Emiratisation

Innovations in Emiratisation: How the Program is Evolving with the Times?

Introduction to Emiratisation Program:

Around the UAE, the Emiratisation program is the initiative of UAE government to increase the number of employment for UAE nationals in the private sector. By training and guiding Emiratis in various fields, the UAE government aims to build a competitive knowledge economy and reserve jobs for them. It closes the gap between the number of guest workers and local workers in the country.

In this blog, we will discuss

Overview of the Emiratisation program.
Emiratization programs evolution.
Importance of Emiratisation Programs.

Overview of the Emiratisation Program Initiative:

To integrate Emiratis into the nation’s workforce, the UAE government launched a strategic initiative called the Emiratisation Program. It promotes socio-economic stability while preserving the social and cultural fabric of the UAE. According to the 2021 National Agenda, these efforts aim to build a competitive economy by empowering Emiratis to contribute to the economic development of the country.

Importance of Emiratisation Program in the UAE Workforce:

Being rich in oil and gas, this region enjoys an economic boost. The UAE is able to attract expatriates around the world due to the financial boost. It brings them business opportunities that result in an extensive private-sector.

In the year 2004, the expatriates began to dominate the private sector with a rise of 80% in the private sector. This percentage spiked to 99.57% in the year 2009. It means that only 13,000 of the 3 million private sector employees were Emiratis. The other Emiratis were employed by the public sector. To ensure the Emirati’s employment in the private sector, the government initiated the Emiratisation program to ensure the inclusion of the local population in economic matters.

To bridge the gap, the UAE government recognizes the importance of Emiratisation and hence introduced several other initiatives. Among them, one of the latest is NAFIS. It is specially designed to meet the needs and requirements of Emirati professionals and private-sector enterprises.

Evolution of the Emiratisation Program over the Years:

With a growing population of 10.17 million people including:

Emiratis make up the minority with 11.48% of the population
While expatriates dominate with 88.52% of the population

Emiritisation serves as a strategic initiative to address this imbalance.

In the year 2000, the government of UAE implemented Emiratization policies. The government takes this initiative to enhance the participation of Emiratis in the private sector. Emiratization has evolved over the years which incorporates private companies to hire and train Emiratis.

The measures taken such as:

Training programs.
Government subsidies.
Industry-specific Emirati employment quotas have been implemented.

The UAE government’s efforts have improved the situation significantly. It allows Emiratis to actively contribute to the UAE economy. As per the latest policy update, the UAE Cabinet has approved a decision to:

Increase the Emiratisation rate on an annual basis by 2% for skilled positions in companies with 50 or more employees. The UAE government’s overall goal behind this is to achieve a 10% increase by 2026.
The MOHRE announced that companies having 20-49 employees will have to follow quotas, that is they must hire at least one UAE citizen in the year 2024 and hire another UAE citizen by 2025.

Companies who don’t comply with announced quotas will:

Face a fine of 96,000 aed for not hiring one Emirati in 2024.
A 110,000 aed fine will be charged to companies for not hiring two Emiratis by 2025.

Due to this rule, several privately owned companies in 14 sectors are affected including:

Real estate.
Education.
Construction, and
Healthcare.

The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiritization has specified that skillful Emiratis must be hired by employers. The workers must meet specific qualifications, that are:

Certificate higher than secondary education or its equivalent.
Work certificate which is attested by a competent authority.
Earn a minimum salary of 4,000 aed pm.
Must have an employee in specific occupational categories, such as,
1. Business executive.
2. Legislators.
3. Managers.
4. Writing professionals.
5. Professionals in scientific, technical, and human fields.
6. Technicians in scientific, technical, and humanitarian fields.
7. Service and sales occupations.

Customized Training and Development Programs:

Tailoring Training Programs to meet Industry Demands:

Since its establishment, Emiritisation Gateway has taken pride in contributing to the integration of Emiratis into the UAE’s workforce in the Emirates. Some of the programs involve:

Career Guidance.
Job Offers.
On Job Training Programs.
Healthcare Excellence.
Apprentice Program.
Talent Program.
Career Guidance: By assessing your strengths, seasoned career counselors help you to provide insights that align your skills and preferences with the most suitable job that you desire.
Job Offers: We connect Emiratis with a seamless job experience through our employment platform in the private sector. Enabling employers to identify profiles that perfectly fit their requirements.
On-Job Training Programs: With our On-the-Job Training Offers, we link Emiratis seamlessly with on-the-job training prospects. Open the doors of enhancement by elevating your hidden capabilities.
Healthcare Excellence: We serve as a stepping stone to provide educational grants to aspiring Emiratis to attain qualifications for their thriving careers in the healthcare sector.
Apprentice Program: Embark on your career with us on our vocational training program which offers a seamless transition into company apprenticeships.
Talent Program: Unlock new horizons with our Talent Program. Start your journey towards internationally recognized professional certificates.

Focus on Upskilling and Reskilling the Emirati Workforce:

To support reskilling and upskilling, several resources both online and physical are available for Emiratis by the UAE government so that employers should not depend solely on foreign talent. The aim is to empower and encourage Emiratis in the private sector so that they can have more job opportunities than foreigners have.

