Who this is for. Our article Will AI take my job? looks at the global evidence. This page covers the questions that come up most often in the Gulf. If you are a citizen, how does AI fit with Emiratisation, Saudisation and the other national-workforce rules? And if you are an expat working alongside citizens, what does it mean for you? Rules and programmes change often, so check the official page before you act on anything here.

The short answer

  • The nationalisation rules are about who is hired, not which technology is used. Each GCC state requires or encourages private employers to hire citizens. We found no rule anywhere in the GCC that sets a quota for AI jobs as such. The closest is Saudi Arabia's quota for communications and IT roles, which has applied since 2021.
  • The training is real, and some of it is free. Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Education says the SAMAI programme has trained more than one million citizens in AI. Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and the UAE all run or back AI training too.
  • Announced targets are not results. Several of the largest numbers you will see are plans. We mark which is which below.
  • Being "exposed" to AI does not mean your job will disappear. So far the evidence shows no effect on overall employment, though there are early signs of lower demand for early-career workers in some exposed jobs. Some routine clerical roles, including in the public sector, face more pressure than others.

What the nationalisation rules require

These rules apply to employers. They decide how many citizens a company must employ. They do not tell you, as a worker, which skills to learn. They do shape which jobs open up to citizens, and which employers are actively looking for them.

UAE (Emiratisation, run by MoHRE, with Nafis). Private companies with 50 or more employees must increase the share of Emiratis in skilled jobs by 2% a year. Companies with 20 to 49 employees in specified sectors must hire at least one Emirati and keep those already employed (MoHRE, Emiratisation targets). In 2026 the 2% is split into 1% for each half of the year. From 1 July 2026, companies with 50 or more employees that missed the first-half target pay AED 10,000 a month, or AED 120,000 a year, for each Emirati not hired (Gulf News, 29 Jun 2026; Gulf News, 7 May 2026). Nafis, the federal programme that supports Emiratis working in the private sector, was extended to 2040 in April 2026 (Gulf News, 6 Apr 2026). Nafis's secretary general said in February 2026 that more than 176,000 Emiratis were working in the private sector as of January, across more than 32,000 companies (Gulf News, 1 Feb 2026). A later report, in April 2026, put it differently: 176,000 Emiratis employed through the programme since its launch, of whom 152,000 were currently working in the private sector (Gulf News, 6 Apr 2026).

Saudi Arabia (Saudisation, run by HRSD through Nitaqat). Nitaqat sets a required share of Saudi employees for each type of business. On 19 February 2026 the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (HRSD) announced a new three-year phase of Nitaqat starting in 2026. It aims to localise more than 340,000 additional private-sector jobs for Saudi men and women (HRSD, 19 Feb 2026). This is a target, not a result. Separate rules reserve a share of particular professions for Saudis. One of them covers communications and IT. Since 27 June 2021, establishments with five or more workers in these roles must fill 25% of them with Saudis; Argaam reports that small enterprises are exempt. The roles covered are communications and IT engineering; application development, programming and analysis; and technical support (Argaam, 27 Jun 2021; Gulf News, 6 Oct 2020). Rates change often, so check HRSD for the current figure.

Qatar (Qatarisation). Law No. 12 of 2024 covers nationalisation of private-sector jobs. It asks the Ministry of Labour to draw up a detailed Qatarisation plan, and it obliges employers to train the Qatari nationals they hire (Clyde & Co, 28 Oct 2024). The ministry says its AI training programme (below) supports the aims of the private-sector nationalisation law (Gulf Times, 17 Feb 2025).

Kuwait (Kuwaitisation, run by the Public Authority for Manpower). In August 2025 the Public Authority for Manpower set out plans to raise fees for firms that hire expatriates into jobs suitable for Kuwaitis. The plans also include specialised training programmes and more incentives for private firms to create jobs for Kuwaitis (Gulf News, 27 Aug 2025).

