The UAE's authorities are mulling expatriates friendly insurance schemes in a bid to encourage more Emiratis to work in the private sector and to reduce attrition rate. An unemployment insurance scheme is also under consideration for the social protection of expatriates working in the country.

The UAE Minister of Labour Saqar Ghobash said that social protection is necessary for employees in a bid to get fruitful results. Earlier, the UAE commissioned a study on social protection for temporary contract workers and highlighted various problems being faced by the workers. The findings were tabled at the 2010 Global Forum on Migration and development held at Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

The study offered a number of suggestions ranging from Migrant Savings Account to insurance schemes for workers. Ghobash further added, "Our Ministry is considering these various schemes; its immediate focus remains, however, on enforcing the current end-of-service scheme and protecting the worker against non-compliance or default by the employer."

While addressing Session 2 of G20 Labour and Employment Ministerial Meeting currently underway in Paris, Ghobash, said the new protection norms are aimed at aligning employment conditions across sectors that would encourage employment in private sector.