UAE’s new Nafis rules set Dh6,000 salary threshold and remove child allowance cap.
The programme is also designed to help participants apply modern asset management methods to government planning, risk assessment and decision-making.
The agreement was signed at the Ministry of Finance’s Dubai offices by Younis Haji AlKhoori, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Finance, and Graeme Baxter, Country Manager in the UAE, in the presence of ministry officials and specialists.
For new Nafis beneficiaries, the maximum monthly salary support will vary by education level:
- Bachelor’s degree holders: Up to Dh6,000
- Diploma holders: Up to Dh5,000
- Secondary-school graduates: Up to Dh4,000
- Below secondary-school level: Up to Dh4,000 for those who are married or have dependants, and up to Dh3,000 for those who are unmarried or have no dependants.
Under the new framework, eligible employees must also have a monthly salary of no more than Dh20,000.
Salary support
The revised Nafis framework standardises the minimum salary for eligibility at Dh6,000 a month across all eligible categories, in line with the Cabinet’s minimum-wage decision.
For existing private-sector Salary Support beneficiaries, the revised benefit levels will be introduced automatically from September. The ETCC said support will be reduced by Dh500 every six months until it reaches the amount set under the new policy.
A separate transition plan applies to employees outside the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation and the Central Bank of the UAE, including free-zone employees, whose salaries fall below the approved minimum.
If their salary is raised to Dh6,000, they will receive their full current support for six months from September, followed by 70 per cent for another six months and 30 per cent for three months.
Child allowance
The Child Allowance Scheme for Emiratis working in the private sector will no longer be restricted to a fixed number of children. The ETCC said removing the previous cap is intended to strengthen family stability and improve quality of life.
Under the updated scheme, eligible employees can receive Dh600 per month for each eligible child, with the new arrangement taking effect from September 2026.
New salary support
The Nafis update also introduces salary support for children of Emirati mothers working in the private sector. Eligible applicants can receive up to Dh3,000 a month, subject to conditions including a monthly salary of Dh6,000 to Dh20,000 and an accredited bachelor’s degree.
Wives of Emirati men working in the private sector may also qualify for up to Dh3,000 a month. The published criteria include a salary of Dh6,000 to Dh15,000, an accredited bachelor’s degree, and either at least two children or at least five years of marriage.
The husband must be an Emirati working in the public or private sector, retired, or medically certified as unable to work.
The ETCC has outlined limited exceptions to the children and marriage-duration requirements after two years of marriage. These include medical-degree holders, teaching staff, qualifying PhD holders and women with experience in critical labour-market roles, subject to the Council’s criteria.
Pension programme
Nafis will continue to cover pension-fund contributions for eligible Emirati employees enrolled in its Subscription scheme. From September, however, private-sector employers will be responsible for paying their statutory share of pension contributions for participating Emirati employees.
The UAE Government has extended Nafis until 2040, with the latest changes including the removal of the child allowance cap and new support for children of Emirati mothers and spouses of Emirati nationals working in the private sector.
The reforms form part of a wider Nafis overhaul aimed at supporting Emiratisation and making private-sector employment more sustainable for UAE nationals and their families.
