UAE’s NAFIS Salary Support Initiative

Last updated on November 28th, 2022 at 06:28 am

The Nafis initiative was established on 13 September 2021 as part of the United Arab Emirates’ “Projects of the 50” and intends to assist Emirati nationals in pursuing jobs in the private sector.

Against the ambitious goal of creating 75,000 employment in the private sector by 2025, the initiative supports Emirati nationals wishing to either enter the workforce or advance their careers in a variety of ways. It is also accessible to private sector businesses to collaborate with the UAE Government in order to enhance job opportunities and boost the number of UAE nationals within their organization. Alongside Nafis, the UAE Government has set a target of 10% Emiratisation in the private sector by 2025 for skilled and knowledge-based positions (the present minimum for commercial organizations is 2%).

Eleven initiatives have been announced as part of the NAFIS plan (nine of which are currently operational):

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Career Assistance

Career guidance and coaching will be provided to Emirati nationals to assist them to direct their careers. The individual will get a training allowance for twelve months of vocational training with a private sector company (and this also assists the employer to provide these programs). This program seeks to develop one hundred thousand Emirati healthcare professionals over the next five years. This initiative comprises of a centralized job posting portal that connects Emirati nationals with private sector firms who have signed agreements with NAFIS to participate in their various programs.

Support Measures

Alongside these initiatives, a supporting framework, the Emirati Talent Competitiveness Council, has been developed to enable these programs. This Council is responsible for communicating with federal legislators and implementing the various components of Nafis. A plan to encourage those engaged in the public sector to pursue chances in the private sector is also envisioned, as is assistance for graduates launching startups (and potentially move to early retirement from the public sector). In addition, UAE nationals currently employed by the federal government are eligible to apply for sabbaticals at 50 percent of their income for six to twelve months in order to launch their own firms in the private sector.

NAFIS provides ambitious and interesting possibilities for both employers and nationals of the United Arab Emirates. Access to these programs to support their hiring of Emirati nationals is a crucial consideration for companies, with the proviso that they must commit to reaching 10 percent Emiratization.

UAE’s Goal

The UAE aspires to maintain its position and advance to new heights by enabling its people to focus on advanced knowledge and skills and work in numerous industries, while the state provides them with the capabilities and care necessary to empower them.