Nafis supports UAE nationals employed in the private sector. From September 2026, salary support requires a monthly salary of at least AED 6,000 and no more than AED 20,000. Your qualification determines how much you receive, not whether you qualify.
Source: Emirati Talent Competitiveness Council · Checked August 2026
Part of the full Emiratisation compliance guide.
The three tests
You are a UAE national. Nafis is a citizen programme.
You work in the private sector. The programme exists to move Emirati participation toward private employment.
Your salary sits inside the band. At least AED 6,000, at most AED 20,000. The floor is standardised across all Nafis schemes, in line with the Cabinet minimum wage decision.
Meet all three and you are inside the framework. Your qualification then sets the amount. See Nafis salary support.
What your qualification determines
Not whether you qualify. How much you receive.
| Qualification | Maximum monthly support |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | AED 6,000 |
| Diploma | AED 5,000 |
| Secondary certificate | AED 4,000 |
| Below secondary, married or with dependants | AED 4,000 |
| Below secondary, single | AED 3,000 |
Below secondary level, the amount turns on family circumstances rather than qualification alone.
The family schemes have their own conditions
Children of Emirati mothers. Salary between AED 6,000 and AED 20,000, and an accredited bachelor’s degree.
Women married to Emirati men. New from September 2026. Up to AED 3,000 a month, requiring a salary between AED 6,000 and AED 15,000, note the lower ceiling, an accredited bachelor’s degree, an Emirati husband who is employed, retired, or unable to work for certified medical reasons, and at least two children.
Child allowance. The cap on the number of children has been removed. The per-child amount is not confirmed here (unconfirmed at the time of writing).
How to register
Through UAE Pass. Registration is free.
What people get wrong
Thinking a degree is required. It is not. Support reaches secondary and below-secondary levels.
Thinking free zone employment excludes you. Not automatically. For private-sector employees outside MOHRE and Central Bank scope, a gradual adjustment mechanism applies where salary is below the approved minimum. See Emiratisation and free zones.
Assuming registration is the end of it. Eligibility is continuing. Salary band, employment status and WPS compliance all have to keep holding.
The conditions people trip over
Salary paid outside WPS. However much you earn, this puts eligibility at risk.
Changing employer. Check the position before you move, not after. This is the most common way people interrupt their own support.
Salary crossing AED 20,000. Salary support does not extend above the ceiling.
Already receiving support. Existing beneficiaries transition to the September 2026 framework over up to three years.
Read next: Nafis, everything the programme offers beyond salary support.
Last checked August 2026 · Sources: official platforms
