United Arab Emirates: Stricter Fines for Circumventing the Emiratization Requirements Introduced
October 3, 2024
Update - October 3, 2024: This amount has increased to AED 8,000 per month, and will increase annually by AED 1,000.
May 10, 2023: The UAE government has added a new item to the list of administrative fines for violations of regulations related to Emiratization programs, including the Nafis scheme. Per the new law, employers that changed the professional classification of their workers (i.e., from a skilled to an unskilled category) or purposely reduced the number of workers in their employ with the intention to circumvent the prescribed Emiratization targets, will be subject to a fine of AED 100,000 for the initial violation, or AED 300,000 for a second violation, or AED 500,000 for a third violation or beyond. Additionally, the employer will be required to meet the required nationalization targets based on the status of the company prior to the violation. The announcement comes just over a month before the June 30, 2023 deadline that private-sector companies with 50 or more employees must abide by to achieve at least 1% of their annual nationalization target. Employers that do not comply with the rule will be subject to a penalty of AED 7,000 per month for each vacancy that has not been filled with an Emirati worker.
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].
Explore more at Fragomen
Media mentions
Fragomen and SICPA have launched a global joint venture to develop an end-to-end digital identity platform that enables secure identity verification, document authentication and verifiable credential management.
Media mentions
Senior Counsel Mitch Wexler discusses how potential changes to H-1B visas, employment-based green cards and OPT could impact employers’ workforce planning and compliance obligations.
Media mentions
In a Leaders in Motion interview with World Business Travel Forum, Partner Ali Haider and Nomadic CEO Carsten Østberg discuss recent travel and mobility developments across the Middle East and practical considerations for employers managing cross-border talent in the region.
Media mentions
Partner Rachel Beardsley explains how new DHS guidance clarifies that dairy employers may use the H-2A program when they can demonstrate a temporary or seasonal labor need.
Fragomen news
Fragomen and SICPA announced the formation of a global joint venture to advance next-generation digital identity solutions for governments, enterprises and individuals.
Blog post
Senior Associate Kyle Sommer and Adam Schwartz, Director in the Global Mobility practice at Andersen, discuss how immigration and tax considerations intersect across common US immigration classifications and why early coordination can help travelers, employers and advisors reduce compliance risks and make more informed mobility decisions.
Podcast
In this episode of The Immigration Conversation, Senior Associates Sarah Melnick and Kimberly Elmazi discuss key considerations for foreign nationals planning international summer travel, including visa appointment planning, document preparation, consular interviews, port-of-entry procedures and I-94 review.
Podcast
UK Government Affairs Strategy Director Shuyeb Muquit is joined by Jonathan Thomas of the Social Market Foundation, Dr. Ben Brindle of the Migration Observatory, University of Oxford and Steve McCauley of the University of Cambridge to discuss what a new UK Prime Minister could mean for immigration policy, employers and workforce mobility.
Fragomen news
Media mentions
Partner Rick Lamanna said Canada’s expanded citizenship rules could make hundreds of thousands if not millions of people eligible while moving against a global trend of tighter citizenship laws.
Media mentions
Senior Counsel Dr. Anna Boucher shares insights on the factors influencing Australia's migration trends.
Media mentions
Fragomen and SICPA have launched a global joint venture to develop an end-to-end digital identity platform that enables secure identity verification, document authentication and verifiable credential management.
Media mentions
Senior Counsel Mitch Wexler discusses how potential changes to H-1B visas, employment-based green cards and OPT could impact employers’ workforce planning and compliance obligations.
Media mentions
In a Leaders in Motion interview with World Business Travel Forum, Partner Ali Haider and Nomadic CEO Carsten Østberg discuss recent travel and mobility developments across the Middle East and practical considerations for employers managing cross-border talent in the region.
Media mentions
Partner Rachel Beardsley explains how new DHS guidance clarifies that dairy employers may use the H-2A program when they can demonstrate a temporary or seasonal labor need.
Fragomen news
Fragomen and SICPA announced the formation of a global joint venture to advance next-generation digital identity solutions for governments, enterprises and individuals.
Blog post
Senior Associate Kyle Sommer and Adam Schwartz, Director in the Global Mobility practice at Andersen, discuss how immigration and tax considerations intersect across common US immigration classifications and why early coordination can help travelers, employers and advisors reduce compliance risks and make more informed mobility decisions.
Podcast
In this episode of The Immigration Conversation, Senior Associates Sarah Melnick and Kimberly Elmazi discuss key considerations for foreign nationals planning international summer travel, including visa appointment planning, document preparation, consular interviews, port-of-entry procedures and I-94 review.
Podcast
UK Government Affairs Strategy Director Shuyeb Muquit is joined by Jonathan Thomas of the Social Market Foundation, Dr. Ben Brindle of the Migration Observatory, University of Oxford and Steve McCauley of the University of Cambridge to discuss what a new UK Prime Minister could mean for immigration policy, employers and workforce mobility.
Fragomen news
Media mentions
Partner Rick Lamanna said Canada’s expanded citizenship rules could make hundreds of thousands if not millions of people eligible while moving against a global trend of tighter citizenship laws.
Media mentions
Senior Counsel Dr. Anna Boucher shares insights on the factors influencing Australia's migration trends.
