emirates7 - - The Emirates Competitiveness Council (ETCC) announced significant enhancements to the Nafis programme, following its recent extension through 2040.
These updates underscore the UAE leadership’s commitment to empowering citizens, strengthening Emirati families, and building a resilient national framework capable of adapting to economic and social shifts.
The updates include amendments to the Child Allowance Scheme for UAE nationals employed in the private sector, as well as removing the cap on the number of eligible children. The scope of support has been expanded to include the children of female nationals working in the private sector, and the spouses of nationals employed in this sector.
These aim to reinforce the programme’s social and economic impact, improve quality of life, and support family stability, in line with the objectives of the Year of Family 2026.
Since its launch approximately five years ago, the programme has achieved notable success, demonstrating its effectiveness in supporting the stability of nationals employed in the private sector and in strengthening the competitiveness of the national workforce. The progress of Nafis aligns closely with the nation’s priorities and long-term vision.
Ghannam Al Mazrouei, Secretary-General of the ETCC, affirmed that the extension of the Nafis programme until 2040, along with the accompanying qualitative updates, reflects the forward-looking vision of the wise leadership in reinforcing investment in people and strengthening the stability of the Emirati family as two fundamental pillars of sustainable development.
He stated that these updates embody an advanced national approach to building a more inclusive and flexible support system. This contributes to reinforcing the sustainability of Emiratisation, enhancing the competitiveness of national talent, and strengthening the readiness of the labour market to meet the requirements of the future.
During its meeting held last week, the Board of Directors of the ETCC approved amendments to the Child Allowance Scheme for Emirati nationals working in the private sector, removing the previous cap on the number of eligible children.
The Board also approved the introduction of a Salary Support Scheme for children of Emirati mothers who are employed in the private sector, as well as a Salary Support Scheme for wives of Emirati nationals working in the private sector.
These accompany adjustments to the eligibility criteria for existing initiatives and programmes, reflecting the leadership’s commitment to strengthening family stability, enabling all segments of society to play an active role in the labour market, and supporting the nation’s economic development.
The latest updates to the Nafis programme signify a strategic shift aimed at developing a more flexible, inclusive and mature implementation framework. This is better equipped to respond to economic and social changes. The programme now offers integrated financial support mechanisms that consider academic qualifications, social circumstances, and family factors, while accommodating the diversity of target groups and various sectors involved.
This reinforces the programme’s role in supporting employed Emiratis, enhancing the presence of national talent in the labour market, and promoting both job and family stability within a comprehensive and sustainable national framework.
The amendment to the Child Allowance Scheme for Emirati nationals working in the private sector removes the previous cap on the number of eligible children. This change reflects a social and humanitarian approach that more comprehensively addresses the needs of Emirati families.
It strengthens the direct impact of financial support on families, which are the fundamental unit of society. Additionally, this adjustment provides greater flexibility for Emirati families and underscores that the programme considers not only employment-related factors but also the relationship between professional stability and family stability.
The programme has set specific eligibility criteria for salary support for children of Emirati mothers working in the private sector. These include a monthly salary between AED6,000 and AED20,000, and holding at least a bachelor’s degree accredited by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. Salary support under this programme may reach up to AED3,000 per month.
For the Salary Support Scheme for the wives of Emirati nationals in the private sector, eligibility includes a monthly salary between AED6,000 and AED15,000, and holding at least a bachelor’s degree accredited by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. Additional conditions include having at least two children or having been married for no less than five years, and the husband must also be an Emirati employed in either the private or public sector. Applications are also accepted if the husband is retired or unable to work for certified medical reasons.
Exempt from the conditions related to the number of children and five years of marriage if two years of marriage have passed, are Medical professionals (with medical degrees), teaching staff, and female PhD holders provided that their degree is accredited by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research from a top 500 global university in their specialisation, or if they possess practical experience in vital labour market roles. Salary support under this programme may also reach up to AED3,000 per month.
To enhance career and financial stability for Emirati nationals in the private sector, and in line with the Cabinet's minimum wage decision, the minimum salary for Nafis programme support eligibility has been standardised at AED6,000 per month for all eligible categories.
Under the updated framework, the maximum monthly financial support for Emirati salaries in the private sector will be AED6,000 for bachelor’s degree holders, AED5,000 for diploma holders, and AED4,000 for secondary school graduates.