Partnerships with Educational Institutions and the Private Sector for Specialized Training:

Some of the initiatives taken to upskill and reskill Emiratis:

UAE local universities and colleges offer programs and courses often. Also, reputable universities such as Harvard Business School also offer online degree programs.
Several governments of the Middle East offer subsidies and financial incentives. The purpose is to encourage upskilling and reskilling.
Emiratis now take advantage of the opportunities to acquire skills that are directly relevant to their current jobs as many employers may offer in-house training and development programs.
With e-learning platforms like Coursera, Udemy, and LinkedIn. Explore the pool of opportunities with a wide range of courses across various fields.
Get access to workshops, resources, and networking events by joining industry-specific associations

Promoting Entrepreneurship and Small Business Ownership:

Encouraging Emiratis to Start their Own Businesses:

To encourage Emiratis in every sector, the UAE government is making efforts to offer them their share of jobs just like the foreigners. At Emiritisation Gateway, we also offer the best solution for hiring Emiratis for your company or business.

Whether you are operating in the UAE or your company is set up in Dubai, we bring the best and rest assured that you are in good hands. We have your back!

Support Programs and Incentives for Emirati Entrepreneurs:

To support startups and stimulate economic growth, the Government Department issued a package of encouraging economic incentives for entrepreneurs. According to the Circular Number 7 of 2020 About the Economic Incentives for Emirati Entrepreneurs, it includes the following items:

Emirati entrepreneurs are exempted from submitting a bank guarantee for the bid bonds.
Emirati entrepreneurs are exempted from submitting a bank guarantee for the performance bond on which the government entity reserves 5% of the value of each invoice due for a period of 3 months after the final delivery.
It is entitled to pay the due bills within 15 days of the date of the bill for Emirati entrepreneurs.

Flexibility and Remote Work Opportunities:

Embracing Remote Work and Flexible Work Arrangements:

By incorporating with companies in the private sector, several remote opportunities are available to Emiratis. It gives Emiratis a flexibility to learn and earn at the same time without the hassle of traveling for hours.

Virtual Job Fairs and Online Recruitment Platforms:

Several virtual job fairs and recruitment platforms are working to hire Emirati staff for companies.

A few of them are:

Recruitment Platforms

Emiritisation Gateway.
Tawdheef x Zaheb.
Qureos.
Bayt.
Linkedin.
Naukrigulf.
Gulftalent.
Monster Gulf.

Virtual Job Fair

Eliqat.
Bayt’s virtual job fair.
Jobs Abu Dhabi (JAD) – efair.

Inclusive Work Environment and Diversity Initiatives:

Promoting Diversity and Inclusivity in the Workplace:

With the inclusion of Emiratisation in the UAE, the employment of UAE Nationals in both public and private sectors has increased which promotes diversity in the workplace. Emiritisation aims to increase the number of UAE Nationals in the workforce, to enhance the local contribution to the economy just like the expatriates are contributing to the UAE economy.

Initiatives to Attract and Retain Emirati Women in the Workforce:

To support and empower women in the economic sphere and increase their participation in the workforce, the UAE Government law prohibits all forms of discrimination in the workplace. It is based not only on gender but also on the grounds of color, race, social origin, or national origin.

As part of efforts, the MoHRE revealed that women’s participation in the private sector has increased by 23.1% in 2023 compared to 2022.

Industry-Specific Emiratisation Program Strategies:

Tailored Approaches for Different Industries and Sectors:

Emiratisation give a boost to some sectors which include:

The enhancement of education and training for Emiratis is the success of Emiratisation. For this, the National Strategy for Higher Education 2030 is designed to fortify the labor market and equip future generations with technical and practical skills.

To increase the role of technology significantly, the government has launched various digital platforms to connect Emirati job seekers with potential employers. It also provides online training. Along with that, the UAE government made heavy investments in the ICT sector and adopted new technologies like:

AI.
Blockchain, and
The metaverse.

They all are expected to support Emirati job seekers and employers by contributing to the overall goals of the Emiratisation policy.

Emiratisation Program Initiatives in Key Sectors such as Technology, Healthcare, and Finance:

The UAE government aims to provide more job opportunities to Emiratis. For this, they launch initiatives in different sectors.

Some of them are:

Banking Sector:

It is one of the largest sectors with the potential to promote Emiratisation. The banking sector offers a wide range of training programs, such as:

National human resources development.
Professional certification.
Leadership development.
Training insurance.
Customised training.

Ministry of Human Resources:

Tawteen Gate.
Emirates Graduates Programme.
Open Days.
Qualitative Emiratisation.
Innovative Recruitment System.
Absher Initiative.

Department of Tourism and Culture:

Khebraty Programme.
Khoutwa Programme.
Tourism Youth Summer Programmes.
Abu Dhabi Airports.
Abu Dhabi Ports.
Etihad Airways.

Future Outlook and Emerging Trends:

Anticipated Developments and Trends in Emiratisation Program:

There has been a steady rise in Emiratis in the workforce. This is because, the government has launched several programs, including mandatory.

Emiratisation quotas.
incentives for companies hiring Emiratis, and
vocational training programs.

Due to this, more Emiratis have entered job markets, particularly in:

Banking.
Finance.
Government, and
Education.

Two major sectors that attracted focus are:

Engagement in the private sector increased in the past.
Due to the initiative, Emirates is now getting more exposure to learning skills and education.

Potential Challenges and Opportunities on the Horizon:

While making all efforts, still there are a lot of challenges that Emiratis are facing:

In the UAE, the Government has significantly improved skills and education. Besides the efforts that the UAE Government is making, there is a skills mismatch between Emirati job seekers and industry requirements.
Due to the high salary expectations Emiratis have, they find some industries offering lower salaries than others which stop them from pursuing their careers in those sectors.