Page 67 - EHRDC PR REPORT - SEPTEMBER 2025

9/24/25, 10:57 AM UAE government jobs: Private sector experience a major advantage for citizens | Khaleej Times
He further explained that the rigorous environment of the private
sector serves as a valuable training ground. “Working in the private
sector is characterised by strictness regarding profits, goals,
attendance, and task performance, among other things. This is like a
training course preparing the citizen for joining the government later.
It is well known that the government, led by Sheikh Mohammed bin
Rashid, will not accept anything less than that.”

The knowledge and experience available in private companies
significantly contribute to enhancing efficiency among workers,
making it both easier and necessary to attract them to government
roles as valuable additions to the public sector workforce.

Policy framework supports transition

This growing interest in private sector experience is supported by a
recent UAE Cabinet decision to give priority in federal government
jobs to Emirati applicants with at least three years of experience in
the private sector.

The decision, announced in May 2024, aims to leverage the
expertise from the private sector to boost services offered within
government departments.

This policy is part of a broader push to encourage Emiratis to take up
jobs in the private sector, with laws in place requiring private firms to
increase the number of Emiratis on their payroll every year.

Under current regulations, private sector companies with 50 or more
employees must achieve a two per cent annual increase in
Emiratization for skilled positions, targeting an overall rate of 10 per
cent by 2026.

The requirements have been expanded to include companies with
20-49 employees, who must hire at least one UAE citizen starting in
2024, increasing to two by 2025.

The policy shift reflects the UAE leadership’s recognition that the
traditional divide between public and private sector benefits is
narrowing, making cross-sector mobility more attractive for Emirati
professionals.

As government entities compete for top talent, the emphasis on
private sector experience signals a new era of public sector
recruitment that values commercial expertise and adaptability.

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