Award Categories
Entities Category
The Entities category recognizes and highlights exceptional practices in the employment and development of Emirati talent within the private and banking sectors. This category aims to celebrate outstanding contributions and enhance the partnership between government and the private sector, driving progress towards governmental goals and fostering economic growth through skilled Emirati professionals.
Scope
The scope includes all entities that fall under the Emiratization targets set by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation and the Central Bank of the UAE, excluding organizations operating in free zones and entities licensed by other legislative authorities.
Eligibility Criteria
- 1
The entity must maintain a record free of violations related to non-compliance with the laws and regulations governing the labour market.
- 2
The entity must have achieved the Emiratization Target:
MOHRE registered entities: the entity must have achieved an increase of 2% or more in Emiratization rates compared to its previous results up to the date of announcing the award results.
CB registered entities: the must have achieved the Emiratization targets by the 31 December 2025.
Subcategories
Business Services Sector
Health Sector
Banking Sector
Manufacturing Sector
Hospitality Sector
Finance Sector
Trade Sector
Education Sector
Exchange Sector
Real Estate Sector
Transportation and Storage Sector
Insurance & Related Professions
Energy Sector
Information and Communication
Note: entities will be classified according to their economic sector and the size of the workforce under each sector to ensure accurate comparison and analysis of results.
Assessment Criteria
Entities Registered with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation
First Subcategory: Entities Supporting Emiratization
Evaluation Criteria
Evaluation Standards
First Criteria:
Recruitment and Emiratization
1.1 Emiratization percentage during the current year
1.2 Total number of new Emirati hires during the current year
Second Criteria:
Retention of Emiratis
2.1 Retention rate of Emirati employees in the company up to the current year.
Third Criteria:
Emirati Salaries
3.1 Median salaries of Emiratis compared to the median salaries of the expatriates in the same profession up to the current year
Fourth Criteria:
Utilization of Government Resources
4.1 The percentage of the entity’s job vacancies that were posted on the Nafis Platform during the current year, out of the entity’s total targeted vacancies.
4.2 The percentage of Emirati nationals hired through the Nafis Platform for the vacancies posted on it during the current year, out of the total Emirati nationals employed in the entity
Second Subcategory: Exceptional Efforts
- 1.
Entities’ that achieved more than 3 times the required Emiratization rates (with not less than 100 new Emirati)
- 2.
Entities’ that achieved 70% or more Emiratization rates of total employees (excluding entities with fewer than 50 employees)
- 3.
Entities’ that achieved the highest Emirati hiring rates during the year (with not less than 200 Emirati)
- 4.
Entities’ that maintained at least 50% of Emirati employees for 3 years or more
- 5.
Entities’ that achieved training rates during the year (with not less than 300 Emirati)
Diamond
Diamond
Achieving 4 or more of the criteria
Gold
Gold
Achieving at least 3 of the criteria
Silver
Silver
Achieving at least 2 of the criteria
Bronze
Bronze
Achieving at least 1 criteria
Entities Registered at The Central Bank of The UAE
First Subcategory: : Entities Supporting Emiratization
Evaluation Criteria
Evaluation Standards
First Criteria:
Recruitment and Emiratization
1.1 Emiratization rate by the end of the year 2025
1.2 Emiratization rate in critical/specialized positions 2025
1.3 Emiratization rate in Executive Level – ExCo for 2025.
1.4 Emiratization rate in the voting committees
Second Criteria:
Retention of Emiratis
2.1 Retention rate of UAE nationals (Employee Turnover Rate)
Third Criteria:
Career Progression
3.1 Career Progression of the UAE Nationals
Second Subcategory: : Exceptional Efforts in Emiratization
- 1.
Exceeding Emiratization Targets.
- 2.
Empowerment of Emirati Women in Leadership Roles.
- 3.
Total Number of UAE Nationals Hired in Remote Areas
- 4.
Total Number of UAE Nationals Enrolled in Training Programs
- 5.
Implement Emiratization initiatives
Diamond
Diamond
Achieving 5 or more of the criteria
Gold
Gold
Achieving at least 4 of the criteria
Silver
Silver
Achieving at least 3 of the criteria
Bronze
Bronze
Achieving at least 2 of the criteria
Individuals Category
In recognition of the vital role Emirati talent plays in driving the UAE’s economic growth and contributing to the UAE Vision 2031, the subcategories have been carefully crafted to encompass key areas within the private and banking sectors. This approach emphasizes core values of excellence and aims to inspire national talent to excel, enhancing their performance both professionally and personally.
Scope
All Emiratis working in the private, banking, insurance, financial sectors, private educational institutions, public benefit associations, or free zones (locally or internationally). The scope does not include employees in the government or semi-government sectors.
Eligibility Criteria
- 1
Must be a UAE national working in the private sector or banking sector
- 2
The applicant record must be free of any legal, behavioral, or professional violations, and this must be confirmed by attaching a No Objection Letter endorsed by the HR manager of the organization where the applicant works.
- 3
The applicant must remain in their position during the evaluation period and until the results are announced.
