Companies with 20 to 49 employees
We have 25 staff in IT. Do Emiratisation rules apply to us?
The situation
Companies with 20 to 49 employees in listed sectors, including IT, had to hire one UAE national in 2024 and another in 2025.
The law
- Ministerial Resolution 455 of 2023 as reported: Fixed hiring norms for listed sectors
What it means for you
Reported contributions were AED 96,000 for 2024 and AED 108,000 for 2025 for each missing hire. The 2026 requirement for this group was not confirmed in the sources reviewed. Example: an IT firm with 25 staff and no Emirati should hire now and watch MOHRE announcements for 2026.
What to do
- Check if your sector is listed.
- Hire at least the required nationals.
- Register them with MOHRE.
- Watch for 2026 guidance.
2026 requirements for this group need confirmation from MOHRE.
We can do this for youEmiratisation compliance: targets for companies with 50 or more staff, 20 to 49 staff rules, Nafis and contributions: AED 2,500