Emiratisation Partners Club Qualification Details Released

The situation

The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) has released details regarding the requirements for companies to qualify for membership in the Emiratisation Partners Club.

Background

The Emiratisation Partners Club (or ‘Tawteen Partners Club’) is part of the broader government initiative launched in 2017 to increase the amount of local workers in the general workforce, called the ‘National Program for Emiratisation’.

Participation in the Club is optional, unless the MOHRE targets a company for Emiratisation based on the number of employees in the company and the industry.

The program is currently only for companies registered outside UAE free zones.

Details released - Emiratisation priority levels and ratios

The MOHRE has released details regarding how it divides select industry sectors into Emiratisation priority groups, depending on the industry’s importance to the country’s economy. Some examples include:

• Companies with at least 250 employees and above operating in finance and health sectors are considered high priority;
• Companies with at least 500 employees in the retail sector are considered medium priority;
• Companies with at least 1,000 employees in the construction sector are considered low priority.

 

After determining each level of Emiratisation priority, the MOHRE sets out a specific ratio of Emirati nationals who should be working in a company. Based on this ratio, the MOHRE classifies the company as Silver, Gold or Platinum.

This membership tier level triggers benefits such as reclassification of a company to a higher immigration category and expedited employment-related transactions, among others.

Impact

Employers in the private sector targeted by the MOHRE for Emiratisation should ensure that they maintain the relevant Emiratisation ratios.

Companies seeking to participate in the Club voluntarily must ensure that they meet all the respective membership criteria, including Emiratisation ratios, before they apply for membership.

This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].