The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) implemented an Emiratisation policy requiring over 12,000 employers across 14 key private sector industries to hire at least one Emirati employee by the end of 2024, with an additional hire required by 2025.

While these measures are part of the UAE’s broader strategy to create more job opportunities for Emirati talent and support national economic diversification goals, challenges still remain.

MoHRE, in collaboration with TASC – an HR solutions platform has launched ‘Making Emiratisation a Success – 2025,’ third edition of guidebook for HR professionals and employers to make Emiratisation a success in the private sector. It also covers insights from 2,000 Emirati job seekers and 450 employers, and offers actionable strategies for boosting retention, improving hiring alignment, and supporting the nation’s long-term workforce vision. 

The report’s key findings about Emirati talent in the private sector are:

Rapid implementation of Emiratization - It found that with MoHRE’s strict implementation, the Emirati employment increased to 131,833 by end of 2024, which is a whopping 267.8% increase from previous years. This underscores the region’s strong commitment to a diverse and inclusive national workforce.

Employer trends: About 63% of private sector employers prefer permanent contracts, aligning their commitment with long-term Emiratisation goals.

Job readiness - Nearly half i.e. 49% of Emiratis professionals are ready to start work within 30 days of job interviews, and about 83% feel confident about skills being relevant for the private-sector job roles. This indicates that:

there is a skilled and job-ready talent pool of Emirati professionals, prepared to contribute effectively in various job roles.

Preferred job roles vs offered roles – About 24% of Emirati professionals are seeking roles in the IT & Tech sector, with a preference for positions that emphasise UAE’s goals for technological innovation and digital transformation.

Interestingly, a rising preference has been noted for the information and communication sector, with a jump from 4.1% in 2024 to 15.8% in 2025.

In contrast, the majority of private sector employers are currently hiring for roles in operations (46.17%), HR and administration (45.69%), and sales and marketing (44.06%).

Skills gap: Around 50% of Emirati working professionals possess basic AI-related skills, the survey highlights a notable gap in advanced areas such as machine learning, natural language processing, and robotics.

Ways of working: The report underlines that despite global shifts towards flexible working models, over 53% of Emirati job seekers continue to work in fully onsite roles. They have limited hybrid options –underlining it as a core area for talent retention, especially for women and young families.

Difficulty in talent retention: About 52.39% of surveyed employers shared challenges in retaining Emirati talent. With 25.60% of them perceiving these challenges as highly significant, primarily due to discrepancies in compensation packages and market realities.

While 57% of Emiratis are satisfied with their jobs, 74% are unhappy with salaries. Another challenge is talent retention, which is a growing concern for 52% of private companies in the region. 

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Commenting on the insights, Mahesh Shahdadpuri, Founder and CEO of TASC, said: "Effective Emiratisation requires precise alignment between employer offerings and Emirati talent expectations. Our data-driven guidebook underscores essential strategies such as increased workplace flexibility, tailored compensation structures, and targeted skill development programs, particularly in AI and emerging technologies. As Emiratisation continues evolving, our commitment remains firm—to support private-sector employers in creating sustainable, meaningful roles for UAE nationals."

Sharing suggestions, Her Excellence Farida Abdulla Al Ali, Assistant Undersecretary of National Talents at MoHRE emphasised: "The UAE government remains unwavering in its commitment to accelerating Emiratisation, anchored by transformative initiatives such as NAFIS and robust policy frameworks that establish measurable, sector-specific hiring targets.

Through stringent compliance protocols and proactive oversight, we are ensuring that Emirati talent is seamlessly and sustainably integrated into the private sector workforce.

Our partnership with TASC amplifies this national mission—enabling employers to meaningfully contribute to Emiratisation objectives through various initiatives."