Year of 50: UAE unveils special projects to empower Emiratis in private sector

The second set of initiatives under the UAE's 50 national projects will focus on empowering Emirati nationals working in the private sector.

Making the announcement, Mohammed Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs, said the UAE will invest AED 24 billion to employ 75,000 Emiratis in the private sector.

The government will also form the Emirati Talent Competitiveness Council headed by His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs. His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan will step in as deputy, with a group of ministers and officials, and His Excellency Ghannam Al Mazrouei will step in as Secretary-General of the Council.

The Emirati Talent Competitiveness Council, chaired by HH Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, aims to create 75,000 private sector jobs for Emiratis with incentives for them to join the private sector and gain the backing they need to thrive and prosper. pic.twitter.com/sltCdrj2mf

— UAEGOV (@UAEmediaoffice) September 12, 2021

The government will also "bear the cost of training citizens in the private sector for up to a full year".

University students will be supported with a monthly salary of AED 8,000, with salaries of citizens in the private sector subsidized for a period of 5 years after employment, with a maximum of an additional AED 5,000 per month above the salary.

The government will also allocate a programme to support Emiratis working in distinguished majors in the private sector, such as programmers, nurses, accountants, and others, with a fixed bonus of AED 5,000 per month above their salaries for a period of five years.

The government will bear the pension fund contributions for the citizen employee in the private sector for 5 years.

The Pension Program provides a range of subsidies that brings the first-year cost of Emirati pensions down to zero for employers and helps pay for costs over five years. pic.twitter.com/meY7Q4pypt

— UAEGOV (@UAEmediaoffice) September 12, 2021

For the first time, the government will pay allowances for children of the citizens working in the private sector, with up to AED 800 per child and a maximum of AED 3,200.

A government child allowance payment will be paid to Emirati staff working in the private sector. pic.twitter.com/KvrWr1A1ZK

— UAEGOV (@UAEmediaoffice) September 12, 2021

An Alumni Fund with a capital of AED 1 billion under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan will grant micro-loans to university students and recent graduates in cooperation with national universities, with the aim of supporting them in starting their own projects.

An integrated programme will help develop national cadres in the nursing sector, including 3 training and academic tracks, including the health assistant, a higher diploma in emergency medicine and a bachelor's programme for nursing, targetting 10,000 citizens within 5 years.

A vocational training programme will be launched in cooperation with private and semi-governmental companies for a period of up to 12 months, with monthly financial rewards for the trained citizens, with the aim of supporting them with experience that qualifies them to join distinguished jobs in the private sector.

Starting 2022, those working in the federal sector will be able to take a 6-12 month sabbatical to establish their own businesses, while being paid 50 per cent of their salaries. Meanwhile, federal government employees will also have the option of early retirement after they reach 50 years of age if they wish to start their own businesses.

Beginning 2022, a subsidized career break will be available for Emiratis in Federal Government. pic.twitter.com/jCJ0NAkBf6

— UAEGOV (@UAEmediaoffice) September 12, 2021

A temporary financial aid will also be given to citizens who lost their jobs in the private sector and will be given six months to search for another job.

The government will also set target percentages for Emiratis employed in the private sector, starting at 2 per cent and increasing annually to reach 10 per cent after five years. The companies will be given 5 years to reach the target percentages for the same.

The new announcements include grants for students and fresh graduates to take up private sector roles, a billion Dirham graduate business development fund, a government-backed new private sector child allowance and unemployment benefit. pic.twitter.com/YYQi1Dy7sD

— UAEGOV (@UAEmediaoffice) September 12, 2021

These programmes will be developed over the next 50 years, with the announcements coming ahead of the country’s 50th National Day celebrations in December.

The first set under the 50 national projects, which was unveiled on September 5, included visas for freelancers, highly skilled professionals, investors and top students.

On September 2, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces made the big announcement for the 50 projects.