For decades, most Emiratis have worked in government roles. But now, thousands are joining private companies as part of a nationwide plan to balance the workforce.

Early iterations of Emiratisation began in the 1990s, with programmes formalised in the early 2000s.

About three years ago, the UAE gradually implemented quotas for hiring Emiratis and gave private-sector companies deadlines to meet them. Now, those deadlines continue to come up.

In this episode of Business Extra, host Salim hears from our own Ali Al Shouk and Ben Crompton of Crompton Partners on Emiratisation, how it’s affecting companies, and what it means for the future of work in the UAE.