Photo employment is a crime that affects public money

Dubai Courts confirmed that photographic employment is one of the most prominent serious violations associated with the “Nafs” program, as it cannot be considered merely an administrative violation, but rather rises to the level of crime that affects public money, and is treated judicially as a form of fraud, or embezzlement, stressing that the law faces this phenomenon with deterrent penalties to protect the integrity of the labor market.

This comes within the framework of national efforts to enhance resettlement and enable Emirati competencies in the private sector through the “Nafs” program, which provides a generous motivational package for companies committed to employing citizens and expanding their participation in the labor market.

The decree of the Federal Law No. (9) of 2024 regarding labor relations, in addition to Cabinet Resolution No. (43) of 2025, stipulated a set of administrative violations and penalties related to the “Nafs” program, in a manner that ensures the achievement of resettlement goals fairly and effectively.

In its second article, the decision specified a number of grave violations, the most prominent of which are the formal employment, the lack of commitment to the specified settlement rates, the forgery of data or documents submitted, and the failure to pay the salaries or the agreed benefits to citizens working within the framework of the program.

As for the penalties for violations, they include stopping the financial support provided by the program, recovering the amounts expected in an inherent manner, imposing financial fines, and canceling or suspending the license in the event of repeated violations, in addition to referring to the Public Prosecution when the forgery is proven or fraud, in a way that exposes the violators to legal accountability and criminal penalties.

A judge in the Labor Court in Dubai Courts, Hamda Al -Ahly, stressed that “the official employment is one of the most prominent legal and administrative challenges that threaten the integrity of the labor market, and it constitutes a clear abuse of government resources and the trust of the donors.”

She explained that «the legal penalties for these violations may include large financial fines, imprisonment, or both, in addition to administrative penalties such as depriving the facility of government benefits or suspending their licensing», stressing that “the Emirati judiciary deals with these cases strictly and transparently, and is keen to accelerate legal measures to protect economic and social integrity.”

She added that “combating these phenomena requires cooperation and awareness from different segments of society, especially the private sector, and in light of this the competent authorities continue their efforts to enhance the culture of adherence to the law through national awareness initiatives, such as the” Legal Class “initiative, which aims to remind employers and citizens that circumventing government support programs undermine efforts to build a strong and sustainable economy, and exposes violators to legal accountability.