The United Arab Emirates has announced that the Nafis (i.e., “compete” in Arabic) program will be extended until 2040. Initially implemented in September 2021 for a period of five years, Nafis is a UAE government program that aims to boost Emirati employment in the private sector. To benefit from Nafis, an employee must be a UAE national and employed by a private sector entity regulated by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization or the UAE Central Bank. The individual must also be registered with the UAE pension fund.
Shifting Sands of Labor Law
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The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia issued Ministerial Decision no. 116264, dated 29 Sha’ban 1447 AH (17 February 2026), and an accompanying procedural guide (the Training Decision), which set clear obligations for establishments to train Saudi graduates and job seekers. The Training Decision aims to enhance performance and support employment in line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.