By Andrei Skvarsky.
An Emirati ministry said on August 9 that 107 Emiratis were made to pay back an equivalent of a total of $632,700 they were accused of obtaining fraudulently as allowances under the Emiratisation programme, a scheme aiming to promote local talent and skills in a country where expatriates make up 88.5 per cent of the population.
A United Arab Emirates citizen working at a company is entitled to a support allowance from the Emirati Talent Competitiveness Council (Nafis), a government body overseeing Emiratisation and helping companies make hires among Emiratis.
The 107 alleged offenders obtained their allowances by reporting what turned out to be fictitious jobs, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) said in a statement.
Dubai-based English-language daily Khaleej Times said that fraudulently obtaining Emiratisation financial support is punishable by a fine of up to 100,000 dirhams ($27,230) per person in addition to the repayment of the entire illegal money.
MoHRE did not say whether the 107 alleged culprits had been fined in addition to having to return the money.
New Emiratisation rules prescribe that any private company in the UAE with a minimum of 50 employees give at least 2 per cent of its jobs to Emiratis.
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