Private companies employing Emirati nationals will be required to meet a new pay floor starting next year, with authorities linking the threshold directly to work permit approvals.
Beginning January 1, 2026, salaries stated on private-sector work permits for Emirati citizens must be no lower than Dh6,000. Any permit application submitted with a figure below that amount will be rejected outright.
In a notice released through its official online channels, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation said the change is designed to reinforce Emiratisation outcomes and promote more sustainable employment for nationals in the private sector.
The ministry confirmed that the requirement will be enforced across all services involving Emirati work permits, including issuance, renewal, and amendments. Employers will receive automated alerts through official service channels and the MoHRE smart application, prompting them to update salaries where needed.
Compliance deadlines have also been set. Companies that fail to raise an Emirati employee’s pay to the minimum level by June 30, 2026, will face further consequences starting July 1. These include excluding the employee from Emiratisation calculations until the salary is corrected and blocking the establishment from securing new work permits if any Emirati wages remain below the threshold.
The ministry specified that the Dh6,000 minimum applies to two-year Emirati work permits—whether newly issued, renewed, or amended—and that listed salaries must meet the requirement from the start of 2026.
