Unemployment benefits, child allowance: UAE's salary support scheme for Emiratis explained

It applies to citizens working in private and banking sectors, and is expected to benefit more than 170,000 people over the next five years

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Lamya Tawfik

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Published: Thu 24 Nov 2022, 12:51 PM

Last updated: Thu 24 Nov 2022, 2:15 PM

The Emirati Talent Competitiveness Council (Nafis) announced yesterday that salary support for Emiratis working in the private and banking sectors will be increased. The expanded ‘Emirati Salary Support Scheme’ will boost government efforts to integrate Emiratis into these sectors.

It is expected to benefit more than 170,000 people over the next five years.


Here is all you need to know:

What is Nafis?

Nafis is a programme that aims to boost the competitiveness of Emirati human resources to encourage Emiratis to join the private sector. It was launched in September 2021 as part of the “Projects of the 50”. So far nearly 21,000 Emiratis have benefited from the programme’s financial assistance scheme, according to WAM.


The main objectives include enabling Emiratis to occupy 75,000 job opportunities in the private sector over the next five years and to create equal job opportunities in the private sector while providing suitable training and coaching programmes to encourage Emiratis to join the private sector.

The recent decision announced that the programme would broaden the nursing cadres to integrate the pharmaceutical, medical, and health sectors at all levels and specialisations.

Nafis includes the following programmes: Emirati Salary Support Scheme, Unemployment Benefit, Child Allowance Scheme, Pension Programme and On-the-job training support.

What is the Emirati Salary Support Scheme?

Government support for salaries of Emirati nationals aiming to work in the private sector. It includes Emiratis who would like to work and be part of training programmes in the private sector and who are employed full-time.

For the first-year on job training highest financial allowance for bachelor’s degree holders is Dh8,000. For diploma holders it is Dh6,500 and for high school diploma holders it is Dh4,000.

For five years, employees would be eligible for a top-up between the salaries they receive and the relevant target salary. If their salary is below Dh20,000, the highest financial allowance for bachelor’s degree holders is Dh7,000. For diploma holders it is Dh6,000 and for high school diploma holders it is Dh5,000.

If the salary is between Dh20,000 and Dh30,000 they highest financial allowance for bachelor’s degree holders would be Dh3,500. For diploma holders it is Dh3,000 and for high school diploma holders it is Dh2,500.

What are the unemployment benefits?

In case of an involuntary job loss in the private sector, Emirati nationals, under this scheme, will be provided temporary financial support while they look for a job. The temporary support period is 12 months, and the benefit period should not exceed 6 consecutive months.

Those receiving the unemployment benefit must actively look for employment in collaboration with relevant authorities and in case they refuse a job which is offered they lose the right to claim the benefit.

To benefit from the programme, the applicant must not have any other source of income, must be eligible to work and must be registered with a relevant Emiratisation database. The job loss must be due to reasons beyond their control and not due to ethical behaviour issues or for violating human resources law.

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What is the National Healthcare programme?

The programme targets 10,000 Emiratis within 5 years through paid scholarships with the aim of developing the national cadres in the medical and health sector professions, including medical, health and pharmaceutical specialities of all levels.

What is the child allowance scheme?

UAE nationals working in the private sector will be given children’s allowance of Dh600 per child for up to four children for a period of five years. The total monthly salary must not exceed Dh50,000. To be eligible, the Emirati national must be working in the private sector.

It is open for male Emiratis and female Emiratis (who are household providers). To be eligible, children must be below 21 years old and must not be employed or married.


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