The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) has intensified inspections to stamp out “fake Emiratisation”, uncovering 377 bogus employment cases across 266 companies in H1 2026. Leveraging AI-driven risk-scoring and data analytics, the ministry now issues penalties of AED100,000 for a first offence, rising to AED500,000 for repeat violations, and can claw back subsidies granted under the Nafis Emirati-talent scheme. Fake Emiratisation typically involves registering Emiratis on payroll without genuine job responsibilities to meet localisation quotas or access wage-support incentives. The practice can distort workforce statistics and deprive qualified citizens of real opportunities. For multinationals running regional mobility programmes, the crackdown raises compliance stakes: seconding expatriates to UAE entities without proper localisation planning may trigger audits. MoHRE carried out about 212,000 inspection visits in the first half of the year, aided by an AI platform that flags anomalies such as identical login patterns for multiple employees or salary transfers reversed after payout. Companies with 50+ staff must raise the proportion of UAE nationals in skilled roles by two percentage points annually—1 per cent each half year—toward a 10 per cent target by end-2026. Global mobility and HR teams should therefore: 1) Conduct an internal audit of Emiratisation records versus active duties; 2) Document training plans and KPIs for UAE nationals; 3) Re-confirm that expatriate hires are tied to roles that cannot be filled locally in the required timeframe; and 4) Allocate budget for potential back-payments if MoHRE suspends Nafis benefits. Failure to comply may also affect visa quotas, as immigration authorities increasingly integrate labour-market data with residency-permit approvals. Transparent reporting and genuine upskilling of Emirati talent will be key to maintaining business-immigration privileges.
Source: Gulf News
