Emiratis working in the private sector have spoken of numerous opportunities and perks, even though a skills gap remains in some areas.
At a careers fair for citizens in Dubai this week, thousands of graduates, school leavers and pupils turned out to learn more about possible career moves.
Although the halls of the World Trade Centre were dominated by public employers such as Dubai Police, Civil Defence, local and federal departments, and even the country's intelligence agency, a few dozen private sector firms were also hoping to attract citizens with jobs – and hit a stringent quota that will require 10 per cent of their workforce to be Emirati by 2026.
Most were represented by Emiratis who had already chosen a career with them.
Abdulla Al Owais joined Amazon's human resources team after five years in a government-linked company.
He found there is more flexible working – although the global firm is set to axe working from home in January – than the public sector.
Emirati teachers are very, very hard to find. I've contacted a lot of universities, it's not one of the fields that a lot of Emiratis choose
Dalia Benhida,
Jumeirah English Speaking School
"I was eager to learn skills and ability that I was only going to get from the corporate private sector, it was definitely the right decision," he said.
Under the Nafis programme, most Emiratis starting out in the private sector are given a salary top-up of Dh5,000 ($1,360) to Dh7,000 ($1,900) per month. This is an incentive by the government to encourage Emiratis to switch sectors and out of recognition that the public sector – in which the vast number of citizens once worked – has tended to pay more.
Since Nafis was launched in 2021, the number of Emiratis in private employment has leapt from fewer than 30,000 to 113,000. Those based in the many free zones are exempt, although they are encouraged to follow the spirit of the law.
Emiratis who joined the private sector before the drive began three years ago do not get the top-up, but Mr Al Owais said there are other benefits.
"After switching from semi-government to the private sector, I can say that the work-life balance is a priority here in our environment.
"I would recommend [young graduates] start their career in the private sector and have the foundation from there. And once they start in the private sector, they might have the rest of their career there."
Tough competition
Mohamad Kamal, a HR specialist with Aramex, said the firm was keen to take on more citizens, but said the standard of candidates had to be high.
Aramex employs about 50 citizens in a workforce of 3,500, and he has interviewed about 200 candidates for six or seven positions this week.
Last year, the company found it hard to fill positions for the quota, he said, but today more young people want to work in the private sector.
"We know they are able to work in our culture, do all the type of job we need. Last week I met around 40-50 candidates for only two positions, [it was] a very good pool of potential candidates."
Nouf Abdulla, 37, an Emirati, worked in the private sector long before the Emiratisation programme ramped up in 2021, but quit to do a master's degree in the hope of furthering her career.
Ms Abdulla, who was at the fair every day this week, has found it difficult to find a job in either sector.
"I'm approaching the private sector. They are being, to be honest, more accommodating," she said.
"If someone is giving you at least a chance, you can prove yourself. I'm applying for lower than my level."
Teachers hard to find
Companies that do not manage to hit the Emiratisation quota face substantial fines.
But many employers have struggled to find the right talent.
Dalia Benhida is the HR and Emiratisation manager at Jumeirah English Speaking School, an independent group with two campuses in Dubai.
The school employs 13 Emiratis in a workforce of about 450, but says none are teachers.
"Emirati teachers are very, very hard to find. I've contacted a lot of universities, it's not one of the fields that a lot of Emiratis choose as a career," she said.
"We've got a lot of HR, marketing, media, but not teaching."
Asked if the school had been fined for failing to hit the quota, she said: "We do, we get fined a lot, but we rather pay the fine. We don't hire to hire. And I know some companies do it, but we refuse."
Emirati teachers that graduate from colleges such as the United Arab Emirates University tend to be prepared for the government school curriculum, rather than British or American, which dominate the private school market.
"We had a fresh graduate who came as a nutritionist, ended up loving being with the children and ended up becoming an assistant teacher, and now she's considering a career in teaching, so it is that path," she said.
Emiratis were traditionally drawn to the public sector when it had more holidays than the private sector, although that has changed in recent years.
"One big perk that we have in being a school is that we have all the holidays – up to 91 days a year. So our salaries might be a bit lower on the scale, but the balance between work and personal life is a big perk that you can't find anywhere else."
Working hours
Working hours in the private sector – often 7.30pm to 3pm – are something those in government jobs may need to get used to.
Melanie Diventry, from Norwegian paint and chemicals company Jotun, puts successful graduates through a three-year training scheme that she hopes will be the start of a long career with them.
The graduate programme pays Dh8,000 ($2,180) to Dh10,000, excluding a Nafis top-up of up to Dh7,000. She admits that some are coming from schools and universities in which they have only socialised with fellow nationals.
"Because it's new for fresh grads entering a private firm, it's a bit of a shock for them. So we try to get them involved from day one," she said, as are the working hours.
"We're 7.30pm-5pm and on Fridays 7.30pm-3pm, it's slightly longer – that's a concern we're facing."
Her team hired one person at the jobs fair and was looking for three more on the final day.
Some Emiratis already working in private companies say it is time to break down stereotypes and attitudes and embrace the opportunities at hand.
Hessa Al Zaabi, who went straight into work after high school, has been with Jotun since 2020, progressing from a receptionist to the company's HR team.
"I never tried the government sector and I enjoy it here," she said.
