Dubai: More than 30,000 private sector jobs will be up for grabs for Emiratis in 2019, it was announced on Sunday.
The announcement was made by Nasser Bin Thani Al Hamli, Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation, during a media briefing held at the headquarters of the ministry in Dubai, in which he announced the 2018 Emiratisation results.
Al Hamli stressed that Emiratisation represents a top national priority and to that end, the government seeks to create an attractive work environment for national cadres in both the public and private sectors through a set of policies, initiatives and effective measures.
“The government is working with concerned authorities to help unleash Emiratis’ potential in line with the requirements of the labour market,” Al Hamli added.
The ministry’s relentless efforts come in the wake of the directives of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai to redouble Emiratisation, the minister reaffirmed.
Four Main Tracks
Outlining the 2019 Emiratisation agenda, Al Hamli said, “During the current year, Emiratis will be empowered through four main tracks, the first of which is implementing the national employment policy, which aims to attract, train and empower Emirati cadres in the job market and build a highly productive, knowledge-based economy.”
Al Hamli said that future changes to be witnessed by the UAE by 2031 will directly affect the job market, creating new and vital sectors and boosting the some existing sectors. According to estimates, the total number of Emiratis working in the public and private sector is expected to reach 610,000.
The national employment policy focuses on five main tenets, namely boosting Emiratis’ participation in the labour market, equipping Emirati cadres with skills required for the labour market, attracting highly qualified and skilled professionals, promoting entrepreneurship and building a knowledge-based economy.
Article 14
The second track focuses on activating Article 14 of the law on the regulation of labour relations, which states that, “It is not permissible for a recruitment department to hire non-Emiratis before making sure that no Emirati registered in the employment section is unemployed and able to perform the work required.”
“Article 14 will be gradually activated through targeting businesses that have 10 workers and more, according to the skill levels I, II and III, as well as the average salaries paid to employees ranging from Dh5,000 to Dh12,000 and more,” Al Hamli revealed.
A total of 316 professions have been identified by the ministry and will be held by Emiratis in accordance with criteria and professions that fall in the skill levels I, II and III and are suitable for Emiratis.
Al Hamli highlighted that a flexible and easy electronic mechanism has been developed to activate Article 14. The targeted company applying for a work permit will set a date to participate in a recruitment open day and hold interviews with Emiratis nominated by the ministry to fill its open positions. In case the interview is successful and the company approves the Emirati candidate, the job position will be closed.
Otherwise, the company has to explain why it did not select any nominated Emirati candidate. After evaluating and considering the reasons of rejection, the ministry will grant the targeted company work permit to hire a non-Emirati, the minister said.
Qualitative Emiratisation
Under the third track, the ministry will speed up Qualitative Emiratisation in a new economic sector in parallel with the development of Qualitative Emiratisation in the economic sectors targeted to accelerate Emiratisation, such as civil aviation and real estate development and communications, the minister said.
Self-employment
The ministry is about to finalise a self-employment policy, which represents the fourth track of the 2019 Emiratisation Plan, the minister announced. The plan will enable Emiratis earn a monthly income by working independently, which will create employment opportunities for Emiratis, especially in remote areas and help hire Emirati women who do not want to adhere to official timings and workplace. The policy will instill a culture of self-employment among Emiratis and correct prevailing misconceptions. It will also promote cooperation and partnership between the public, private and civil sectors to provide self-employment opportunities.
“We are currently working on the development of an electronic platform linking Emiratis who are doing their own businesses to companies and various entities that have projects and need temporary support to perform some of their tasks” Al Hamli said.
2018 Results
He said that the ‘Qualitative Emiratisation and Direct Employment’ was first launched in 2018, with the aim of creating 15,000 job opportunities for Emiratis in vital economic sectors. The ministry, in collaboration with its partners, has implemented 10 Emiratisation accelerators in the following sectors: aviation, transportation, real estate development, communications and technology, service centers, finance and banking, insurance, retail, and tourism.
The ministry’s efforts in 2018 have resulted in providing more than 20,000 job opportunities, up from 6000 in 2017, Al Hamli added.
More than 11,000 Emiratis have benefited from jobs made available by the ministry, 74 per cent of which are registered with the ministry. Around 98 per cent of the total employees have worked at highly skilled jobs, with 58 per cent in managerial positions, 15 per cent as specialists, 12 per cent as technicians and specialist assistants, 8 per cent as legislators, senior officials and managers and 5 per cent in service and sales posts.
Al Hamli underscored that 92 per cent of employees’ jobs focused on five value-added economic activities with 49 per cent in financial and insurance sector, 14 per cent in wholesale and retail sector, 14 per cent in information and communications sector, 12 per cent in real estate development and 3 per cent in tourism and hospitality sector.
The ministry follows up on Emiratis who fail to pass job interviews and analyses the reasons behind not being selected. Then, they (Emiratis) join Tamkeen programme which aims to train and guide them professionally and enable them to pass later interviews, he concluded.
