Dubai :A total of 405 cases of fake Emiratisation were detected in private sector companies during the first half of 2025. The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) announced that legal action has been taken against companies involved in such schemes. MoHRE said that its field inspections and digital monitoring system were vital in helping to identify these practices and reaffirmed its commitment to deal firmly and decisively with companies that fail to comply with Emiratisation policies and decisions.Fake Emiratisation is defined as the employment of UAE citizens by a company that issues a work permit for them and registers them as employees for purposes other than those for which the permit was issued for. These companies typically sign contracts with UAE nationals but these do not translate into actual employment.The government maintains a zero-tolerance policy toward fake Emiratisation. Last year, a company found trying to bypass the Emiratisation targets by appointing 113 citizens in fictitious roles, was fined Dh10 million.Private companies in the UAE are required to increase the percentage of their Emirati workforce by two per cent every year to reach at least 10 per cent by 2026. This target is divided into two: one per cent in the first half and another one per cent in the second.
