hiring UAE citizens

Emiratis submit job applications during the National Career Exhibition in Sharjah. Satish Kumar / The National

The UAE has no plans to make smaller companies hit Emiratisation targets, a top official has said.

As tens of thousands of Emiratis have been successfully placed in new private-sector jobs, Abdulrahman Al Awar, Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation, said the policy will not change to include companies with fewer than 50 skilled employees.

“We will not change the government’s policy about Emiratisation in the private sector. There is no need for additional interventions,” Mr Al Awar said earlier this week.

Speaking at the ministry's offices in Dubai last week, he said the policy was successful in 2022 and believes it will have more success in the coming years.

“There will be no surprises [in Emiratisation policy] that will cause confusion in the job market,” he told The National.

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Typical salaries in the UAE - at a glance

TEACHER/LECTURER: The average salary in UAE is Dh9,000 with lows of Dh4,000 and highs of Dh21,000. Headteachers earn an average of Dh46,000 with highs of Dh75,000. University staff are typically well paid, with assistant professors and full lecturers earning between Dh20,000 and Dh40,000. AFP

FLIGHT CREW: Salaries for cabin crew and aircraft technicians range from Dh6,000 to Dh23,000. Pilots can usually secure between Dh20,000 to Dh60,000, depending on experience. EPA

FOOD AND DRINK: The average salary for a bartender, waiter or supervisor is Dh4,000 to Dh5,000, rising to Dh7,500 to Dh8,500 for managers. Chefs and head chefs can expect to take home between Dh6,000 to Dh38,000. Hotels often provide staff accommodation. Hollie Adams / Getty Images

ACCOUNTING AND AUDITING: A flooded market with basic accountants often earning Dh5,000 to Dh10,000. Senior auditors can earn Dh30,000 or more. Accountants who move into finance and management can expect significantly higher salaries. Getty Images

CONSTRUCTION: Engineering jobs have been hit hard by a downturn in the sector, but it remains a skilled and respected profession. Junior salaries for site inspectors and engineers begin at a few thousand dirhams, rising to Dh45,000 or more for construction managers. Gulf Talent says salaries in Saudi are higher than the UAE in some roles. Sammy Dallal / The National

NURSES: The true heroes of the pandemic, these professionals worked around the clock to treat patients and save lives. Salaries range between Dh4,000 to Dh14,500 and can be higher for senior nurses in higher-end private hospitals. AFP

HEALTH AND SAFETY: Health and safety has become a key priority. Junior roles in this sector can take home, on average, about Dh5,500 a month. That rises to Dh22,500 for managerial positions. Victor Besa / The National

HOSPITAL ADMINISTRATOR: Non-medical staff are currently in demand as the role of managing patients, their documents, payment and test results is increasingly crucial. Salaries vary but can be in the same region as nurses. Reem Mohammed / The National

CYBERSECURITY: The threat posed by cybercrime has never been more real, with the sale of financial assets, documents and medical records a lucrative business. Systems analysts and software engineers can earn Dh25,000 or more, rising significantly for those with high-end cybersecurity experience. Unsplash

HR, MARKETING AND FINANCE: Senior roles in these managerial classes vary significantly, but are generally well paid and often come with performance-related bonuses. Gulf Talent lists HR manager and HR business partner salaries at up to Dh42,500. An HR director of a major firm can earn twice that. Getty Images

SALES AND MERCHANDISING: As the economy slowly picks up, the retail sector will be looking to fill key roles again soon. Gulf Talent lists sales staff salaries from Dh1,500 to Dh3,500. A sales merchandiser can take home twice that each month. Paulo Vecina / The National

HOTELS: A duty manager at a hotel can earn anywhere from Dh6,000 to Dh26,000 per month. Front of house staff, including concierge, can take take home between Dh1,500 to Dh9,000. Staff accommodation is typically provided. Sarah Dea / The National

LEGAL: Lawyers and legal advisors can earn between Dh7,500 to Dh37,500. That rises to more than Dh53,000 for legal counsel positions, though the average sits at about Dh20,500. Jeff Topping / The National

OFFICE ADMINISTRATION: Jobseekers for secretarial and receptionist roles can expect salaries ranging from Dh2,500 to Dh8,000. Personal assistants and office managers fare better, from Dh4,500 up to Dh22,500 for higher-end firms. Getty Images

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As many as 1,600 Emiratis work for free zone companies, while officials expect more will secure private sector jobs and benefit from the support of the Nafis policy — which means “compete” or “to be competitive” in Arabic.

“There is a high demand for Emiratis in free zone companies. They started to participate in Nafis programme and we have about 1,600 Emiratis working in private companies at free zones,” said Ghannam Al Mazrouei, secretary general of the Emirati Talent Competitiveness Council."

He urged companies in free zones to use the Nafis programme to attract Emiratis to work in their companies despite being exempt from the Emiratisation policy.

Mr Al Mazrouei said the Nafis programme can reduce the financial burden on companies even for those not required to participate.

“Companies in free zone can benefit from Nafis packages," he said. "We have 32,556 Emiratis who benefitted from Nafis financial support in the private sector until last December. Nafis programme can reduce the financial burden on companies.”

Mr Al Mazrouei said a budget of Dh1.25 billion per year is provided to train, develop and recruit Emiratis in the private sector.

“We held 1,500 workshops and many virtual meetings with companies in the private sector to support the Emiratisation policy,” he said.

As of last week, there were 50,000 Emiratis working in the private sector nationwide, up from about 22,000 a year ago.

Firm deadlines

Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed and Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed chair the National Competitiveness Council. New figures show 50,000 Emiratis now work in the UAE's private sector - a rise of more than 28,000 in one year. Photo: UAE Government Media Office

As of January 2023, companies in the UAE must ensure that 2 per cent of their workforce is Emirati. This will rise by 1 per cent every six months until it is 10 per cent. Freezone companies are exempt. Christopher Pike / Bloomberg

Semi-government owned companies such as Strata, which makes aircraft parts, are major employers of Emiratis. The government wants more privately-owned companies to hire Emiratis. Photo: Mubadala

Dr Abdulrahman Al Awar, Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation, said a greater mix of Emiratis and foreign talent will make the country more competitive. Victor Besa / The National

Young Emiratis are being urged to look to the private sector for opportunities and away from traditional jobs in government. Satish Kumar / The National

The federal government on Wednesday imposed Dh400 million ($108m) in fines on companies that had failed to ensure that 2 per cent of their workforce was Emirati by January 1.

There were 13,000 companies that met the criteria, employing more than 50 employees. Businesses based in free zones do not need to comply.

Of the eligible companies, about 9,000 met the deadline while around 3,000 companies missed it. A further 1,000 partially achieved the target, labour officials said.

By January 1, 2024, these 13,000 employers must ensure that Emiratis comprise 4 per cent of their workforce — rising to 10 per cent by the end of 2026.

Under the programme, Emiratis are also entitled to salary top-ups.

An Emirati in a private company could receive up to Dh7,000 a month if they have a bachelor’s degree, Dh6,000 if they have a diploma and Dh5,000 if they completed high school or less.