Oman (Omanisation, Ministry of Labour). The Ministry of Labour's operational plan for 2025 set out 45,000 opportunities for Omanis: 24,000 in the private sector, 10,000 in government and 11,000 training and qualification places (Oman Observer, 17 Mar 2025).

Bahrain (Tamkeen). Tamkeen, Bahrain's Labour Fund, pays for training and supports wages rather than setting quotas. It says its AI programme aims to make Bahrainis "the employees of choice in the labor market" (TradeArabia, 9 Apr 2025; Tamkeen, 9 Apr 2025).

Do the rules say anything about AI?

Not directly. We checked MoHRE's Emiratisation targets page and HRSD's announcement of the 2026 Nitaqat phase, and searched Gulf news coverage of the 2026 rules in all six states. We found no quota that names AI jobs. The rules count citizens in "skilled" jobs or in listed professions, whatever tools those jobs use.

AI is starting to appear around the edges:

  • Nafis says it will use AI to help measure the quality of Emiratisation, not just the numbers. In February 2026 its secretary general described five AI-enabled priorities for 2026. One was a focus on future jobs, supported by AI-based education and training tracks (Gulf News, 1 Feb 2026).
  • Saudi Arabia's IT quota covers some jobs close to AI, such as programming and application development (see above).
  • For employers, our readiness checklist asks whether your AI plans fit your national-workforce commitments (question 4.4). The targets count citizens employed, so automating a role does not reduce them.

What AI could change for national workers

The global picture. In January 2024 the International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimated that almost 40% of jobs worldwide are exposed to AI. "Exposed" means AI could change how the job is done. In advanced economies, about half of the exposed jobs may benefit, while the other half could see lower demand (IMF, 14 Jan 2024; tracker CR-E01). The International AI Safety Report 2026 found "no effect on overall employment" so far, "but some signs of declining demand for early-career workers in some AI-exposed occupations, such as writing" (IASR 2026, 3 Feb 2026; tracker CR-E03).

A Gulf example. In March 2025 IMF staff assessed AI's likely effect on Qatar's economy. They concluded that more AI adoption is likely to bring more opportunities than risks for the country's workforce (IMF, Mar 2025). The same work flagged one group: "those who are employed in the public sector with clerical positions are more susceptible to job displacement risks." The IMF suggested making it easier to move from public to private-sector jobs, along with digital-skills training (Gulf Times, 4 Mar 2025). This is one study of one country. It matters across the Gulf because many citizens work in government, and governments plan to move many services to AI. The UAE, for example, has said it will run half of federal government sectors, services and operations on AI agents within two years of April 2026 (CR-G08).

What this means in practice. The tasks most likely to change are routine ones: processing forms, drafting standard letters, answering repeat questions. The parts of a job that rely on judgement, trust, local knowledge and responsibility are harder to automate. Nationalisation rules keep employers' hiring targets in place while they automate. Skills help make that hiring last.

Free and funded AI training you can use

The table separates results (what has been delivered) from targets (what has been promised). Programmes open and close in rounds, so check the official page for current dates and eligibility.

CountryProgrammeWho runs itWho it is forDelivered so far, or only announced?Where to start
Saudi ArabiaSAMAI ("One Million Saudis in AI")SDAIA with the Ministries of Education and Human ResourcesSaudi citizens, men and womenResult: more than one million citizens trained and certified (Nov 2025)samai.futurex.sa
Saudi ArabiaHRDF (Hadaf) employment-linked trainingHuman Resources Development FundSaudi job seekers and employeesAnnounced: 26 partnerships aiming at 16,000+ citizens, SAR 1.96bn of support (Jan–Jul 2026); AI is one of several fieldshrdf.org.sa and Doroob
UAENafis training, including Nafis International (with Huawei)Emirati Talent Competitiveness Council (Nafis)Emiratis; the international track is for tech graduates and final-year studentsSecond edition opened June 2026; no AI-specific totals foundnafis.gov.ae
UAE (Dubai)One Million PromptersDubai Centre for AIOpen to registrants worldwideTarget: one million people over three years, from May 2024dub.ai/en/omp
BahrainTamkeen AI training programmeTamkeen (Labour Fund)Bahrainis; private-sector employers can enrol their staffTarget: 50,000 Bahrainis by 2030tamkeen.bh
QatarEradaMinistry of Labour with the Ministry of Communications and IT and MicrosoftYoung QatarisLaunched Feb 2025; no participant totals foundMinistry of Labour
KuwaitKuwait SkillsCentral Agency for Information Technology with MicrosoftEmployees, technical experts and leaders; government bodies urged to take partTarget: 30,000+ employees, 4,000 technical experts, 350 leadersCAIT
OmanMakeenMinistry of Transport, Communications and ITYoung Omani job seekersResult: more than 10,000 Omanis trained in digital skills since 2022 (Nov 2025); AI is one of the disciplinesMTCIT

