The UAE Set a Minimum Wage for Its Own Citizens. The Migrant Workers Who Outnumber Them 9-to-1 Are Still Outside It.
On January 1, 2026, the UAE implemented a minimum wage of AED 6,000 (approximately $1,634) per month for Emirati nationals employed in the private sector. Employers were given until June 30 to amend existing contracts. Middle East Briefing and Morgan Lewis both covered the policy as a milestone for private-sector labor standards in one of…