UAE sets minimum wage of Dh6,000 in private sector
The UAE has created a minimum wage of Dh6,000 per month for Emiratis working in the private sector starting January 1, 2026 under a ministerial decision by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (Mohre).
The update was rolled out first on the Mohre smart app on December 27. The ministry later elaborated on details of the incident in a post to X.
As of January 1, 2026, the minimum wage for Emirati workers in the private sector will be reviewed to Dh6,000, Mohre said. The amendment will cover services for the issuance, re-issuance and rectification of citizen work permits.
It added that it will alert employers about the fact that as of January 1, 2026, the minimum wage for Emiratis in the private sector is Dh6,000 through a circular on its service channels and Mohre smart app.
From that date, "no application for citizen work permit issuance, renewal and modification to print or submit any employer" will be accepted where the registered wage is less than Dh6,000. Employers will be informed that wages need to be changed.
If the salary is not corrected on June 30, 2026, enforcement action will be applied from July 1, 2026. They also comprise not accounting the Emirati employee when calculating the percentage of Emiratis in an establishment until his salary is increased, and not allowing an establishment to recruit new workers because the wages of its UAE employees are less than Dh6,000.
Mohre said the new rule will only be applicable for citizen work permits having a validity of two years, whether they are being issued afresh, renewed or amended and take effect from January 1, 2026.
Earlier, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation said that since January 1, all Emiratis employed should have drawn a minimum salary of Dh5,000 by the end of February, failure to do so would disqualify them from being counted in Emiratisation numbers and offending establishments could face restrictions on new work permits until salaries were adjusted.
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