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If you’re running a company in the UAE with 50 or more employees, there’s a deadline coming. From July 1, the authorities in the UAE will start verifying if your Emiratisation targets are met. 

By end of June 2025, you need to have 7% of your skilled jobs filled by UAE nationals and by end of year, it needs to reach 8%. 

Not a suggestion. Not a guideline. It’s a legal requirement.

And if you don’t hit that number? You’ll be paying for it, literally.

The Big Picture

The Emiratisation program is part of the UAE’s plan to make sure more Emiratis are building long-term careers in the private sector. It’s about enhancing their participation in the nation’s economic development by creating opportunity, and a future-ready workforce.

It’s not new, the government’s been rolling this out since 2022 but you’re not expected to do it all at once. Companies are required to hire more Emiratis in stages:

• +2% each year

• That means: 2% in 2022, 4% by 2023, 7% by mid-2025, 8% by the end of 2025 and 10% by end of 2026

To be noted: although there are no publicly stated mid-year Emiratisation checkpoints specifically for SMEs (20-49 employees), they need to employ at least 2 Emiratis by the end of 2025.

If you miss those targets, you’re in penalty territory

If you’re behind on your numbers, here’s what you’re looking at in 2025:

• AED 9,000 per month for every Emirati you should have hired but didn’t

• That’s AED 108,000 per year per missing hire
  

And it doesn’t stop there. You could also face:

• Restrictions on new work permits

• A lower classification with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE)
  

Translation: it’ll be harder and more expensive to run your business.

Don’t worry you still have a bit of time

The mid-year checkpoint is right around the corner. By June 30, you should already be at 7%.

If you’re not, this is your wake-up call. You’ve still got time to catch up, if you act now.

And the upside? It’s not just about avoiding penalties. Companies that meet their targets get real benefits:

• Up to 80% off MoHRE service fees

• Access to government support through the Nafis program which offers salary subsidies and training support for Emirati employees.

• Recognition as an employer that’s doing the right thing, for the economy and for future generations

… And Wiggli is here to help

The everyday challenge

Human resources teams in the UAE balance three priorities at once:

• Finding qualified Emirati talent before the competition

• Hitting Emiratisation targets ahead of MoHRE penalty dates

• Maintaining spotless compliance records for every audit

Spreadsheets, outdated databases, and last-minute paperwork make all three harder than they need to be.

Wiggli removes the friction

Results you can expect

• Up to 40 percent faster time-to-hire for Emirati roles (median across Wiggli clients in 2024)

• Sourcing costs down by 60% when LinkedIn Recruiter seats are replaced by Wiggli’s database

Don’t Leave It Until Q4

This isn’t something you want to scramble for in December. All Human Resources Departments in the UAE are deploying an Emiratisation strategy and competition for top Emirati talent is very high.

Lead the way in recruitment

Stay ahead of the market with Wiggli’s Talent Acquisition Management System, built by recruiters for recruiters!

Achieve Your 2025 Emiratisation Goals now : [Contact us]