Employment rules · 4 min read · Updated October 2026
Emiratisation in 2026: the targets, the deadlines and what counts
What Emiratisation asks of a UAE company in 2026: who is covered, the two deadlines, when an Emirati national counts towards the target, and what a shortfall costs.
What does Emiratisation require of a UAE company in 2026?
A company with 50 or more employees must raise the Emirati share of its skilled jobs by 2% a year, to reach 10% by the end of 2026. A company with 20 to 49 employees in one of 14 named sectors must employ at least two Emirati nationals. An Emirati national counts only when paid at least AED 6,000 a month through WPS and registered for a pension. Each place left unfilled in 2026 costs AED 10,000 a month.
Check first whether the targets cover your company
Two sizes of company are covered, each with a target of its own.
| 50 or more employees | 20 to 49 employees | |
|---|---|---|
| The target | A share of your skilled jobs | A number of Emirati nationals |
| Who | Private companies of that size | Private companies of that size, in 14 named sectors |
| Due by the end of 2026 | 10% of your skilled jobs | Two Emirati nationals, required since the end of 2025 |
The 14 sectors are information and communications, finance and insurance, real estate, professional and technical services, administrative services, education, healthcare, arts and entertainment, mining, manufacturing, construction, wholesale and retail, transport and storage, and hospitality.
Neither target applies to a company with fewer than 20 employees.
Meet the 2026 target half by half
Companies with 50 or more employees add 2% a year to the Emirati share of their skilled jobs. Half of it is due by the end of June, and the rest by the end of the year.
| Deadline | What is due |
|---|---|
| 30 June 2026 | 1% more of your skilled jobs held by Emirati nationals |
| 31 December 2026 | Another 1%, bringing the share to 10% |
2026 is the last year of targets published so far. No target beyond it had been published by October 2026.
Make sure each Emirati counts
An Emirati national counts towards your target only when four things are true. They hold a valid work permit. They are paid through WPS. They are registered with GPSSA, or with the Abu Dhabi Pension Fund if they work in Abu Dhabi. Their contract meets the labour law.
Since 1 January 2026, an Emirati national must also be paid at least AED 6,000 a month. From 1 July 2026, an Emirati national paid less no longer counts.
Three of the four conditions are payroll facts. A missed pension registration or a salary under the floor takes someone out of your count, without anyone deciding it should.
Know what a shortfall costs before it falls due
Each Emirati place left unfilled in 2026 costs AED 10,000 a month, AED 120,000 for the year.
The first half's shortfall is collected from 1 July 2026. The second half's is collected at the start of the next year.
A contribution left unpaid stops your new work permits from the day after it falls due. After two months, it stops them for the owner's other companies too.
When an Emirati national leaves, you have two months to restore the share. No contribution is due for the gap if you do.
Keep two Emirati nationals if you have 20 to 49 employees
In the 14 sectors, one Emirati was required by the end of 2024, and a second by the end of 2025.
Each must stay employed. An Emirati national who leaves is replaced within two months, or the contribution is due. No further requirement for 2026 had been published by October 2026.
Avoid the fines for fake Emiratisation
Registering an Emirati national who does not really work for you is fined for each case. Cutting staff or reclassifying jobs to get round a target is fined too.
| First time | Second time | From the third | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fictitious Emiratisation, each case | AED 20,000 | AED 50,000 | AED 100,000 |
| Cutting or reclassifying jobs to evade a target | AED 100,000 | AED 300,000 | AED 500,000 |
The Emirati nationals involved come out of your count. The contributions for those years then fall due.
Beat the target and pay lower fees
A company at three times its target, with at least 30 more Emirati nationals, can join the Emiratisation Partners Club. So can a company that trains and hires 500 Emirati nationals a year through Nafis.
Members are placed in the ministry's first category. They get up to 80% off its service fees.
Use Nafis support, and report what it needs
Nafis, the Emirati Talent Competitiveness Council, supports Emirati nationals in private-sector jobs. Salary support is among its programmes.
You report any change to a contract that affects an employee's Nafis support. You may not lower an Emirati national's salary because they receive it.
Common questions.
Does the target count all my employees, or only skilled ones?
What happens if an Emirati national resigns?
Do the targets continue after 2026?
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