Organisations urged to meet Emiratisation quotas
Private sector enterprises in the UAE with 50 or more employees must act to meet their six-monthly Emiratisation quotas for 2024, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) has said.
It reminded businesses that the number of Emiratis engaged in skilled roles within these entities has been increased by 1% for this period. The ministry has a deadline of 30 June for organisations to hit their target for the H1 2024, warning of rigorous monitoring of compliance from July 1.
MoHRE also underlined the necessity for firms to enrol UAE nationals in authorised pension funds and the wage protection system (WPS).
Additionally, the ministry has encouraged entities falling short of the target to access the Nafis platform, which houses data on qualified Emirati nationals seeking roles across diverse fields and possessing requisite competencies.
In a recent statement MoHRE said: “We urge companies to adhere to Emiratisation targets, a top priority for the UAE government, pivotal in realising economic growth objectives and national aspirations, emphasising empowerment of domestic human capital.”
MoHRE said it had so far identified 1,379 companies attempting to circumvent Emiratisation goals, unlawfully employing 2,170 UAE citizens from mid-2022 to 16 May this year.
These organisations face fines, rating downgrades and possible prosecution.
Emphasising the importance of reporting violations, MoHRE urged concerned parties to contact its call centre or use its app, stressing that “Emiratisation targets enhance citizen participation in the job market and contribute to economic development, constituting a crucial national objective”.
The statement said: “We renew our confidence in companies’ ability to fulfill commitments amidst the country’s rapidly growing economy across all sectors.
“UAE nationals’ participation in private-sector roles adds significant value and fosters growth within employing entities.”
Dr Abdulrahman Al Awar, Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation, added: “More than 97,000 UAE citizens are now employed in over 20,000 private sector companies, [underlining] the effectiveness of the government’s Emiratisation decisions, policies, and initiatives, most notably the Nafis programme.”
Meanwhile, Emirati employees should immediately register with the General Pension and Social Security Authority (GPSSA) upon employment to ensure their insurance benefits, the regulator said.
Ensuring timely monthly contributions from the first month onwards and tracking retirement pensions, end-of-service gratuities, or compensation dues are the other crucial steps for ensuring Emirati employees insurance benefits, GPSSA said.
Failure to register with the GPSSA disqualifies Emiratis from receiving insurance benefits
To qualify for GPSSA registration and contributions, the insured must be Emirati nationals aged 18 to 60 with a medical fitness certificate.
UAE puts focus on developing AI skills
The UAE has launched what it claims is the world’s largest AI prompt engineering training initiative. Based in Dubai, ‘One Million Prompters’ aims to upskill one million people in prompt engineering over the next three years. Prompt engineering is the practice of designing inputs for AI tools to produce optimal outputs.
Launching the programme, H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, said: “With this global initiative, overseen by DFF [Dubai Future Foundation], we aim to prepare, develop and empower competencies with the skills needed to harness the potential of AI applications to advance innovation, progress and economic growth.”
Sheikh Hamdan added: “We are experiencing a tremendous acceleration in technological progress, which requires new skills in labour markets. Coding was formerly in demand, but today, prompt engineering has become one of the most promising skills.”
He added: “We want to be the most future-ready city and to continue preparing for the AI era by developing expertise and skills that support global technological transformation, placing Dubai at the forefront of innovation.”
‘One Million Prompters’ is the first prompt engineering initiative to develop expertise and competencies in AI prompt engineering, which involves crafting precise and effective instructions for AI systems to achieve desired outcomes in various tasks, ranging from generating creative content to solving complex challenges.
The initiative will follow an extensive programme that includes training courses to upskill individuals in AI and prompt engineering, offering them accredited certifications to validate their expertise and help them stand out.
