UAE federal vacancies set to rise to 7,842 in 2026

Abu Dhabi: A parliamentary report approved by the Federal National Council has revealed that the number of vacant positions across the UAE’s federal government will rise to 7,842 in 2026, stressing the need for new federal initiatives to fill critical roles as government restructuring accelerates.

The findings were outlined in a report prepared by the Council’s Committee on Financial, Economic and Industrial Affairs as part of its review of the 2026 federal budget. 

The document, according to Al Khaleej newspaper, highlights the outcomes of recent government restructuring, including the addition of seven new federal entities with a combined budget of Dh1.315 billion.

The newly established bodies cover key sectors, including government affairs, social development and economic infrastructure.

They include the UAE Research and Development Council, the Executive Office for Control and Non-Proliferation, the UAE National Anti Money Laundering and Combatting Financing of Terrorism and Financing of Illegal Organizations Committee, the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, the Ministry of Family, the National Olympic Committee, and the Ministry of Foreign Trade.

The report also highlighted institutional changes, such as the transformation of the Ministry of Community Development into the Ministry of Community Empowerment, the integration of early education into the Ministry of Education, and the establishment of a new Ministry of Sports. 

These moves are part of a strategic push to modernise government structures and improve efficiency in line with the national vision, We the UAE 2031. At the same time, the committee cautioned that repeated restructuring in some sectors could pose challenges to organisational stability and the accumulation of institutional expertise.

Despite the staffing gaps, the report pointed to a balanced federal budget of Dh92.4 billion for 2026, with revenues matching expenditures and no reliance on reserves. It noted a decline in the debt-to-revenue ratio from 128.3 per cent in 2025 to 91 per cent in 2026.

Federal revenues are projected to grow from Dh56.7 billion in 2022 to Dh92.4 billion in 2026, averaging annual growth of 12 per cent. Tax revenues have nearly doubled, while reliance on grants has fallen. 

On the spending side, the committee observed that total federal expenditure will rise to Dh92.4 billion in 2026, with notable increases in social development, education and healthcare. It also flagged a sharp rise in investment allocations and research and development spending, alongside concerns over growing in-year funding requests and delays in issuing executive regulations that could limit the effectiveness of approved programmes.

The surge in vacant roles, the report’s ninth key observation, was highlighted as a pressing issue, with lawmakers urging coordinated federal action to attract and deploy qualified talent, particularly Emirati professionals, to ensure government readiness and service continuity.

The committee welcomed the government’s responsiveness to previous parliamentary recommendations, particularly those aimed at improving quality of life, and called for continued focus on health insurance, family support programmes and services for people of determination, to maximise the social impact of the 2026 budget.