Emiratisation in 2026: your quota, the cost and your ICV score

Emiratisation referenceUpdated 31 Oct 2026

Short answer

Mainland companies with 50 or more workers must have Emiratis in 10% of skilled jobs by 31 December 2026, under rules set by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE). Each missing Emirati costs AED 10,000 a month in contributions if nothing changes: an exposure, not an invoice. The same hire also counts in your In-Country Value (ICV) score, so one decision moves two numbers. This page sets out the 2026 rules with their sources and shows how to plan both. MoHRE's own figure is the one that counts.

Who the quota covers

Free-zone licences are generally outside the MoHRE quota. That comes from law-firm commentary, not from the resolution text, so confirm your own licence with MoHRE. A mainland licence held by the same group is covered.

The 10% target applies to mainland companies registered with MoHRE that employ 50 or more workers. Companies with 20 to 49 workers in 14 listed sectors have a separate, smaller rule, set out on the targets page.

The quota is set per MoHRE establishment. If a contribution stays unpaid, work permits can be suspended for every company owned exclusively by the same owner, so a group plans each licence and the group together.

The 2026 rules at a glance

Rule	2026 position	Applies to
The target	Emiratis in 10% of skilled jobs by 31 December 2026. The ladder rises 2 percentage points a year, 1 point each half-year.	Mainland companies with 50 or more workers
Checkpoints	30 June and 31 December.	Same
The contribution	AED 10,000 a month (AED 120,000 a year) per missing Emirati. Exposure, not an invoice.	Same
Who counts as an Emirati	A valid work permit, wages paid through the Wage Protection System (WPS), registration with an approved pension fund, and a genuine labour-law contract.	All private companies
The wage floor	From 1 July 2026 an Emirati paid below AED 6,000 a month does not count toward the quota.	All private companies
The replacement window	A company that falls below its required number has two months to get back to it before it pays.	Mainland companies with 50 or more workers
Fake Emiratisation	Manipulating the workforce or job classification is penalised separately, from AED 100,000 for a first offence.	All companies
After 31 December 2026	No general target announced.	Not applicable

What a missed target costs

The 2026 contribution is AED 10,000 a month per missing Emirati, or AED 120,000 a year. That is what would be charged if nothing changes: an exposure, not an invoice. MoHRE sets the amount from its own record.

The larger costs are less visible. Permits can be suspended across every company the same owner holds exclusively, and two consecutive years of missed contributions can downgrade a company to Category 3. The targets page sets out the escalation in order.

Why the same hire also moves your ICV score

Emirati staff cost counts in the National ICV formula run by the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT). It enters the 50% cost component in full, where expatriate cost counts at 60%, and it feeds the Emiratisation component, weighted 15% in the core formula.

The quota and the ICV score are separate tests with separate rules. They are shown side by side and never added into one number: a quota position and an ICV score estimate.

How Emiratisation counts in your ICV score

After 31 December 2026

MoHRE has not announced a target after 31 December 2026. Its 30 October 2026 messaging covers only the 31 December 2026 checkpoint. Plan against the 2026 rules, and watch for a Cabinet resolution or a MoHRE release.

See your own 2026 quota position

Enter your quota position and one planned hire in the Emirati hire calculator. It shows your 2026 quota position and the estimated ICV effect side by side, with the working shown. Check the result against MoHRE's own figure.

Open the Emirati hire calculator

Common questions

What is the Emiratisation rule for private companies in 2026?

Mainland companies registered with MoHRE that employ 50 or more workers must have Emiratis in 10% of skilled jobs by 31 December 2026. The checkpoints are 30 June and 31 December. A company short of its required number pays a contribution per missing Emirati.

Does Emiratisation apply to free-zone companies?

Free-zone licences are generally outside the MoHRE quota, according to law-firm commentary rather than the resolution text. A mainland licence held by the same group is covered. Confirm your own licence with MoHRE.

How much is the Emiratisation contribution in 2026?

AED 10,000 a month, or AED 120,000 a year, per missing Emirati. That is an exposure, not an invoice: it is what would be charged if nothing changes, and MoHRE sets the actual amount.

Does hiring an Emirati help an ICV score?

It can. Emirati cost counts in full in the 50% cost component and feeds the Emiratisation component. How many points a hire adds depends on your own totals, so any figure is an estimate. The quota and the ICV score are separate results.

Is there an Emiratisation target for 2027?

Not yet. MoHRE has not announced a target after 31 December 2026. Some sectors, such as private healthcare and insurance, have their own rules.

Sources

Every factual claim on this page traces to one of these. Where a question is not settled by a primary source, this page says so rather than picking an answer.

Auditro provides ICV and Emiratisation planning and evidence workflows. It is not MoHRE or MoIAT, it does not file with MoHRE or Nafis, it is not a certifying body, it does not certify scores, and it does not guarantee compliance or tender outcomes. MoHRE's figure is the one that counts.