The Emirati Talent Competitiveness Council (ETCC) has announced the largest upgrade of the Nafis programme in recent years, synchronised with the extension of the Emiratisation strategy to 2040. A new architecture of salary thresholds, child allowances and family support takes effect for new beneficiaries on 1 September 2026; existing beneficiaries transition over up to three years.
New salary caps: Dh6K/5K/4K/3K and a Dh20K ceiling
The standardised minimum salary to qualify is Dh6,000/month; the ceiling is Dh20,000. The monthly support now depends on education level: Dh6,000 for a bachelor’s degree, Dh5,000 for a diploma, Dh4,000 for secondary education (and the same Dh4,000 for married or dependant applicants without secondary), Dh3,000 for single applicants without secondary. The ladder rewards Emiratis for taking first roles in the private sector while still keeping better-paid positions inside the programme.
Child allowance: cap on number of children removed
The headline easing, first flagged by ETCC in its April release (14.04.2026, Abu Dhabi): “removing the cap on the number of eligible children.” Per Khaleej Times, the rate stays at Dh600/month per child — now with no limit on the number. For families with 3+ children this materially changes the economics of choosing a private-sector role.
New support for spouses and children of Emiratis
Two new targeted family-support categories appear. Children of working Emirati mothers in the private sector can receive up to Dh3,000/month, subject to the mother earning Dh6,000–Dh20,000 and holding a bachelor’s degree. Spouses of Emiratis working in the private sector can receive up to Dh3,000/month, subject to a Dh6,000–Dh15,000 salary, a bachelor’s degree, and either 2+ children OR 5+ years of marriage. For doctors, teachers and PhD holders, 2 years of marriage is enough.
Pension contributions: employer pays in full
From September 2026, private employers definitively take on their full share of pension contributions for Emirati employees registered in the Ishtirak system. The earlier “0-2-4-5-6%” ladder for the first years of employment is gone: the employer’s full contribution applies from the first month. Nafis support is redirected to help the employee cover their own share. We covered the mechanics of this specific piece of the reform separately (see our note “Nafis: employers to fully cover Emirati pension from September”).
Existing beneficiaries — a smooth landing
To avoid a cliff for current recipients, ETCC set a transition path: payments decrease by Dh500 every six months, with the full switch to the new grid completing over up to three years. This gives both employees and HR functions time to reshape compensation packages.
What this means for business
As of March 2026, ETCC data show Nafis has placed over 176,000 Emiratis in the private sector (152,000 current beneficiaries across 32,000 establishments, 38,000+ children receiving allowance, 74% of beneficiaries are women). Emiratisation quotas remain mandatory for mainland companies with 20+ staff — the Nafis update does not lift them but sharpens the motivation side for the employee and their family. Companies should refresh their Emirati and multilingual-team hiring policies and align the payroll model with the wider 2026 regulatory picture, which we analyse in our overview of UAE business regulation in 2026.
As ETCC Secretary General Ghannam Al Mazrouei put it, “investment in national talent remains a cornerstone of the future economy.” For employers, that means September 2026 is not a one-off tweak but the start of a long-term Emiratisation model running through 2040.