For those with below secondary education, support will be set at AED4,000 for married individuals or those with dependents, and AED3,000 for unmarried individuals or those without dependents, provided that the monthly salary does not exceed AED20,000.
The new framework of benefits is scheduled to take effect from September 2026 for new beneficiaries, while existing recipients of the private sector Salary Support Scheme for Emirati nationals will be transitioned gradually, ensuring a phased implementation that considers the different eligible categories and safeguards a smooth adjustment process.
Under the revised mechanism, support levels will be adjusted automatically from September 2026, with a reduction of AED500 every six months until reaching the level specified under the new policy.
For private-sector employees outside the scope of the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation and the Central Bank of the UAE, including those working in free zones, a gradual adjustment mechanism will be applied to them if the monthly salary is below the approved minimum, within the categories not subject to minimum wage decisions.
They shall be eligible to benefit from the support upon correcting the salary to the approved minimum level of AED6,000, whereby the citizen will receive 100 percent of the current support value for six months starting from September 2026, then 70 percent of the current support value for an additional six months, followed by 30 percent of the support value for three months.
The Nafis Programme will continue to cover pension fund contributions for Emiratis employed in the private sector registered under the “Subscription” scheme. From September 2026 onwards, private sector employers will also assume responsibility for paying their share of pension contributions for Emirati employees enrolled in the programme.
Since its launch, the Nafis programme has delivered significant results, contributing to the employment of more than 176,000 Emiratis. Of these, 152,000 beneficiaries are currently employed across 32,000 establishments as of the end of March, enabling the programme to achieve its target ahead of schedule.
In terms of women’s and family empowerment, women accounted for 74 percent of total beneficiaries in the private sector. In parallel, more than 38,000 children have benefited from the Child Allowance Scheme, while the programme has successfully expanded its reach across the country.
In the area of training and professional development, around 3,500 Emirati nationals have benefited from the National Healthcare Programme. A further 7,700 participants have enrolled in the “Competencies”, “Experience”, and “Training for Employment” programmes, reflecting ongoing efforts to enhance the readiness of national talent and align their skills with future labour market needs.
Launched in September 2021 with a budget of AED24 billion over five years, the Nafis programme aims to employ 170,000 Emiratis in the private sector. The initiative forms part of the second set of “Projects of the 50”, launched by the Government of the UAE to strengthen the national economy and drive qualitative development across the country.
These updates underscore the UAE leadership’s commitment to empowering citizens, strengthening Emirati families, and building a resilient national framework capable of adapting to economic and social shifts.
The updates include amendments to the Child Allowance Scheme for UAE nationals employed in the private sector, as well as removing the cap on the number of eligible children. The scope of support has been expanded to include the children of female nationals working in the private sector, and the spouses of nationals employed in this sector.
These aim to reinforce the programme’s social and economic impact, improve quality of life, and support family stability, in line with the objectives of the Year of Family 2026.
Since its launch approximately five years ago, the programme has achieved notable success, demonstrating its effectiveness in supporting the stability of nationals employed in the private sector and in strengthening the competitiveness of the national workforce. The progress of Nafis aligns closely with the nation’s priorities and long-term vision.
Ghannam Al Mazrouei, Secretary-General of the ETCC, affirmed that the extension of the Nafis programme until 2040, along with the accompanying qualitative updates, reflects the forward-looking vision of the wise leadership in reinforcing investment in people and strengthening the stability of the Emirati family as two fundamental pillars of sustainable development.
He stated that these updates embody an advanced national approach to building a more inclusive and flexible support system. This contributes to reinforcing the sustainability of Emiratisation, enhancing the competitiveness of national talent, and strengthening the readiness of the labour market to meet the requirements of the future.
During its meeting held last week, the Board of Directors of the ETCC approved amendments to the Child Allowance Scheme for Emirati nationals working in the private sector, removing the previous cap on the number of eligible children.
The Board also approved the introduction of a Salary Support Scheme for children of Emirati mothers who are employed in the private sector, as well as a Salary Support Scheme for wives of Emirati nationals working in the private sector.
These accompany adjustments to the eligibility criteria for existing initiatives and programmes, reflecting the leadership’s commitment to strengthening family stability, enabling all segments of society to play an active role in the labour market, and supporting the nation’s economic development.
The latest updates to the Nafis programme signify a strategic shift aimed at developing a more flexible, inclusive and mature implementation framework. This is better equipped to respond to economic and social changes. The programme now offers integrated financial support mechanisms that consider academic qualifications, social circumstances, and family factors, while accommodating the diversity of target groups and various sectors involved.
