31 December 2026 is the last milestone of the Emiratisation plan launched in 2022. Private companies with 50 or more employees must end the year with UAE nationals in 10% of their skilled roles, or pay the corresponding fine. With around nine weeks to go, this is the moment to review where each company stands. The obligation also applies to subsidiaries of Spanish and other foreign groups registered with MoHRE, which often manage their UAE headcount from headquarters.
What Emiratisation requires in 2026
- Companies with 50 or more employees. They must raise the share of Emiratis in skilled roles by 2 percentage points a year, in two steps: 1% by 30 June and another 1% by 31 December. This half-year step completes the final 10% target set for 2026.
- Companies with 20 to 49 employees. Those operating in one of the 14 sectors designated by MoHRE (including information and communications, finance, real estate, construction, manufacturing, trade, hospitality and logistics) had to employ two Emiratis by the end of 2025. In 2026 the obligation is to keep them: if one leaves, they must be replaced within two months.
- AED 6,000 minimum salary. Since 1 January 2026, the minimum salary for Emiratis in the private sector is AED 6,000 a month. The deadline to adjust existing contracts was 30 June. Since 1 July, an Emirati employee paid less does not count towards the target, and the company may have new work permits suspended.
The cost of falling short
For companies with 50 or more employees, MoHRE charges a contribution of AED 10,000 a month in 2026 for each unfilled Emirati position, which amounts to AED 120,000 a year per position. A company with 50 skilled roles needs five Emiratis; if it has three, the two missing positions cost AED 240,000 a year. Based on previous years, second-half non-compliance is expected to be charged from January 2027.
MoHRE also monitors so-called “fake Emiratisation”, meaning hiring without real work or salaries that are not paid. It treats it as a serious violation and penalises it separately.
Before year end
The first step is to calculate the real position using the data held by MoHRE. An Emirati employee only counts if they:
- hold a work permit and contract registered with the ministry;
- are paid through the WPS;
- are registered with the pension system;
- and, since July, earn at least AED 6,000.
The percentage is calculated on skilled roles only, and each establishment registered with MoHRE has its own target, even within the same group.
If there is a shortfall, recruitment through the Nafis platform should start now, leaving time for the work permit and the pension and WPS registrations. Retention also matters: a resignation in December can push the percentage down right on the calculation date.
Key dates
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| 1 January 2026 | AED 6,000 minimum salary for Emiratis in the private sector takes effect |
| 30 June 2026 | First-half target and deadline to adjust existing salaries |
| 1 July 2026 | First-half contributions and measures for unadjusted salaries apply |
| 31 December 2026 | Second-half target: 10% cumulative in skilled roles |
| January 2027 | Expected charging of second-half contributions |
At the time of writing, MoHRE has not published targets for the years after 2026.
If your company operates in the UAE and you are unsure whether you will meet the target, RLD’s Dubai team can review each company’s position with you before 31 December.
