The United Arab Emirates Labor Ministry Dr Ali Bin Abdullah Al Ka'abi announced that the country’s private companies are being given 18 months to recruit UAE nationals as human resources (HR) managers and secretaries and replace foreign workers occupying the post.

Added to that, according to two decisions signed by Al Ka'abi no more work permits for secretaries will be issued with immediate effect.

Dr Al Ka'abi also said that foreign secretaries who hold valid labor cards and are hired by virtue of job contracts will remain in their jobs until the end of their limited-period contracts or otherwise until the end of the labor cards, “whichever is earlier.”

“Furthermore, private companies will not be allowed to transfer sponsorship of secretaries and they will not be issued temporary or part-time work permits or mission permits. Secretaries sponsored by their husbands or parents will no longer be issued labor cards,” he said.

“The labor ministry's new emiratisation plan is meant to strengthen the recruitment of UAE nationals in certain jobs rather than in economic sectors after it [the ministry] found a lack of commitment to the emiratisation quota imposed by the Cabinet in the banking, insurance and trade companies.”

Companies that are planning to hire Emirati secretaries should coordinate with Tanmia, the National Human Resources Development and Employment Authority and other human resource development programmes in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah.

The decision of the Ministry of Labor to replace all foreign HR managers and secretaries with Emiratis is applicable to all private companies, regardless of the number of their workers.

Due to emiratisation drive, thousands of jobs will be created for Emiratis in different states. Likewise it has drawn different reactions. Some say it’s an excellent decision while others asked if they will be given a replacement jobs.