- 4
The applicant must be registered on the Nafis platform.
- 5
The applicant job title must align with the award category for which they are applying.
- 6
It is preferred that the applicant has at least two years of experience in the private sector.
Sub- categories
This category focuses on honoring national talents who hold senior managerial and leadership positions within private-sector entities, and who actively contribute to achieving the organization’s strategic objectives, competitiveness, and sustainability. It includes leaders who demonstrate strong capabilities in team management, decision-making, fostering innovation, and building a positive organizational culture that supports Emiratization and the development of national talent.
These roles involve the responsibility of supervising individuals, activities, and operational processes within the organization. Their purpose is to coordinate and guide efforts to ensure goals are achieved efficiently and effectively. This category targets all Emirati employees in the private sector who hold supervisory positions and oversee not less than three employees.
Medical professions play a vital role in safeguarding the health of community members and form a core pillar of an effective and sustainable healthcare system. The UAE is committed to encouraging its national talent to enter this field to meet labor market needs with highly qualified Emirati medical professionals across various specialties. This category aims to highlight outstanding Emirati physicians practicing medicine in the private sector who hold valid professional licenses.
Healthcare support professionals provide essential services that significantly contribute to healthcare delivery, diagnosis, and treatment, making them a vital pillar of the healthcare sector. This category is designated for all Emirati citizens practicing nursing and allied medical professions in the private sector and hold valid professional licenses.
Specialized jobs require specific skills, knowledge, and expertise that contribute to achieving the organization’s objectives. These roles often require specialized academic qualifications to ensure employees perform their tasks efficiently and effectively.
This category is dedicated to highlighting outstanding Emirati professionals working in various engineering fields within private-sector organizations, who contribute to implementing developmental projects, enhancing infrastructure, and promoting innovation and sustainability in the workplace. It includes engineers who demonstrate excellence in performance, quality execution, and competence in applying global technical standards.
This category aims to highlight national role models who possess future-ready skills and apply them in the workplace, in line with the UAE’s vision of building a sustainable, knowledge-based economy. It targets Emirati professionals working in diverse fields such as technology, artificial intelligence, robotics, renewable energy, big data, and more. These individuals contribute to advancing digital transformation, supporting the knowledge economy, and driving innovation in advanced technologies
Administrative roles form the backbone of organizational management and serve as the primary bridge between different departments and individuals. They provide essential services that contribute to organizational processes, coordinate daily operations, and facilitate effective communication among teams. This category highlights outstanding Emirati professionals working in the private sector, both inside and outside the country, across various administrative positions.
This category is designed to highlight outstanding Emirati professionals working exclusively in critical roles within banking and financial institutions, who have contributed to economic growth and financial stability through their exceptional performance and innovative initiatives. It includes employees who achieve tangible results in developing banking services, enhancing customer experience, advancing digital transformation, and ensuring adherence to best practices in governance and transparency.
This category is dedicated to highlighting national talents working in private educational institutions at various levels, who actively contribute to the development and quality of the education system. They demonstrate excellence in their professional and educational performance, serving as role models in commitment, innovation, and the development of national skills, while supporting the UAE’s educational objectives.
Retail and customer service roles are a cornerstone of success and sustainability in the private sector, as they significantly contribute to improving individuals’ quality of life and meeting their daily needs. This highlights the importance of Emirati participation in this vital sector, through engagement in various roles, including sales, retail, and direct customer service jobs.
Assessment Criteria
Evaluation Criteria
Evaluation Standards
First Criteria:
Performance and Continuous Learning
1.1 The applicant’s ability to set their professional and personal goals and the efforts made to achieve them.
1.2 The applicant’s dedication to advancing their education, acquiring new skills and experiences, and the impact on their performance.
1.3 The applicant’s innovative and creative initiatives (ideas, studies, projects, etc.) and their efforts in sharing and disseminating knowledge.
Second Criteria:
Adaptability and Positive Citizenship
2.1 The level of challenges faced by the applicants and their ability to overcome these challenges, turning them into opportunities for success and achieving goals.
2.2 The applicant’s familiarity with the country's vision and their commitment to embodying national identity values and positive citizenship through effective communication, tolerance with diverse cultures, and voluntary participation both inside and outside the workplace.
Third Criteria:
Leadership and Supervision
3.1 The applicant’s ability to define a clear strategy for the organizational unit/team they supervise and develop comprehensive plans to achieve it efficiently and effectively.
3.2 The applicant’s ability to monitor and evaluate the performance of the organizational unit/team using objective and positively motivating methods, and the application of reliable performance measurement techniques.
3.3 The applicant’s ability to develop and train the human resources under their supervision, prepare the next generation of employees, and delegate responsibilities effectively.
Fourth Criteria:
Results and Achievements
4.1 The extent to which the applicant has achieved outstanding performance results according to an approved performance evaluation system.
4.2 Significant achievements of the applicant at the professional level, such as contributing to the organization's profit margins, improving processes, or attracting UAE nationals to the private sector (including all organizations where the applicant has worked).
