The UAE Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) announced that 377 cases of fake Emiratisation involving 266 private-sector companies were identified in the first half of 2026.

The ministry stressed that the identified cases were limited violations and did not indicate that the practice was widespread in the UAE labour market.

MOHRE urged companies and UAE citizens to comply with Emiratisation regulations and report suspected violations through its dedicated hotline, smart application or official website.

What is fake Emiratisation?

Fake Emiratisation occurs when companies register UAE citizens as employees to meet Emiratisation quotas without providing them with genuine jobs.

In such cases, an employment contract may be signed, but the individual has no actual duties or clearly defined job responsibilities.

According to MOHRE, the violation also has broader consequences, including distorting labour market and Emiratisation indicators, wasting resources and incentives allocated to support genuine employment, and denying serious jobseekers employment and career development opportunities.

The practice can also place companies that genuinely invest in recruiting, training and developing Emirati talent at an unfair disadvantage.

The ministry stressed that Emiratisation policies and programmes are intended to build a productive and sustainable Emirati workforce in the private sector and enable citizens to play an active role in the country’s economic development, particularly in priority sectors.

405 similar violations identified last year

MOHRE previously announced on August 20 that 405 cases of fake Emiratisation had been identified at private-sector companies in the first half of 2025, with legal action taken against the individuals and companies involved.

The UAE government maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards fake Emiratisation.

Last year, a company that attempted to circumvent Emiratisation quotas by falsely employing 113 UAE citizens was fined AED10 million.

The ministry said field inspections and its digital monitoring system had played a key role in identifying the violations.

MOHRE also stressed that it would continue to take firm action against companies that fail to comply with Emiratisation policies and regulations.