The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (Mohre) announced on Friday that over 1,300 private companies in the UAE faced penalties for breaching Emiratisation regulations from mid-2022 to May 16, 2024.
For each violation, companies were fined between AED 20,000 and AED 100,000.
Mohre disclosed that these 1,379 businesses were discovered to have unlawfully employed 2,170 UAE nationals.
Private firms in the nation are mandated to incrementally raise the proportion of Emirati employees by two per cent annually, aiming to achieve a minimum of 10 per cent by 2026.
According to Mohre, as of mid-2022 to May 2024, over 97,000 Emiratis are employed across approximately 20,000 private enterprises in the UAE, as per available data.
Regular inspections are conducted to ensure adherence to regulations. Since enforcement, the ministry has identified numerous companies that evaded targets through illicit recruitment methods.
Emiratisation is deemed fraudulent when it’s confirmed that a UAE national holds a nominal position without actual duties to meet the organisation’s Emiratisation quotas. Some companies would even ‘re-employ’ Emiratis to manipulate statistics.
Apart from substantial fines of up to AED 100,000, offenders were referred to the Public Prosecution. Some faced downgrading to the lowest company rating within the Mohre system, while others were mandated to make financial contributions towards Emiratisation.
“The ministry stated that any harmful practices aimed at undermining Emiratisation commitments will be addressed firmly and in accordance with the law,” stated the ministry.
Residents are encouraged to report any breaches of labour regulations by calling 600590000 or utilising the Mohre app or website.
