MoHRE’s AI Labour Checks Raise the Bar for UAE Employer Compliance

The UAE Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) is using digital monitoring, data analysis, and artificial intelligence to strengthen labour-market compliance across the private sector.

One area of focus is fake Emiratisation, where a company formally registers a UAE national without a genuine working relationship. MoHRE said its 2025 inspection and governance results showed a 62 percent decline in fake Emiratisation cases and related Emiratisation violations compared with 2024, alongside a 34 percent rise in overall compliance levels.

What the monitoring involves

MoHRE's oversight combines field inspections with digital monitoring systems and risk indicators that help identify inconsistencies in employment records, work permits, and Emiratisation registrations.

In the first half of 2025, the ministry detected 405 cases of fake Emiratisation in private sector companies and said legal action was taken against the establishments involved. MoHRE describes fake Emiratisation as issuing a work permit and employment contract to a UAE national without an actual working relationship.

The ministry has also expanded related digital tools. Its AI-powered "Eye" system, launched during GITEX Global 2025, is designed to process work permit applications and verify documents such as photos, passports, and academic certificates. Separately, MoHRE said its Tawasul system handled more than 60 million customer communication engagements in 2025, supported by AI-enabled call centre services.

What this means for private firms

Private sector companies with 50 or more employees are required to meet Emiratisation targets in skilled roles. For the first half of 2026, MoHRE confirmed June 30 as the deadline for eligible firms to meet the required target, with financial contributions applying from July 1 for companies that fall short.

The practical message for employers is that Emiratisation compliance is not only about reaching a number on paper. Employment records, work permits, social insurance registration, salary payments, and the actual working relationship may all be reviewed through official inspection and digital monitoring channels.

MoHRE also said around 2,600 criminal reports were referred to public prosecution in 2025 for serious labour violations, including delayed wage payments, fake Emiratisation, employment without permits, and non-compliant labour accommodation.

What to verify, not assume

Companies should not assume that a formal contract alone is enough to satisfy Emiratisation requirements. If there is no genuine role, no real work arrangement, or no proper employment record, the arrangement may create compliance risk.

Employers looking to hire Emirati talent should use official channels such as Nafis and verify their obligations through MoHRE or qualified advisers. Workers or employers with concerns about possible violations should rely on official reporting channels rather than secondhand claims.

The wider signal is clear: UAE labour compliance is becoming more data-driven, and employers need records that match the reality of how people are hired, paid, and managed.

Key Takeaways

• MoHRE reported a 62 percent decline in fake Emiratisation cases and related Emiratisation violations in 2025 compared with 2024.
• Fake Emiratisation refers to formal employment documents issued to a UAE national without a genuine working relationship.
• Eligible private companies with 50 or more employees had until June 30, 2026 to meet first-half Emiratisation targets, with penalties applying from July 1 for non-compliance.

Sources: MoHRE, MoHRE, MoHRE, MoHRE, Gulf Business.

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