DUBAI, UAE – Around 79,000 UAE nationals are working in the private sector, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization (MoHRE) revealed on Sunday as the deadline for companies with 50 employees or more to achieve a one percent Emiratization growth in skilled jobs has ended.
These numbers reflect the highest-ever rate of Emiratization recorded in the UAE private sector.
These figures mark a 57 percent increase compared to the end of 2022 figures, where 50,228 UAE nationals were employed in the private sector, MoHRE said.
Nearly 17,000 private sector companies employ UAE citizens as of July 7, which was the last day for companies to achieve their semi-annual Emiratization targets.
Dr. Abdulrahman Al Awar, Minister of Human Resources and Emiratization, said, “The growth in the number of Emirati citizens employed in the private sector reflects the effectiveness of the Emiratization policies that have been implemented on a semi-annual basis starting this year.”
He said, “These efforts have accelerated progress towards meeting Emiratization targets and ensured continuous recruitment throughout the year.”
He added, “This is in line with the directives of the UAE leadership and under the supervision of Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of the Presidential Court, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Emirati Talent Competitiveness Council.”
Al Awar said, “This growth demonstrates the private sector’s awareness and commitment to its responsibilities as a partner to the UAE Government in the Emiratization process, guided by a vision to enhance the human development system in the country.”
He said, “Our objective is to empower Emiratis to thrive in the private sector, enhance their competitiveness, and enable them to actively participate in the economic and overall development of our country.”
Al Awar expressed his confidence in the private sector’s ability to “keep meeting the required Emiratization targets, especially with the support provided by the ministry and the Nafis program to enable companies to fulfill their obligations.”
Aisha Belharfia, Acting Under-Secretary for Emiratization Affairs and Assistant Under-Secretary for Labor Affairs at MoHRE, said, “The ministry’s commitment to providing benefits to companies that actively engage with Emiratization plans and programs through the Tawteen Partners Club, which offers members discounts of up to 80 percent on service fees, continues.”
Ghannam Al Mazrouei, Secretary-General of the Emirati Talent Competitiveness Council, said that over 50,000 Emiratis have joined the private sector since the launch of the Nafis program in September 2021.
“The overall growth in the number of Emirati citizens in the private sector reflects the success of the Nafis program,” he said.
The program works in partnership with MoHRE to implement plans designed to provide qualified people with the right tools and support, and enable companies to meet their Emiratization commitments,” he added.
Emiratization targets for the second half of 2023 require private sector companies with 50 or more employees to achieve an additional one percent growth in the number of UAE citizens working in skilled jobs among their staff.
This means achieving an overall growth of two percent by the end of the year.