UAE set to implement paid sabbaticals for citizens who want to start their own businesses

Citizens of the United Arab Emirates are set to reap the benefits of a year-long sabbatical leave if they wish to start running their own businesses. According to The Khaleej Times, the UAE has declared that the implementation of the paid one-year leave will commence on January 2, 2023.

The catch here is that only those Emiratis working in the government sector are eligible for the leave, which will provide them with half of their salaries during the leave period. The leave can be approved by the head of the federal power that the employee works for, and can be merged with annual and unpaid leaves.

The unique initiative was announced by UAE Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum earlier in July as a way to help citizens venture into their own private businesses. “Our goal is to encourage the youth to take advantage of the huge commercial opportunities offered by our national economy,” Sheikh Mohammed had said about the leave, which is one of the "Projects of the 50" initiatives and the first of its kind across the globe.

How will the Entrepreneurship Leave help UAE? 

According to Laila Obaid Al Suwaidi, Acting Director-General of the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources, the entrepreneurship leave displays the “pioneering vision of the UAE leadership, which aims to motivate the UAE national cadres to approach the world of entrepreneurship.” 

Furthermore, she revealed that the UAE has come up with elaborate plans to boost the country’s economy, and has made a guide that authorities can refer to while deciding to grant the leave to government employees. “In coordination with the Ministries of Economy, Human Resources and Emiratisation, the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources has also prepared a detailed guide for economic projects and establishments that contribute to the revitalization of the country's economy, including details that help the authorities when considering their employees' requests for Entrepreneurship Leave for self-employment," she added.