News analysis by JobsForNationals | Source: Gulf News
Nafis programme update 2026: the UAE has expanded support to new groups in the private sector — and your Emiratisation hiring targets are unchanged.
Who’s now covered
The Emirati Talent Competitiveness Council recently confirmed two new groups are now eligible for Nafis financial support: wives of UAE male nationals employed in the private sector, and children of Emirati mothers working in the private sector. Both groups can receive AED 3,000 per month under the programme.
Critically, neither group counts toward a company’s Emiratisation quota. The 2% annual target continues to be calculated based on UAE nationals holding a family book — that definition hasn’t changed.
Child allowance: the cap is gone
One of the more significant household-level changes is the removal of the four-child ceiling on the Nafis child allowance. Emirati private sector employees can now claim the AED 600 monthly per-child benefit regardless of family size, as long as their salary stays below AED 50,000.
New salary support structure
From September 2026, a standardised minimum salary of AED 6,000 applies across all Nafis-eligible categories. Monthly salary top-up support under the revised framework is tiered by qualification level — up to AED 6,000 for degree holders, AED 5,000 for diploma holders, and AED 4,000 for secondary graduates.
Existing beneficiaries won’t be cut off overnight. The transition is phased over up to three years, with incremental reductions applied every six months.
Programme milestones
Nafis was launched in 2021 with a five-year, AED 24 billion mandate to shift Emirati employment into the private sector. By early 2026, over 176,000 Emiratis had joined through the programme — well beyond the original targets. The government has since extended Nafis to 2040, with the next phase focused on placing nationals into higher-skilled, future-oriented roles rather than simply filling headcount quotas.
The employer takeaway
Nothing in this update changes what private sector companies with 50 or more employees are required to do. The 2% annual Emiratisation increment remains in force, with the 10% cumulative target still the benchmark. What has changed is the financial environment around Emirati candidates — more support for their families means less friction staying in private sector roles long-term.
With the MoHRE compliance deadline approaching in June 2026, this is a good moment to make sure your pipeline is active, not reactive.
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