Emiratisation Compliance Calculator
Calculate your UAE national workforce requirements under MOHRE regulations
Select your company sector to determine applicable rates
Include only skilled positions (not labourers). Count as per MOHRE work permit records
Count full-time UAE national employees registered in your MOHRE records
This affects cumulative Emiratisation targets
UAE Emiratisation Rules: Who Must Comply and by How Much
Emiratisation is the UAE government’s national workforce development policy, requiring private sector employers to hire UAE nationals at specified ratios. Under Cabinet Resolution No. 6 of 2023, all private sector companies with 50 or more employees across skilled roles must meet annual Emiratisation targets. The rate increases each year — 2 percent of skilled workforce slots per year — until the target ceiling is reached.
Companies with fewer than 50 employees are not subject to the mandatory quota but are encouraged to participate through the Nafis incentive programme, which provides salary support subsidies for qualifying Emirati hires. The distinction between “skilled” and “non-skilled” roles matters: only roles classified by MOHRE as requiring professional qualifications count toward the quota calculation.
How the Emiratisation Quota Is Calculated
The quota applies to the number of skilled employees across all your company’s branches in the UAE. If you have a company of 200 employees where 120 are in skilled roles, your Emiratisation target is calculated as a percentage of those 120 positions. The calculator above does this maths for you and outputs your required headcount by year based on current MOHRE targets.
In my experience, the most common compliance error is counting non-skilled roles in the denominator. Security guards, cleaners, and unskilled labourers are excluded. MOHRE’s system cross-checks this through the WPS (Wages Protection System) and the ILOE classification database, so accurate classification is essential.
Penalties for Non-Compliance
Companies that fail to meet Emiratisation targets face monthly fines of AED 96,000 per unfilled Emirati position. These fines are assessed automatically through the MOHRE system at the end of each quarter. Repeated non-compliance also affects a company’s MOHRE service access, including new hire permits and visa processing. As an HR professional who has advised companies on compliance planning, I recommend building Emiratisation into your annual headcount budget rather than treating it as a penalty-avoidance exercise.
The Nafis programme also provides monthly salary supplements for Emirati employees, effectively subsidising part of the total compensation cost. Companies that engage with Nafis proactively find that the net cost of compliance is significantly lower than the penalty for non-compliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Emiratisation apply to free zone companies?
Mandatory Emiratisation quotas currently apply to onshore private sector companies. Most free zones operate under separate regulatory frameworks and are not subject to the same mandatory targets. However, individual free zone authorities may have their own nationalisation initiatives. Always verify with your specific free zone authority.
What counts as a skilled role for Emiratisation purposes?
MOHRE defines skilled roles using the ISCO (International Standard Classification of Occupations) framework. These are roles that require professional qualifications, technical training, or specialist knowledge. Roles classified at ISCO skill levels 1-3 typically qualify. Check the MOHRE portal or the Nafis platform for the full classification list.
How often does MOHRE update Emiratisation targets?
Under Cabinet Resolution No. 6 of 2023, the mandatory rate increases by 2 percent annually. MOHRE publishes updated targets at the start of each year. Companies should plan their hiring pipelines at least 6 months ahead of each annual target date to avoid last-minute non-compliance.
Can I count Emirati employees on part-time contracts toward my quota?
Yes, under certain conditions. MOHRE allows part-time Emirati employees to count toward the Emiratisation quota on a pro-rata basis, provided the employment is registered through an approved part-time contract. The conditions are defined under Ministerial Resolution No. 43 of 2022.
Use the Calculator Above
Enter your total employee count, the number classified as skilled, and your current Emirati headcount in the calculator above. The tool calculates your mandatory quota, your current compliance percentage, and the number of additional Emirati hires you need to reach target by the end of this year.
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Subscribe Now 👉UAE Emiratisation Rules: Who Must Comply and by How Much
Emiratisation is the UAE government’s national workforce development policy, requiring private sector employers to hire UAE nationals at specified ratios. Under Cabinet Resolution No. 6 of 2023, all private sector companies with 50 or more employees across skilled roles must meet annual Emiratisation targets. The rate increases each year — 2 percent of skilled workforce slots per year — until the target ceiling is reached.
Companies with fewer than 50 employees are not subject to the mandatory quota but are encouraged to participate through the Nafis incentive programme, which provides salary support subsidies for qualifying Emirati hires. The distinction between “skilled” and “non-skilled” roles matters: only roles classified by MOHRE as requiring professional qualifications count toward the quota calculation.
How the Emiratisation Quota Is Calculated
The quota applies to the number of skilled employees across all your company’s branches in the UAE. If you have a company of 200 employees where 120 are in skilled roles, your Emiratisation target is calculated as a percentage of those 120 positions. The calculator above does this maths for you and outputs your required headcount by year based on current MOHRE targets.
In my experience, the most common compliance error is counting non-skilled roles in the denominator. Security guards, cleaners, and unskilled labourers are excluded. MOHRE’s system cross-checks this through the WPS (Wages Protection System) and the ILOE classification database, so accurate classification is essential.
Penalties for Non-Compliance
Companies that fail to meet Emiratisation targets face monthly fines of AED 96,000 per unfilled Emirati position. These fines are assessed automatically through the MOHRE system at the end of each quarter. Repeated non-compliance also affects a company’s MOHRE service access, including new hire permits and visa processing. As an HR professional who has advised companies on compliance planning, I recommend building Emiratisation into your annual headcount budget rather than treating it as a penalty-avoidance exercise.
The Nafis programme also provides monthly salary supplements for Emirati employees, effectively subsidising part of the total compensation cost. Companies that engage with Nafis proactively find that the net cost of compliance is significantly lower than the penalty for non-compliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Emiratisation apply to free zone companies?
Mandatory Emiratisation quotas currently apply to onshore private sector companies. Most free zones operate under separate regulatory frameworks and are not subject to the same mandatory targets. However, individual free zone authorities may have their own nationalisation initiatives. Always verify with your specific free zone authority.
What counts as a skilled role for Emiratisation purposes?
MOHRE defines skilled roles using the ISCO (International Standard Classification of Occupations) framework. These are roles that require professional qualifications, technical training, or specialist knowledge. Roles classified at ISCO skill levels 1-3 typically qualify. Check the MOHRE portal or the Nafis platform for the full classification list.
How often does MOHRE update Emiratisation targets?
Under Cabinet Resolution No. 6 of 2023, the mandatory rate increases by 2 percent annually. MOHRE publishes updated targets at the start of each year. Companies should plan their hiring pipelines at least 6 months ahead of each annual target date to avoid last-minute non-compliance.
Can I count Emirati employees on part-time contracts toward my quota?
Yes, under certain conditions. MOHRE allows part-time Emirati employees to count toward the Emiratisation quota on a pro-rata basis, provided the employment is registered through an approved part-time contract. The conditions are defined under Ministerial Resolution No. 43 of 2022.
Use the Calculator Above
Enter your total employee count, the number classified as skilled, and your current Emirati headcount in the calculator above. The tool calculates your mandatory quota, your current compliance percentage, and the number of additional Emirati hires you need to reach target by the end of this year.
👉 Enjoying this content?
Stay updated with more insightful articles and tips by subscribing to our newsletter.
Subscribe Now 👉