Emiratisation Rules for Clinics in the UAE: Targets and Fines
Short answer: The Emiratisation rules for clinics depend on headcount. A private clinic or medical centre with 50 or more employees must grow its share of Emiratis in skilled jobs by 2 percent a year, split into 1 percent each half year. A clinic with 20 to 49 employees falls under the smaller company rule because medical and dental clinics, physiotherapy, radiology and optics centres and pharmacies are all on MOHRE’s list of targeted activities. Missing a target triggers annual financial contributions for each Emirati you should have hired.
Last verified: October 2026 against MOHRE Ministerial Resolution No. 455 of 2023, the u.ae page on employing Emiratis in the private sector, and MOHRE statements from October 2025 and June 2026.
Key Takeaways
- Clinics with 50 or more staff must add 2 percent Emiratis in skilled jobs each year, with 1 percent due by 30 June and 1 percent by 31 December.
- Clinics with 20 to 49 staff are covered because “Medical and Dental Clinics Activities” sits in the health section of the MOHRE activity list, along with physiotherapy, radiology, optics and pharmacy retail.
- For the 50 plus group, MOHRE said contributions for unmet first half 2026 targets start from 1 July 2026, in the AED 10,000 a month range per unfilled post.
- An Emirati only counts if the work permit, contract, WPS salary and pension registration are all in order, and the job is a genuine skilled role.
- Fake Emiratisation is treated as a serious violation, with fines under Cabinet Resolution No. 95 of 2022 and a possible downgrade of your establishment classification.
Which Clinics the Emiratisation Rules Cover
The Emiratisation rules for clinics run on two separate tracks, and the first job is to work out which one you are on. Start from the headcount MOHRE holds on your establishment file, because that is the number the ministry works from, and remember it covers everyone on your own payroll, not just clinicians.
| Your headcount | What applies | Target |
|---|---|---|
| 50 or more employees | The general private sector target, any activity | 2 percent annual growth of Emiratis in skilled jobs, 1 percent per half year |
| 20 to 49 employees | Only if your licensed activity is on the MOHRE list (health activities are on it) | At least one Emirati hired in 2024 and another in 2025, and keep them |
| Under 20 employees | No headcount target under these two rules | None stated, but MOHRE updates its lists, so check your file each year |
The activity list annexed to Ministerial Resolution No. 455 of 2023 has a section called Health and Social Welfare Activities. It names medical and dental clinics, and gives examples of other health activities: physiotherapy and rehabilitation centres, radiological diagnostic centres, dental laboratories and prosthetic fabrication, and optics centres. Pharmacies appear separately under retail sale of pharmaceutical, medical and cosmetic products. Nurseries and early rehabilitation services appear under social work. MOHRE updates this list regularly and notifies targeted establishments through its digital channels, so a notice in your MOHRE account is the definitive answer.
The Targets and Deadlines Explained
For a clinic with 50 or more staff, the target is a 2 percent increase each year in the number of Emiratis in skilled jobs. MOHRE splits this into two deadlines: 1 percent by 30 June and the remaining 1 percent by 31 December. Plan the hires early, because recruitment and licensing in healthcare take months, not weeks.
For a clinic with 20 to 49 staff, Ministerial Resolution No. 455 of 2023 set the requirement as one Emirati hired in 2024 and another in 2025. MOHRE’s October 2025 statement described the same group as needing at least one UAE national while keeping those already employed. If the number of Emiratis on your file falls after a target year, the resolution gives you a maximum of two months to appoint a replacement before the contribution for that year applies. We have not found a published 2026 target for this group, so if your clinic is in it, check your MOHRE dashboard for any new notice rather than assuming the rule has ended.
What Happens If You Miss the Target
The penalty is called a financial contribution, and it is charged for each Emirati you were expected to hire but did not.
| Group | What MOHRE has published |
|---|---|
| 50 or more employees | In June 2026 MOHRE said contributions for unmet first half 2026 targets start on 1 July 2026, in the AED 10,000 a month range per unfilled position (around AED 120,000 a year) |
| 20 to 49 employees, 2024 target | A contribution in the AED 96,000 range per Emirati not hired, collected from January 2025, payable in monthly instalments |
| 20 to 49 employees, 2025 target | A contribution in the AED 108,000 range per Emirati not hired, collected from January 2026, payable in monthly instalments |
You may see older figures quoted online, so go by the latest MOHRE statement and your own establishment file. Beyond the money, MOHRE has said non-compliance can lead to legal action, including a downgrade of your company’s classification in MOHRE’s establishment classification system. If you think a decision is wrong, the resolution confirms you can appeal to MOHRE’s grievance committee.
