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UAE to implement year-long leave for govt employees looking to start own businesses from January 2

Initiative was first announced in July this year as a means to allow Emiratis to start their own entrepreneurial journeys

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The UAE has announced that it will begin implementing year-long sabbatical leave for UAE citizens working in the government sector and wishing to start their own business ventures from January 2, 2023.

The initiative was first announced in July this year by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, as a means to allow Emiratis to start their own entrepreneurial journeys while retaining government jobs. According to WAM, it is one of the "Projects of the 50" initiatives and the first of its kind in the world.

Emiratis will get half their salaries during this period. The year-long sabbatical is among the paid leaves that will be offered to Emiratis working in the government sector and wishing to start or manage their businesses in the private sector. The leave will be approved by the head of the federal authority the employee works for, and can be combined with unpaid leave and annual leave.

“Our goal is to encourage the youth to take advantage of the huge commercial opportunities offered by our national economy,” Sheikh Mohammed had said at the time.

"The Entrepreneurship Leave for self-employment reflects the pioneering vision of the UAE leadership, which aims to motivate the UAE national cadres to approach the world of entrepreneurship," said Laila Obaid Al Suwaidi, Acting Director-General of the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources.

"The authority worked on preparing a guide for Entrepreneurship Leave for self-employment, regulating the mechanism and procedures for granting ministries and federal entities the Entrepreneurship Leave for self-employment, to their national employees wishing to launch their own projects. In coordination with the Ministries of Economy, Human Resources and Emiratisation, the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources has also prepared a detailed guide for economic projects and establishments that contribute to the revitalization of the country's economy, including details that help the authorities when considering their employees' requests for Entrepreneurship Leave for self-employment," added Al Suwaidi.

Al Suwaidi indicated that the UAE government would work to launch partnerships with business incubators and leading companies in the private sector, to build the capabilities of employees who have obtained an Entrepreneurship Leave for self-employment, and support them in the fields of entrepreneurship, establishing and managing companies.

She explained that the authority is keen to clarify the controls, conditions and procedures that support the federal authorities while evaluating requests for Entrepreneurship Leave for self-employment, pointing out that the authority re-engineered the approved electronic systems for human resources in the federal government. Coordination was also made with the Ministry of Finance to update the approved electronic systems for the budget and salaries, in accordance with the provisions of the resolution.

The UAE national employees of the federal government can check the conditions and requirements for obtaining an Entrepreneurship Leave for self-employment, through visiting the website of the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources www.fahr.gov.ae.

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