113 companies booked for ‘fake Emiratisation’ in UAE

Posted on November 30, 2023 by Natalia No Comments

Dubai: The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) has referred 113 private companies to the Public Prosecution for violating Emiratisation decisions.

At least 98 private companies were involved in appointing citizens on ‘fake Emiratisation’ posts, and 15 other companies were found involved in circumventing Emiratisation targets.

The total number of companies violating the Emiratisation decisions from the second half of 2022 to date has reached 894, while a total of 1,267 UAE nationals have been proven to be hired in fake Emiratisation jobs.

The Ministry warned in a statement that it would not be lenient in dealing firmly with violators, explaining that “these numbers come as a result of our continuous follow-up through the Ministry’s digital and field supervisory system, which aims to verify the extent of private sector companies’ compliance with Emiratisation decisions.”

Dh20,000 fine

It added: “The violating companies have been referred to the Public Prosecution, and legal and administrative actions have been taken against them; these measures include imposing fines of Dh20,000 for each fake Emiratisation case, and reducing the companies’ classification to the lowest category within MoHRE’s system for classifying private sector companies The Ministry imposes a higher service fee to companies in the lowest category (third category) compared to the fees paid by companies listed in the first and second categories.

“The violating companies will also be required to achieve the actual Emiratisation target and ensure paying financial contributions related to Emiratisation.”

Citizens who were proven to be involved in fake Emiratisation were suspended from the benefits of the Nafis programme, and the financial benefits they obtained were recovered in coordination with the Emirati Talent Competitiveness Council and in line with the relevant UAE Cabinet Resolution.

What is ‘fake Emiratisation’

Emiratisation is considered fake when a UAE national works in a nominal job without real tasks to meet the company’s required Emiratisation targets, and/or when an Emirati is rehired in the same company with the aim of circumventing Emiratisation targets and benefiting from the relevant benefits of Emiratisation.

The Ministry also took legal and administrative measures against companies proven to have evaded Emiratisation targets. These measures included imposing an administrative fine of Dh100,000 on each company, applying financial contributions to these companies for not achieving the annual growth rate of Emiratisation targets, and demanding that they achieve the actual Emiratisation rate, in addition to referring them to the Public Prosecution.

Reducing employees

These companies had reduced the number of their employees to evade meeting the Emiratisation targets, which involve companies with 50 or more employees, who are required to achieve 2% annual growth in the Emiratisation of their skilled jobs.

In its statement, the Ministry praised the commitment of more than 95% of companies to Emiratisation decisions and policies, “which confirms the private sector’s keenness to fulfil what is required of it and carry out its responsibilities within the strategic partnership between the government and private sectors in the Emiratisation file, which is and supported by the leadership, and is considered a top priority.”

How to report

The Ministry stressed that it will deal firmly with any violations of Emiratisation decisions, calling on the public to report negative practices that conflict with Emiratisation policies and decisions by contacting the call Centre at 600590000 or through the Ministry’s smart application and website.