Emiratisation: from policy to implementation

Abstract

Emiratisation is an affirmative action policy of the United Arab Emirates Government that gives preferential hiring status to Emiratis over expatriates in order to preserve national identity, economic sustainability, and political stability. Although the policy has been practiced for a decade, the unemployment problem for Emiratis persists in the both private and public sectors. According to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) National Human Resources Development and Employment Authority, unemployment among Emiratis reached 12.7% or 290,000 in 2010. This surge in unemployment results from a massive reliance on foreign workforce employment throughout the UAE region. Given the absence of empirical data, this research relies on published government documents, personal interviews with public officials and private sector executives, and a survey questionnaire. Findings indicated that seven factors largely contribute to a disparity between the Emiratisation policy and its intended results. Several recommendations are offered for future research and possible Emiratisation policy revisions.