Companies in the UAE that fall short of their 2025 Emiratisation requirements will have to pay Dh108,000 for every Emirati they fail to hire, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) has confirmed.
The financial penalties will come into effect in January 2026, giving firms just days left in December to meet their quotas.

MoHRE urged private-sector employers to accelerate their hiring efforts by using Nafis, the federal platform that connects companies with qualified Emirati job seekers.

Who must hire Emiratis, and how many?

Under current rules:

• Companies with 50+ employees must raise the number of Emiratis in skilled jobs by 2% by December 31.
• Selected firms with 20–49 employees, operating in high-growth sectors, must hire at least one Emirati and retain any Emiratis hired before January 1, 2025.

Starting in January, MoHRE will verify whether new Emirati hires are properly registered in the national social insurance system and whether contributions are paid regularly.

Any company that misses its target will be required to pay the mandatory Dh108,000 contribution per unfilled role.

Tougher monitoring with AI

MoHRE praised the private sector for strong compliance to date but said it is now using AI-powered monitoring systems to detect fake Emiratisation and any attempts to bypass the hiring requirements.

Penalties include:

• Downgrading a company’s classification
• Requiring firms to correct violations
• Imposing the mandatory financial contributions

Emiratis can report suspected violations confidentially via MoHRE’s hotline, mobile app or website.

Support and rewards for compliant companies

While enforcement is becoming stricter, MoHRE said high-performing companies will continue to receive incentives.

Businesses that exceed their hiring goals may qualify for the Emiratisation Partners Club, which offers:

• Up to 80% discounts on MoHRE service fees
• Priority access to federal procurement
• Added benefits supporting business growth

MoHRE stated that the UAE’s strong labour market performance, combined with a large pool of candidates on Nafis, positions the private sector to meet these national targets.

Ajman has just made history, and in a pretty spectacular way. The emirate officially secured a Guinness World Record after arranging 603 vehicles to form the phrase “EID AL ETIHAD UAE 54.” Yes, 603 cars perfectly lined up to spell out a message.

The massive formation, organised under the patronage of Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Chairman of the Department of Tourism, Culture, and Information, became the world’s largest celebratory phrase made entirely with vehicles.

Guinness World Records’ judges were full of praise, applauding how precise and flawlessly coordinated the entire execution was. After all, synchronising hundreds of cars into a readable formation isn’t exactly an easy afternoon task, and Ajman pulled it off with impressive discipline and visual flair.

The record-breaking moment was a collaborative effort between the Ajman Transportation Authority, Ajman Holding, and Rayaat company. All three entities received official Guinness certificates for bringing this national celebration to life in such a memorable, proudly UAE way.

Ajman didn’t just break a record, it created a moment of unity, creativity, and national pride that perfectly marks the UAE’s 54th Eid Al Etihad.

Mark your calendars, and set your alarms. At exactly 11am on Tuesday, December 2, everyone who calls the UAE home is invited to step into a moment of pure unity: a nationwide, simultaneous singing of the UAE National Anthem, “Ishy Bilady.”

Whether you’re an Emirati, an expat, or a visitor soaking in the National Day spirit, the call is simple: Sing wherever you are. At home, in the office, on the street, inside a mall, or standing by a car at a traffic signal, the aim is to create a single shared moment echoing across all seven emirates.

The initiative, held in celebration of Eid Al Etihad (UAE National Day), is meant to highlight the country’s spirit of unity, pride, and belonging.

On Monday, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, took to X (formerly Twitter) to remind residents of the exact time and date for the big sing-along.

Many residents also received SMS reminders urging them to take part in this “national moment that reflects the spirit of unity and belonging at the heart of Eid Al Etihad, a powerful echo that carries through every home, street and city.”

To make the anthem accessible to everyone, the UAE has released a phonetically transliterated version of ‘Ishy Bilady ‘in both Arabic and English, along with an official sing-along video so participants can join in confidently, no matter their native language.

Residents are also encouraged to capture the moment, whether it’s a family singing in the living room, a group at work pausing to honour the occasion, or strangers joining together outdoors, and share it on social media using #EidAlEtihad #VoicesOfUnity

This National Day, it’s not just about watching the celebrations, it’s about becoming part of them.