Saudi Arabia

SAMAI. The Saudi Data and AI Authority (SDAIA) runs SAMAI with the Ministries of Education and Human Resources. On 9 November 2025 the Ministry of Education announced that the initiative had trained more than one million citizens in AI and given them certificates, passing its target. Of the participants, 52% were women and 48% men; 70% were employed and 30% were students (Ministry of Education, 9 Nov 2025). Arab News reported that the training is free, uses simplified Arabic-language content and can be done remotely, and that more than 1.2 million people took part in less than a year (Arab News, 10 Nov 2025). An SDAIA official said in September 2026 that an important part of the training focused on ethical AI, responsible use and data preservation (Arab News, 15 Sep 2026). The course covers data and AI technologies, their applications and ethics, and hands-on tools for work and daily life (Saudi Gazette via Zawya). Registration has been through the official platform at samai.futurex.sa. Check there whether a new round is open.

HRDF (Hadaf). The Human Resources Development Fund pays for training that is tied to a job. From the start of 2026 to the end of July it signed 26 partnerships that aim to train, qualify and employ more than 16,000 Saudis, with about SAR 1.96 billion of support. AI is one of several fields covered, alongside cybersecurity, logistics and others (Ajel, 7 Sep 2026; Saudi Gazette via Zawya). These are commitments; we have not found reported outcomes. On 20 July 2026, for example, HRDF signed an agreement with Learning Academy for employment-linked training for 3,000 people, in fields that include AI (HRDF, 20 Jul 2026). In September 2024 HRDF and SDAIA signed a memorandum to train Saudi workers in data and AI through Doroob, the national e-training platform, and HRDF's professional-certification support (HRDF, 12 Sep 2024; GCC Business News, 12 Sep 2024).

United Arab Emirates

Nafis. Besides helping Emiratis find jobs, Nafis runs training. In June 2026 it opened the second edition of Nafis International with Huawei. The programme offers four weeks of training in the UAE, followed by four weeks in China for a selected group, in fields that include AI, cybersecurity and cloud computing. It is open to recent Emirati graduates and final-year students in technology subjects with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0, and applications go through the Nafis platform (Gulf News, 13 Jun 2026).

One Million Prompters. The Dubai Centre for AI launched this in May 2024 to train one million people over three years. It opened registration worldwide on 14 January 2025. There are four tracks: AI basics, working with chatbots, productivity, and creative uses of generative AI. Participants who complete the tracks receive accredited certificates (Dubai Media Office, 14 Jan 2025). It is not limited to Emiratis. See our glossary entry on prompts.

Other UAE commitments. These are not limited to citizens: Microsoft's pledge to help train one million people in the UAE by the end of 2027 (tracker CR-E04), and Abu Dhabi's AiNative programme for government staff (our news report).

Bahrain

On 9 April 2025 Tamkeen launched a programme to train 50,000 Bahrainis in AI by 2030. It has three tracks: one for executives, a general track for using AI tools at work, and a specialist track for people who build AI tools (TradeArabia, 9 Apr 2025; Tamkeen, 9 Apr 2025). In June 2025 Tamkeen opened registration for private-sector employers to enrol their staff (Tamkeen). We have not found a published count of how many people have been trained so far.