What Counts as a Real Emirati Hire
This is where clinics most often get caught out. Under the u.ae guidance, an Emirati employee counts toward your target only when you have done all of the following:
- Issued a UAE national work permit through MOHRE and used a contract that follows MOHRE rules.
- Paid the salary through the Wages Protection System (WPS), at no less than the minimum wage for Emiratis in the private sector, which is AED 6,000 a month from 1 January 2026.
- Registered the employee with the pension and social security system and started contributions within one month of the work permit.
- Given them a real skilled role, a proper workplace, tools and the training the role needs, and paid them the same as colleagues in the same position.
Hiring someone on paper who never works, reclassifying employees or cutting headcount to dodge a target are all listed as violations. Cabinet Resolution No. 95 of 2022 and No. 44 of 2023 set penalties for fake Emiratisation and for deceptive ways of avoiding targets, and MOHRE says it uses digital and field inspections to find them. For a licensed healthcare facility it is simply not worth the risk.
A Practical Plan for Meeting Emiratisation Rules for Clinics
In our experience the clinics that meet the Emiratisation rules for clinics without stress treat it as a workforce plan, not a year end scramble. Here is the approach we use with clients:
- Confirm your track in January. Check your MOHRE establishment file for headcount, licensed activity and any target notice. Do it per legal entity, because a group with several licences may have different obligations for each one.
- Pick roles that fit. Emirati hires work best in roles with a real career path: patient relations, insurance and revenue cycle, practice management, HR, quality, and licensed clinical roles such as nursing, pharmacy and allied health.
- Allow for licensing time. A clinical hire needs a professional licence from DHA, DOH, SHA or MOHAP before they can practise, so start clinical recruitment well before the 30 June and 31 December deadlines.
- Use Nafis. MOHRE points employers to the Nafis platform to find qualified Emirati job seekers across specialisations, so post your roles there first.
- Budget for it. Put salaries, pension share and training into the annual budget next to the contribution you would pay if you miss.
- Look at the upside. MOHRE says companies with strong results can join the Emiratisation Partners Club, with discounts of up to 80 percent on MOHRE service fees and priority in government procurement.
Frequently Asked Questions.
Do Emiratisation rules for clinics apply to small practices?
Yes, if the clinic has 20 to 49 employees. Medical and dental clinics, physiotherapy, radiology and optics centres are on the MOHRE activity list for that group, which required one Emirati hire in 2024 and another in 2025. Clinics under 20 staff have no headcount target under these rules.
Do doctors and nurses count toward the Emiratisation target?
They can. The 50 plus target is measured on Emiratis in skilled jobs, so what matters is the skill level MOHRE records for the role, and licensed professional roles are the natural fit. The employee must hold a valid professional licence, a MOHRE work permit, a WPS salary and active pension registration to count.
What is the fine for not meeting Emiratisation targets in 2026?
For companies with 50 or more staff, MOHRE said contributions for missed first half 2026 targets start from 1 July 2026, in the AED 10,000 a month range per unfilled post. For the 20 to 49 group, the contribution for a missed 2025 hire is in the AED 108,000 range, collected from January 2026.
What is the minimum salary for an Emirati employee in a private clinic?
The u.ae guidance sets AED 6,000 a month as the minimum wage for Emiratis in the private sector from 1 January 2026. The salary must also match what others in the same role earn and be paid through WPS.
What is fake Emiratisation?
It means hiring Emiratis on paper, in roles that do not really exist, or using other tricks to look compliant. MOHRE treats it as a serious violation, with fines under Cabinet Resolution No. 95 of 2022 and possible downgrading of the company’s classification.
Where This Comes From.
- MOHRE Ministerial Resolution No. 455 of 2023 (20 to 49 employees, targeted activities annex)
- u.ae: Employing Emiratis in the Private Sector
- MOHRE: Companies Urged to Meet 2025 Emiratisation Targets Before 31 December (Oct 2025)
- WAM: MoHRE Reaffirms 30 June Deadline for H1 2026 Emiratisation Targets
- MOHRE Guidance Portal: Emiratisation Targets
How OzaniX Partners Can Help.
Our Healthcare HR Services team helps clinic owners check which Emiratisation track applies to each licence, map the roles where an Emirati hire makes real sense, set up compliant contracts, WPS and pension registration, and build the hiring plan into the yearly budget so the 30 June and 31 December deadlines never arrive as a surprise. Where a new hire needs a professional licence, our licensing team runs that in parallel.
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