Emiratisation quotas expanded to companies with 20–49 employees

Cabinet Decision 44/2023 expanded Emiratisation requirements (mandatory hiring of UAE nationals at 2%/year of skilled workforce) to private-sector companies with 20–49 employees in 14 designated activities (banking, insurance, healthcare, education, technology, etc.) from 2024. Non-compliance penalties: AED 96,000 per unfilled position annually. Indirectly affects skilled-foreign-worker hiring competition.