UAE Sets Dh6,000 Minimum Wage for Emiratis in Private Sector Starting 2026

The United Arab Emirates has announced a new minimum wage of Dh6,000 for Emirati citizens working in the private sector, effective January 1, 2026. The decision was issued by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (Mohre) and aims to further strengthen Emiratisation efforts across the country.

The update was first published on the Mohre smart app on December 27, with additional clarification later shared through the ministry’s official account on X. According to Mohre, the new minimum salary requirement will apply to all services related to issuing, renewing, or amending citizen work permits.

From the start of 2026, employers will be required to register a minimum salary of Dh6,000 for Emirati employees in the private sector. Mohre confirmed that employers will receive alert notifications through its official service channels and the smart app to ensure awareness and compliance with the new rule.

Once the policy comes into force, employers will not be allowed to print or submit any application for the issuance, renewal, or amendment of a citizen work permit if the registered salary is below Dh6,000. In such cases, employers will be prompted to adjust the salary before proceeding.

If salaries are not corrected by June 30, 2026, enforcement measures will begin on July 1, 2026. These measures include excluding the Emirati employee from Emiratisation quota calculations and placing restrictions on the establishment, preventing the issuance of new work permits until salaries are brought into compliance.

Mohre clarified that the new minimum wage applies only to citizen work permits with a two-year validity, whether newly issued, renewed, or amended, and will be enforced starting January 1, 2026.

Previously, the ministry had set a minimum salary of Dh5,000 for Emiratis hired from January 1, 2025. Employers who failed to meet that requirement by the end of February 2025 risked having those employees excluded from Emiratisation targets and faced restrictions on new work permit issuance.