The UAE has announced a new minimum wage of Dh6,000 for Emirati employees working in the private sector, effective January 1, 2026, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (Mohre) has confirmed.
The update applies to all services related to issuing, renewing, or amending citizen work permits. From the effective date, employers will not be able to process any Emirati work permit if the registered salary is below Dh6,000 per month. Applications will be blocked until salaries are adjusted to meet the new threshold.
Mohre said employers will receive alerts through official service channels and the Mohre smart app to ensure compliance ahead of the deadline.
If salaries are not corrected by June 30, 2026, enforcement measures will take effect on July 1, 2026. These include excluding the affected Emirati employee from Emiratisation quota calculations and placing restrictions on the establishment, preventing it from issuing new work permits.
The ministry clarified that the rule applies only to citizen work permits with a two-year validity, whether newly issued, renewed, or amended, and does not affect permits with different durations.
The move is part of wider efforts to strengthen Emiratisation, improve wage standards, and enhance private sector participation among UAE nationals.