Divide the number of Emirati employees in skilled roles who earn at least AED 6,000 a month by your total skilled roles. That is your Emiratisation rate. Your target is that rate plus one percentage point by 30 June and another by 31 December, rounded up to whole employees.
Source: MOHRE · Checked August 2026
Part of the full Emiratisation compliance guide.
The formula
Emiratisation rate = qualifying Emirati employees in skilled roles
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total skilled roles
The two salary thresholds
This is where most calculations go wrong, so it is worth being precise.
| Threshold | What it decides | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| AED 4,000 | Whether a role is classified as skilled. Your denominator | Any employee, any nationality |
| AED 6,000 | Whether an Emirati counts toward your target. Your numerator | Emirati employees, from 1 July 2026 |
Both figures are current. Neither has replaced the other. An employer who reads the published skilled-worker definition, sees AED 4,000, and concludes an Emirati on AED 4,500 counts toward the target has made the most common error in this topic.
See what counts as a skilled role and minimum salary for Emirati employees.
The four steps
1. Count total registered employees. This decides whether you are in scope. See who has to comply.
2. Count skilled roles. Positions at occupational levels 1 to 5, with an attested qualification above secondary, and monthly salary of at least AED 4,000 excluding commission.
3. Apply the required percentage. Two points a year, one by 30 June and one by 31 December, measured as growth on your own base.
4. Count qualifying Emirati employees. Emiratis in those skilled roles paid at least AED 6,000 a month.
Worked example
74 employees · 46 skilled roles · 5 Emiratis in skilled roles, two of them on AED 4,800
Step 1, in scope? 74 employees, mainland. Yes.
Step 2, denominator. 46 skilled roles. Note the two employees on AED 4,800 are still in the denominator. They clear the AED 4,000 skilled threshold.
Step 3, qualifying Emiratis. From 1 July 2026 those two do not count toward the target, because they are below AED 6,000. Qualifying: 3.
Current rate: 3 ÷ 46 = 6.5%
Step 4, the target.
| Assessment | Required rate | Of 46 roles | Rounded | Held | Shortfall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 June 2026 | 7.5% | 3.45 | 4 | 3 | 1 |
| 31 December 2026 | 8.5% | 3.91 | 4 | 3 | 1 |
Exposure: one unfilled position at AED 10,000 a month from 1 July, AED 60,000 to year end, AED 120,000 over a full year.
The cheaper fix
Raising those two employees from AED 4,800 to AED 6,000 costs AED 2,400 a month combined. It brings them into the count, taking qualifying employees from 3 to 5, above the requirement at both assessment dates, and eliminating the AED 10,000 monthly exposure.
AED 2,400 a month to avoid AED 10,000 a month. That calculation is invisible to anyone treating AED 4,000 as the relevant threshold.
Rounding conventions should be confirmed with MOHRE for your establishment. This example shows the mechanics.
The rounding effect nobody writes about
One percentage point of 46 skilled roles is 0.46 of a person. Both assessment dates round to 4, so one hire satisfies the whole year.
A company with 300 skilled roles has one percentage point equal to three people. June needs three; December needs three more.
The larger your skilled-role base, the harder your second half. Work out which you are before June, not after.
What people get wrong
Using total headcount as the denominator. Fifty is the scope threshold. The target uses skilled roles.
Using AED 4,000 as the counting test. It is the classification threshold, not the counting threshold.
Forgetting the expatriate skilled roles. Every skilled expatriate position sits in your denominator. Hiring a skilled expatriate raises the base and therefore raises the number of Emiratis you need.
Calculating once a year. Your denominator moves with every skilled hire or departure. Run it quarterly.
Read next: What counts as a skilled role. The definition your calculation rests on.
Last checked August 2026 · Sources: official platforms
