Nafis Incentives Explained: How to Offset Emiratisation Costs [2026]

Answer Capsule: Nafis is the federal programme that makes private-sector employment more attractive for Emiratis. Its salary support tops up the difference between an eligible employee's salary and a target salary — capped at a ceiling Nafis does not publish, with eligibility including a current salary of up to AED 30,000/month. A published child allowance adds AED 600 per child per month (up to four children) for salaries under AED 50,000. Combined with the AED 6,000 Emirati minimum wage (in force since 1 January 2026), Nafis materially lowers the effective cost of Emiratisation hires — but the exact top-up is confirmed case-by-case on nafis.gov.ae.

Emiratisation is expensive — or is it? When you factor in Nafis support, the real cost of hiring Emirati employees is lower than most business owners assume. This guide covers what the programme officially publishes, and where you need to confirm case-by-case.

Salary Support: What Nafis Actually Publishes

The Emirati Salary Support Scheme commits to "a top-up of the difference between their salary and the relevant target salary, no greater than a specified ceiling amount" — and deliberately does not publish that ceiling or a fixed duration. Third-party sites quote specific monthly figures by education level; none of those numbers appear on the official page, so we don't republish them. Key published eligibility conditions:

• Employed full-time in the private sector (or the financial sector)
• Currently earning up to AED 30,000 per month
• Salary paid through the Wages Protection System (WPS) or another official payment method
• Active pension contribution (ADPF or GPSSA), paid for the last 2 months
• No shares owned in the employing establishment
• No salary or pension from a federal or local government entity

The top-up is paid to the employee, not the employer — the employer pays the agreed salary through WPS and Nafis bridges toward the target salary. For your hiring budget, that means private-sector packages compete with government offers without you funding the whole gap.

Child Allowance: A Published Figure

The Child Allowance Scheme is concrete: AED 600 per child per month, for up to four children, for Emirati employees earning under AED 50,000 per month (private sector under MOHRE, or banking/financial/insurance under CBUAE), subject to WPS and pension conditions.

Additional Nafis Benefits

Pension support: the programme supports pension contributions for Emirati private-sector employees, reducing the employer's social-insurance burden — details per case on the Nafis platform.

Unemployment protection and training: Nafis runs unemployment-protection and subsidised professional-development programmes that make private-sector roles less risky and more attractive to Emirati candidates.

How to Register

Step 1: Create an employer account on nafis.gov.ae using your trade licence and MOHRE establishment card details.

Step 2: Register each Emirati employee individually, providing their Emirates ID, employment contract, and WPS salary confirmation.

Step 3: Confirm the support package for each hire — amounts are determined by Nafis per employee, so build your budget on the confirmed figure, not on third-party estimates.

Why This Matters for 2026 Compliance

Mainland companies with 50+ employees must reach their Emiratisation targets by 31 December 2026, and the AED 6,000 Emirati minimum wage applies since 1 January 2026. Nafis support is what turns those obligations from a pure cost into a subsidised hire — and strong Emiratisation performance also feeds your MOHRE company classification, which prices every work permit you issue.

Emiratisation Services | Full Emiratisation Guide

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Does the Nafis subsidy go to the employer or the employee? A: To the employee. The employer pays the agreed salary through WPS, and Nafis tops up toward the target salary.

Q: How much is the Nafis salary top-up? A: Nafis does not publish a fixed amount, ceiling, or duration — the official page commits only to a top-up capped at "a specified ceiling amount". The figure is confirmed per employee on the Nafis platform; treat any specific monthly number you see elsewhere as unofficial.

Q: Can I register for Nafis if my company is in a free zone? A: The programme primarily targets companies subject to Emiratisation requirements (MOHRE-registered private sector, plus the CBUAE-regulated financial sector). Free-zone companies should check eligibility directly on the Nafis platform.

Q: How much is the Nafis child allowance? A: AED 600 per child per month, for up to four children, for eligible Emirati employees earning under AED 50,000 per month — one of the few figures Nafis publishes outright.