UAE’s Nafis Programme Introduces Sweeping Changes to Emirati Salary Support
UAE nationals working across the private and banking sectors are facing a significant overhaul of the financial support they receive through Nafis, the Emirates Competitiveness Council’s flagship Emiratisation programme, with new rules taking effect from September 2026. The changes touch three core areas of the programme: salary support levels, pension contributions through the Eshtirak scheme, and child allowances, marking one of the most substantial revisions to Nafis since its launch.
According to the Emirati Talent Competitiveness Council, the revised framework applies immediately to new beneficiaries joining the programme from September, while existing recipients of the private-sector Emirati Salary Support Scheme will transition to the new structure gradually, over a period of up to three years.
New Support Levels and a Standardised Threshold
Under the updated framework, maximum monthly salary support has been set at Dh6,000 for bachelor’s degree holders, Dh5,000 for diploma holders, and Dh4,000 for secondary school graduates. Those below secondary school level can receive up to Dh4,000 if married or with dependants, or up to Dh3,000 if unmarried without dependants. Critically, the official framework caps eligibility at a monthly salary of Dh20,000, meaning employees earning above that threshold will not qualify for support under the revised scheme.
The council has also standardised the minimum salary required for Nafis support eligibility at Dh6,000 per month across all eligible categories, a change it says brings the programme into alignment with the Cabinet’s broader minimum wage decision. Employers who fail to meet this minimum wage requirement may face administrative penalties and fines under applicable UAE labour regulations, according to Nafis.
A Gradual Transition for Existing Recipients
For UAE nationals already registered with Nafis on or before August 14, current benefit levels exceeding the updated support amounts will be reduced gradually rather than cut immediately. Employees earning between Dh20,000 and Dh30,000 per month will see their support automatically reduced by Dh500 every six months until it reaches zero, while those earning up to Dh20,000 will see support reduced by Dh500 every six months until it aligns with the newly approved levels.
A separate, more gradual arrangement applies to employees working for free zone employers not covered by the standard Dh6,000 minimum wage requirement. Their benefits will remain unchanged from September 2026 through February 2027, before being reduced by 30 percent between March and August 2027, and by a further 70 percent between September and November 2027, at which point support will end entirely. Meanwhile, UAE national employees working for free zone companies earning below Dh6,000 will become newly eligible for salary support, for a maximum period of 15 months.
New Support Schemes for Families
Alongside the changes to existing salary support, Nafis has introduced two entirely new support schemes: the Salary Scheme for Children of Emirati Mothers Working in the Private Sector, and the Salary Support Scheme for Wives of Emirati Citizens Working in the Private Sector. Both new schemes will offer monthly support of up to Dh3,000, though further eligibility details are expected to be announced by Nafis at a later date.
The child allowance component of the programme, meanwhile, will no longer be subject to a cap under the revised framework, a change officials say reflects the initiative’s continued focus on strengthening family stability and easing household financial pressures for Emirati families. More than 38,000 children have already benefited from the Child Allowance Scheme since Nafis first launched, according to figures shared by officials.
Why the Changes Matter
The Nafis programme has played a central role in the UAE’s broader Emiratisation strategy since its introduction, designed to make private sector employment more financially attractive to UAE nationals relative to traditional public sector roles, which have historically offered higher salaries and more generous benefits. By recalibrating support levels and introducing a standardised minimum wage threshold, officials appear to be aiming for a more targeted, sustainable version of the programme, one that continues supporting lower and middle-income Emirati employees while gradually reducing support for higher earners who arguably need it less.
For Emirati professionals currently receiving Nafis support, particularly those earning toward the upper end of the previous support brackets, the phased reductions represent a meaningful, if gradual, change to household finances that will require careful financial planning over the coming three years as the new framework is fully implemented.
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