The UAE’s Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) and the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, organised the second edition of the Future of Work Forum as part of the World Governments Summit 2025. It was attended by ministers, policymakers, economic experts and business leaders. Key discussions revolved around wage policies and their impact on growth and productivity, AI’s role in shaping productivity and workforce trends.
His Excellency Dr. Abdulrahman Al Awar, Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation and Acting Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, highlighted the UAE’s private sector growth, with a 17% growth in private establishments, a 12% increase in workforce and 13% increase in skilled labour by the end of 2024. Major initiatives such as the Unemployment Insurance Scheme, Savings Scheme, expanded health insurance to cover all categories of workers, and advanced visa programmes were credited for driving economic expansion and attracting global talent.
His Excellency Dr. Abdulrahman Al Awar also highlighted the efforts of higher education institutions to bridge the skills gap and align educational output with labour market needs.
Six sessions were featured in the Future of Work Forum whose key focusses included: ‘Minimum wage legislations and their economic impact’, ‘Economic impacts and the future of wages: A view into the labour market’, ‘Artificial Intelligence and its impact on labour-intensive sectors’, ‘The future of work models and frameworks of the future’, ‘University partnerships and their role in building a knowledge-based economy and driving sustainable development’ and finally, a dialogue focused on labour market flexibility.