Healthcare Emiratisation: Specialised Roles From 2027 and Careers
Private healthcare facilities with 50 or more employees keep the standard 2% a year Emiratisation growth, but half of the required positions must go to specialised healthcare professions; the rest can be other skilled roles. MoHRE, with the Ministry of Health and Prevention, will assess compliance from 2027. More than 8,800 Emiratis worked in private healthcare at the end of 2025, 82% of them women.
The healthcare rule
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Who | Private healthcare facilities with 50+ employees |
| Growth | 2% a year, as for all covered companies |
| Split | Half of required positions in specialised healthcare professions; half in other skilled roles |
| Assessment | From 2027 |
| Announced by | MoHRE with the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) |
| Recruitment channel | The Nafis platform |
Previously, healthcare employers only had to meet the overall skilled-role target. MoHRE has not published a list of the specialised job titles. Under verification
What it means for hospitals and clinics
- Map your skilled roles into specialised healthcare and other skilled roles.
- Plan clinical hiring for 2027 now: licensing (DOH, DHA or MOHAP) adds time.
- Build pipelines with nursing and health science programmes, and use the Nafis platform.
Careers in healthcare
| Role | Route in |
|---|---|
| Registered Nurse | Nursing degree and a health authority licence |
| Medical Laboratory Technologist | A relevant degree and a health authority licence |
| Health Data Analyst | Health informatics, statistics or nursing plus data skills |
Frequently asked questions
01What are the Emiratisation rules for private hospitals?
Facilities with 50 or more employees must keep growing Emiratisation by 2% a year, with half of the required positions in specialised healthcare professions, assessed from 2027.
02How many Emiratis work in private healthcare?
More than 8,800 at the end of 2025, 82% of them women, according to MoHRE and MoHAP.
Sources
- UAE healthcare Emiratisation rules now target clinical jobs. StrongYes, reporting MoHRE and MoHAP, June 2026, updated 28 July 2026.
This page explains UAE Emiratisation rules for general information. It is not legal advice. Rules change, so confirm against the official MoHRE, Nafis or Central Bank source linked above before acting. StrongYes is an independent publication and is not affiliated with MoHRE, Nafis, the Emirati Talent Competitiveness Council or any UAE government body. Full disclaimer.