Qatar

The Ministry of Labour launched Erada in February 2025 with the Ministry of Communications and IT and Microsoft. It trains young Qataris in AI and cloud computing to prepare them for technology and digital jobs. The ministry says it supports the private-sector nationalisation law (Gulf Times, 17 Feb 2025). The ministry also signed an agreement with Microsoft Qatar to train Qatari graduates, and the children of Qatari mothers, who are looking for private-sector work (The Peninsula, 16 Feb 2025).

Kuwait

In November 2025 Kuwait's Central Agency for Information Technology and Microsoft launched Kuwait Skills. It aims to train more than 30,000 employees, 4,000 technical experts and 350 leaders in AI, cloud computing and Copilot tools, and the minister urged all government bodies to take part (Arab News, 2 Nov 2025; Gulfbase, citing KUNA, 3 Nov 2025).

Oman

Makeen, run by the Ministry of Transport, Communications and IT, trains young Omani job seekers in digital skills; data science and AI is one of its disciplines (Oman Observer, 14 May 2024). In November 2025 it was reported that Makeen had trained more than 10,000 Omanis in advanced digital skills since 2022, with more than 1,300 enrolled in 2025 (Oman Observer, citing ONA, 19 Nov 2025).

Announced versus achieved

Big numbers attract attention. Treat them differently depending on what they are (see announced vs operational in our glossary).

  • Delivered and reported: SAMAI's one million-plus Saudis trained (Nov 2025). Makeen's 10,000-plus Omanis trained in digital skills (Nov 2025). Nafis's 176,000 Emiratis employed through the programme, 152,000 of them still in private-sector jobs (Apr 2026).
  • Promised: Nitaqat's 340,000-plus additional Saudi jobs over three years. HRDF's 16,000-plus citizens through 26 partnerships. Tamkeen's 50,000 Bahrainis by 2030. One Million Prompters. Kuwait Skills. Microsoft's one million in the UAE.

A target is a statement of intent. It tells you what is on offer and where funding is going. It does not tell you what has happened yet.

If you are an expat working alongside citizens

  • The rules affect hiring, not your contract. Nationalisation targets apply to employers. They may affect which roles are advertised to whom, especially in professions with quotas, such as IT in Saudi Arabia.
  • Some training is open to you. One Million Prompters accepts registrations worldwide, and company pledges such as Microsoft's in the UAE are not limited to citizens. Programmes funded through nationalisation budgets, such as SAMAI, HRDF, Nafis, Tamkeen and Erada, are aimed at citizens.
  • Helping a citizen colleague build skills is part of the job in many firms. Qatar's 2024 law, for example, obliges employers to train the Qatari nationals they hire.

What you can do

  1. Start with the national course in your country, if there is one. For Saudis that is SAMAI, which is free; for young Omanis, Makeen. Both report large numbers already trained.
  2. If you are looking for a job, use the official platform. In the UAE that is Nafis. In Saudi Arabia, HRDF programmes link training to a job. A course that leads to an actual vacancy is worth more than a certificate on its own.
  3. Learn the AI tools used in your own field. You do not need to code. Understand what the tools do well and badly in your work (see how to start using AI at work safely).
  4. If your job is mostly routine paperwork, plan ahead. That is the group the IMF flagged in Qatar. Moving towards work with more judgement, contact with people or responsibility is a sensible long-term step, and training is the usual route.
  5. If you are an employer, plan training before automation. Automating tasks does not reduce your nationalisation targets. Use the funded programmes to retrain the citizens you employ.

What we don't know

  • How many people the newer programmes have trained so far. Tamkeen, Erada, Kuwait Skills and One Million Prompters have not published running totals that we could find.
  • Whether training is leading to jobs. Most reports count people trained, not people hired or promoted as a result.
  • Whether any GCC state will add AI-specific roles to its nationalisation rules. We found none as of 24 October 2026.
  • How fast AI will change public-sector work in the Gulf. The evidence so far is early and comes mostly from outside the region.