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UAE Extends Nafis to 2040 With Shift to Skills and Strategic Private‑Sector Roles

Officials say the overhaul builds talent for high‑value jobs to reduce reliance on salary subsidies.

Overview

  • The Nafis programme, which officials updated Tuesday, will run to 2040 with a new focus on competency and strategic roles in sectors such as banking, artificial intelligence and real estate.
  • Authorities removed the four‑child cap on the child allowance and introduced up to Dh3,000 a month for children of Emirati mothers and for wives of Emirati men in private jobs.
  • Monthly top‑ups will be capped at Dh6,000 for bachelor’s holders, Dh5,000 for diploma holders and Dh4,000 for secondary graduates, with current payments trimmed by Dh500 every six months and a standard Dh6,000 minimum salary now in place.
  • The revised framework starts for new beneficiaries in September 2026, with existing recipients moving over in stages for up to three years and free‑zone workers receiving phased support.
  • Since 2021 the programme has helped employ 176,000 Emiratis, with about 152,000 now in private jobs and women accounting for 74 percent of beneficiaries.