This reinforces the programme’s role in supporting employed Emiratis, enhancing the presence of national talent in the labour market, and promoting both job and family stability within a comprehensive and sustainable national framework.
The amendment to the Child Allowance Scheme for Emirati nationals working in the private sector removes the previous cap on the number of eligible children. This change reflects a social and humanitarian approach that more comprehensively addresses the needs of Emirati families.
It strengthens the direct impact of financial support on families, which are the fundamental unit of society. Additionally, this adjustment provides greater flexibility for Emirati families and underscores that the programme considers not only employment-related factors but also the relationship between professional stability and family stability.
The programme has set specific eligibility criteria for salary support for children of Emirati mothers working in the private sector. These include a monthly salary between AED6,000 and AED20,000, and holding at least a bachelor’s degree accredited by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. Salary support under this programme may reach up to AED3,000 per month.
For the Salary Support Scheme for the wives of Emirati nationals in the private sector, eligibility includes a monthly salary between AED6,000 and AED15,000, and holding at least a bachelor’s degree accredited by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. Additional conditions include having at least two children or having been married for no less than five years, and the husband must also be an Emirati employed in either the private or public sector. Applications are also accepted if the husband is retired or unable to work for certified medical reasons.
Exempt from the conditions related to the number of children and five years of marriage if two years of marriage have passed, are Medical professionals (with medical degrees), teaching staff, and female PhD holders provided that their degree is accredited by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research from a top 500 global university in their specialisation, or if they possess practical experience in vital labour market roles. Salary support under this programme may also reach up to AED3,000 per month.
To enhance career and financial stability for Emirati nationals in the private sector, and in line with the Cabinet's minimum wage decision, the minimum salary for Nafis programme support eligibility has been standardised at AED6,000 per month for all eligible categories.
Under the updated framework, the maximum monthly financial support for Emirati salaries in the private sector will be AED6,000 for bachelor’s degree holders, AED5,000 for diploma holders, and AED4,000 for secondary school graduates.
For those with below secondary education, support will be set at AED4,000 for married individuals or those with dependents, and AED3,000 for unmarried individuals or those without dependents, provided that the monthly salary does not exceed AED20,000.
The new framework of benefits is scheduled to take effect from September 2026 for new beneficiaries, while existing recipients of the private sector Salary Support Scheme for Emirati nationals will be transitioned gradually, ensuring a phased implementation that considers the different eligible categories and safeguards a smooth adjustment process.
Under the revised mechanism, support levels will be adjusted automatically from September 2026, with a reduction of AED500 every six months until reaching the level specified under the new policy.
For private-sector employees outside the scope of the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation and the Central Bank of the UAE, including those working in free zones, a gradual adjustment mechanism will be applied to them if the monthly salary is below the approved minimum, within the categories not subject to minimum wage decisions.
They shall be eligible to benefit from the support upon correcting the salary to the approved minimum level of AED6,000, whereby the citizen will receive 100 percent of the current support value for six months starting from September 2026, then 70 percent of the current support value for an additional six months, followed by 30 percent of the support value for three months.
The Nafis Programme will continue to cover pension fund contributions for Emiratis employed in the private sector registered under the “Subscription” scheme. From September 2026 onwards, private sector employers will also assume responsibility for paying their share of pension contributions for Emirati employees enrolled in the programme.
Since its launch, the Nafis programme has delivered significant results, contributing to the employment of more than 176,000 Emiratis. Of these, 152,000 beneficiaries are currently employed across 32,000 establishments as of the end of March, enabling the programme to achieve its target ahead of schedule.
In terms of women’s and family empowerment, women accounted for 74 percent of total beneficiaries in the private sector. In parallel, more than 38,000 children have benefited from the Child Allowance Scheme, while the programme has successfully expanded its reach across the country.
In the area of training and professional development, around 3,500 Emirati nationals have benefited from the National Healthcare Programme. A further 7,700 participants have enrolled in the “Competencies”, “Experience”, and “Training for Employment” programmes, reflecting ongoing efforts to enhance the readiness of national talent and align their skills with future labour market needs.
Launched in September 2021 with a budget of AED24 billion over five years, the Nafis programme aims to employ 170,000 Emiratis in the private sector. The initiative forms part of the second set of “Projects of the 50”, launched by the Government of the UAE to strengthen the national economy and drive qualitative development across the country.
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