"It's a multinational company – all nationalities – and we work in one environment as a family, friends.
"They taught me when I was new, they taught me everything, helped me with my work. They know how to treat people very well."
The Emirati employment rate will increase to 6 per cent by the end of 2024, 8 per cent in 2025 and 10 per cent in 2026.
Last year, the government directed that businesses employing between 20 and 49 people must have at least one Emirati staff member by the end of 2024, and two by the end of 2025, in a further expansion of the Emiratisation campaign.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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The five pillars of Islam
The specs
Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)
On sale: Now
THREE
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Destroyer
Director: Karyn Kusama
Cast: Nicole Kidman, Toby Kebbell, Sebastian Stan
Rating: 3/5
UAE release: January 31
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20OneOrder%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20March%202022%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Tamer%20Amer%20and%20Karim%20Maurice%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Cairo%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E82%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Series%20A%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
RESULTS
6.30pm Handicap (TB) US$65,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
Winner Golden Goal, Pat Dobbs (jockey), Doug Watson (trainer)
7.05pm Dubai Racing Club Classic Listed Handicap (TB) $88,000 (Turf) 2,410m
Winner: Walton Street, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
7.40pm Dubai Stakes Group 3 (TB) $130,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner Switzerland, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
8.15pm Singspiel Stakes Group 3 (TB) $163,000 (T) 1,800m
Winner Lord Giltters, Adrie de Vries, David O’Meara
8.50pm Al Maktoum Challenge Round-1 (TB) $228,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner Military Law, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi.
9.25pm Al Fahidi Fort Group 2 (TB) $163,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner Land Of Legends, Frankie Dettori, Saeed bin Suroor
10pm Dubai Dash Listed Handicap (TB) $88,000 (T) 1,000m
Winner Equilateral, Frankie Dettori, Charles Hills.
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GRAN%20TURISMO
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pakistan Test squad
Azhar Ali (capt), Shan Masood, Abid Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Asad Shafiq, Babar Azam, Fawad Alam, Haris Sohail, Imran Khan, Kashif Bhatti, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Abbas, Yasir Shah, Usman Shinwari
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Results
6pm: Dubai Trophy – Conditions (TB) $100,000 (Turf) 1,200m
Winner: Silent Speech, William Buick (jockey), Charlie Appleby
(trainer)
6.35pm: Jumeirah Derby Trial – Conditions (TB) $60,000 (T)
1,800m
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7.10pm: UAE 2000 Guineas Trial – Conditions (TB) $60,000 (Dirt)
1,400m
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7.45pm: Al Rashidiya – Group 2 (TB) $180,000 (T) 1,800m
Winner: Desert Fire, Hector Crouch, Saeed bin Suroor
8.20pm: Al Fahidi Fort – Group 2 (TB) $180,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner: Naval Crown, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
8.55pm: Dubawi Stakes – Group 3 (TB) $150,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Al Tariq, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watsons
9.30pm: Aliyah – Rated Conditions (TB) $80,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Dubai Icon, Patrick Cosgrave, Saeed bin Suroor
Omar Yabroudi's factfile
Born: October 20, 1989, Sharjah
Education: Bachelor of Science and Football, Liverpool John Moores University
2010: Accrington Stanley FC, internship
2010-2012: Crystal Palace, performance analyst with U-18 academy
2012-2015: Barnet FC, first-team performance analyst/head of recruitment
2015-2017: Nottingham Forest, head of recruitment
2018-present: Crystal Palace, player recruitment manager
CONFIRMED%20LINE-UP
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Results
5pm Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m
Winner No Riesgo Al Maury, Szczepan Mazur (jockey), Ibrahim Al Hadhrami (trainer)
5.30pm Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m
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6pm Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m
Winner Dahess D’Arabie, Al Moatasem Al Balushi, Helal Al Alawi.
6.30pm Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 2,200m
Winner Safin Al Reef, Connor Beasley, Abdallah Al Hammadi.
7pm Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 2,200m
Winner Thulbaseera Al Jasra, Shakir Al Balushi, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami.
7.30pm Maiden (TB) Dh 80,000 2,200m
Winner Autumn Pride, Szczepan Mazur, Helal Al Alawi.
Everton%20Fixtures
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How England have scored their set-piece goals in Russia
Three Penalties
v Panama, Group Stage (Harry Kane)
v Panama, Group Stage (Kane)
v Colombia, Last 16 (Kane)
Four Corners
v Tunisia, Group Stage (Kane, via John Stones header, from Ashley Young corner)
v Tunisia, Group Stage (Kane, via Harry Maguire header, from Kieran Trippier corner)
v Panama, Group Stage (Stones, header, from Trippier corner)
v Sweden, Quarter-Final (Maguire, header, from Young corner)
One Free-Kick
v Panama, Group Stage (Stones, via Jordan Henderson, Kane header, and Raheem Sterling, from Tripper free-kick)
What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
COMPANY PROFILE
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Core42
Current number of staff: 47
A list of the animal rescue organisations in the UAE
The Details
Article 15
Produced by: Carnival Cinemas, Zee Studios
Directed by: Anubhav Sinha
Starring: Ayushmann Khurrana, Kumud Mishra, Manoj Pahwa, Sayani Gupta, Zeeshan Ayyub
Our rating: 4/5
