UAE extends Nafees program till 2040.

The UAE has extended its flagship Nafees program until 2040, signaling a long-term effort to strengthen the emirate and expand opportunities for national talent in the private sector.The announcement was made by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and President of the Presidential Court. The expansion comes under the directives of Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, strengthening the country’s commitment to building a sustainable national workforce.Along with the expansion, officials launched a series of new initiatives focused on social and workforce support. These include a program designed to support children of Emirati mothers working in the private sector, as well as a separate initiative aimed at supporting the wives of Emirati citizens employed in private companies.Child allowance under Nafees has also been expanded, removing the cap on the number of children covered. The change is expected to strengthen family stability while encouraging greater participation of Emiratis in private sector roles.The program has already seen significant progress. To date, 176,000 Emiratis have been employed through Nafees, of which 152,000 are currently working in the private sector. 74 percent of the beneficiaries are women, while 38,000 individuals have received assistance through the children’s allowance program.Nafees has also achieved strong participation from employers, with approximately 32,000 companies now employing Emirati talent under the initiative, reflecting the growing shift towards private sector participation.

Nafees is a federal initiative launched by the UAE to boost the competitiveness of Emirati citizens and increase their participation in the private sector. The program aims to enable 75,000 Emiratis to take up private sector jobs by 2025.Companies with more than 50 employees are required to meet specific recruitment quotas for Emiratis. To support this, Nafees provides wage subsidies, training programs and financial incentives to help citizens transition to and retain private sector employment.The extension of Nafees until 2040 reflects the UAE’s long-term strategy to reduce reliance on public sector employment and strengthen the role of citizens in the private sector.By expanding benefits such as family support and removing limits on child allowances, the program also addresses key social factors that influence career choices, making private sector roles more viable for Emiratis.At a broader level, Nafees is designed to create a more balanced and sustainable labor market, where national talent plays a larger role in driving economic growth while aligning workforce development with the country’s future economic priorities.