Unemployment Benefit

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Brief description

Financial support is paid to Emiratis who have lost their jobs in the private sector or in one of the establishments licensed by the Central Bank, for reasons beyond their control and who have no source of income, as follows:

(7,000) dirhams per month for Emiratis who lost their job
(4,500) dirhams per month for the husband or wife (if he/she does not work)
(2,400) dirhams per month for the first and second child, and (1,600) dirhams per month for the third child, with a maximum of three children.

The maximum benefit from the period of the temporary support program is (12) months within 5 years, provided that the period of benefit does not exceed (6) consecutive months during these years.

The person for whom the support is decided must search for work within the specified period with the help of the relevant authorities. If the person for whom the assistance was decided refuses to join the offered job, the support will be abolished.

Eligibility Criteria

The support is granted to an Emirati who loses his/her job in the private sector or one of the establishments licensed by the Central Bank after September 13, 2021, for reasons beyond their control, considering that Nafis will assess these reasons
They must have the legal capacity to work
They should not be a registered student in a regular educational institution
The applicant should not have an income that exceeds the value of the assistance
If the applicant has no income, the support will be disbursed to them in full. If they have income, the support will be reduced according to the income
The applicant's income from commercial licenses and real estate revenues will be counted
Their age should not be less than 18 years or more than 60 years, and they should not be eligible for retirement and not enrolled in the UAE National Service
If it is not proven that the applicant lost their job for ethical reasons or as a result of violating the legislation in force in the UAE
They are not entitled to the support if they refuse a job opportunity
They should not be a beneficiary of any financial social assistance program, whether for themselves or their spouse or children from the federal or local authorities, except for the compensation provided in accordance with the provisions of Federal Decree-Law No. (13) of 2022 regarding insurance against unemployment
The allowance to male children shall be paid until they reach the age of puberty or join work, while female children are entitled to the allowance/support until the date of their marriage or employment
The support shall be granted to female Emiratis whose husband is deceased, or if she supports her Emirati children from her husband who is unemployed or unable to provide, even if she is divorced, as long as she is the provider and has the legal capacity to work. The state of inability to provide is proven by a medical decision from an official medical authority, and the case of the husband’s unemployment is also proven according to an acknowledgment submitted by the Emirati wife, confirming that her husband does not work in the public or private sector, in order to avoid being liable.
Currently not enrolled in National Healthcare program through NAFIS

This FAQ section addresses unemployment benefits for those who lost jobs in the private sector, outlining eligibility conditions. It also answers what to do if there are no matching job opportunities on the Nafis "Job Offers" page, and explains the need for registration on Nafis even if someone is already registered on other local job portals.

I have lost my job in the private sector; how can I apply for the Unemployment Benefit program?

An Emirati who has lost their job in the private sector (for a reason beyond their control) is entitled to apply for financial support through https://nafis.gov.ae

The financial support will be disbursed to you for a period of 12 months within 5 years (provided that the period of benefit does not exceed 6 consecutive months during the 5 years).

These are the requirements and conditions:

✓Having the legal eligibility to work
✓You’re not a student or registered in one of the accredited educational institutions in the UAE.
✓Your age should not be less than (18) or more than (60) years.
✓You have completed the UAE National Service or if you’re completely exempted from it.
✓You do not have an income that exceeds the financial support
✓Registered on Nafis and Emiratisation-related authorities
✓Not beneficiary of any financial social assistance program (you or your spouse or children from any federal or local authority)

To learn more about this program and its conditions, please visit the Benefits page and click on Unemployment Benefit

What should I do if there is nothing that matches my experiences and expertise on the “Job Offers” page?

Job offers are uploaded to Nafis on a daily basis, so you can keep browsing and searching for other job opportunities that are aligned with your educational attainment and professional experience. If none of the available opportunities match your expertise, you can continue to browse the available opportunities in the field of training and development.
Even if you find a job outside of the Nafis platform, you can still claim the benefits of other programs based on the eligibility criteria.

I am already registered in AeJobs portal or other local job portals. Do I need to register here as well?

Nafis is your one-stop-shop for accessing all the benefits of the Nafis program under the umbrella of a single platform. Thus, to obtain the benefits of Nafis programs and initiatives, an Emirati must register through the platform. If you are a job seeker, we encourage you to use any platform you think will help you in finding a job in the private sector that suits your skills.