Emiratisation: New Recruitment Procedures

Emiratisation quotas in the UAE have been in place since 1998 following the introduction of Ministerial Decision No. 10 of 1998 which set an Emiratisation quota of 4% in the banking sector. This decision was later supplemented by a series of decisions, namely Ministerial Decision No. 41, No. 42 and No. 43 of 2005.

These decisions introduced the following quotas for UAE nationals' employment:

• 2% in companies employing 50 or more workers
• 4% in banking sector firms
• 5% in insurance sector firms

The decisions oblige such companies caught by the above quotas to maintain the same on an annual basis.

The position to date has been that a business not meeting these targets is subject to higher administrative fees from the Labour Department and the Immigration Department.