FTA Pushes for More Emirati Tax Agents: What It Means
The Federal Tax Authority is moving to build a larger pool of Emirati Tax Agents.
This is not just another awareness event.
It signals a broader shift in the UAE tax agent profession: more national talent, stronger supervision, higher service standards, and a clearer path for Emiratis who want to become certified tax professionals.
The move connects directly with the FTA national talent tax sector agenda, the Emirati Tax Agent Programme, and the wider Emiratisation tax sector drive.
For businesses, it also raises a practical question: how do you choose an FTA approved tax agent UAE provider while the pool of national tax professionals continues to grow?
What Did the FTA Just Announce?
The Federal Tax Authority has reaffirmed its strategy to increase the number of qualified Emirati Tax Agents in the UAE. The announcement was made at the FTA Customer Council Dubai 2026, held on 26 June 2026 under the theme “Emirati Tax Agent”.
The message was clear: the UAE wants more national talent inside the tax system.
H.E. Abdulaziz Mohammed Al Mulla, Director-General of the FTA, said the Authority is working on an integrated strategy to expand the base of qualified Emirati tax professionals.
The message from Abdulaziz Al Mulla FTA leadership was that national tax capability must grow with the country’s tax system.
The focus is not only on numbers. It is also on technical knowledge, professional development, and stronger participation by UAE Nationals in a sector that is becoming more important every year.
That matters.
The UAE tax system has grown quickly. VAT, excise tax, corporate tax, tax procedures, penalties, digital filings, refund claims, and tax agent representation are now part of normal business life. Companies need people who understand the law, the FTA’s systems, and the practical pressure taxpayers face.
The FTA’s Customer Councils are designed to create direct communication between the government and taxpayers, advisers, and other stakeholders. They allow feedback to be collected and used to improve services.
In this case, the subject was specific: the role of Emirati Tax Agents and how to develop more of them.
The FTA itself was established under Federal Decree-Law No. 13 of 2016. Its role is to administer, collect, and enforce federal taxes in the UAE. So when the Authority says it wants a larger national talent base in the tax agent profession, the market should pay attention.
This is a policy signal.
What Is a Tax Agent — and Why Does the UAE Want More Emirati Ones?
A Tax Agent is a professional registered with the FTA to help taxable persons meet their tax obligations. In simple terms, a Tax Agent can represent businesses before the FTA, assist with tax matters, support compliance, and help reduce errors in filings, procedures, and correspondence.
This is not a casual advisory role.
The UAE tax agent profession is becoming more regulated, more technical, and more important for businesses dealing with the FTA.
The role requires recognised qualifications, relevant professional experience, Arabic and English language ability, a good conduct certificate, medical fitness, passing the FTA Tax Agent examination, registration fees, and professional indemnity insurance or equivalent coverage.
The duties are serious as well. A Tax Agent must assist the taxable person under a proper agreement, maintain confidentiality, and refuse to participate in any work that may breach the law or damage the integrity of the tax system.
This explains why the UAE wants more Emirati Tax Agents.
Tax is no longer a narrow back-office matter. It now affects pricing, contracts, financial reporting, customs, free zone status, related-party arrangements, penalties, and board-level risk. Businesses need competent advisers. The country also needs a stronger local talent base that understands the UAE economy from the inside.
There is another issue: supply.
The Emirati Tax Agent Programme was created because the sector needs more qualified Emirati tax specialists. The New Economy Academy has also pointed to the need to bridge the talent gap in this profession. That shortage gives the FTA’s latest Council more weight. It is not only encouraging Emiratisation. It is addressing a real market gap.
For UAE businesses, this may eventually mean easier access to qualified, FTA approved tax agent UAE expertise. For Emirati professionals, it means a practical route into a high-value finance and advisory career.
The Bigger Picture — The Emirati Tax Agent Programme and Emiratisation
The FTA’s latest announcement sits inside a bigger timeline.
In October 2025, the FTA and the New Economy Academy launched the Emirati Tax Agent Programme. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed to support specialised training and build a new generation of certified Emirati Tax Agents.
Then, in April 2026, the first training cohort began.
That first cohort included 50 Emiratis. Twenty-five joined the VAT diploma route. Another twenty-five joined the Corporate Tax diploma route. The programme aims to certify 500 Emirati Tax Agents through a three-year intensive training course.
The New Economy Academy tax programme is the training route supporting the FTA’s national objective. It gives Emiratis a structured way to build technical tax knowledge and enter a profession that is becoming central to the UAE’s compliance environment.
This is important because VAT and corporate tax are now core parts of the UAE compliance landscape.
The VAT track covers areas such as the legal and regulatory framework of VAT, VAT registration, filing procedures, invoicing, accounting requirements, and practical case studies. The Corporate Tax track covers the UAE corporate tax system, registration and disclosure procedures, tax liabilities, deductions, and hands-on exercises.
The programme is also part of “The Emirates: The Startup Capital of the World” national campaign. That link matters. Startups, SMEs, family businesses, free zone companies, and large groups all need better tax literacy.
This is also a clear Emiratisation tax sector move, not only a training announcement. As the UAE pushes entrepreneurship, it also needs a deeper bench of tax professionals who can help businesses stay compliant from the beginning.
This is where urgency enters the story.
The UAE tax system is maturing fast. Businesses are filing corporate tax returns, managing VAT obligations, responding to FTA procedures, and facing higher expectations around documentation. Waiting until a penalty notice arrives is no longer a safe approach.
The talent pipeline is being built. But businesses need proper advice now.
What the FTA Is Changing for Tax Agents
The FTA’s Customer Council did not only discuss the need for more Emirati Tax Agents. It also covered practical priorities that affect the profession and the businesses that rely on it.
The Authority highlighted five areas:
| FTA priority | What it means in practice |
| Developing and qualifying national talent | More Emirati professionals will be trained to enter the UAE tax agent profession with structured technical knowledge. |
| Enhancing digital services for Tax Agents | Tax agents may see better digital tools and smoother interaction with the FTA through online systems. |
| Standardising tax procedures and treatments | Businesses can expect more consistency in how tax procedures are understood and applied. |
| Improving institutional integration and tax-data quality | Better data and stronger coordination can reduce errors, delays, and mismatches in tax records. |
| Strengthening compliance and oversight of tax service providers | The market may face closer supervision, which should help protect taxpayers from poor-quality or unregistered service providers. |
The final point is especially important.
The FTA’s website is clear that practising as a Tax Agent without registration and accreditation is prohibited. It is a legal offence. That means businesses should be careful when appointing anyone to represent them or handle sensitive tax matters.
Low-cost, unqualified support may look attractive at first. But the risk is real.
A wrong VAT filing, an unsupported corporate tax position, a missed deadline, or weak tax correspondence can create penalties, disputes, and reputational damage. As oversight becomes stronger, businesses should review who is advising them and whether that person or firm is properly authorised and technically competent.
The direction is visible: more professionalisation, more digitalisation, and more accountability.
What This Means for Businesses and Aspiring Tax Agents
For businesses, the FTA’s national talent strategy should be seen as a positive development. A deeper pool of qualified Emirati Tax Agents means more choice, more local expertise, and stronger confidence in the tax advisory market.
But businesses should not wait for the market to fully mature before improving their own compliance.
When appointing a tax agent or tax adviser, companies should check:
- whether the adviser is an FTA approved tax agent UAE provider or works under an FTA-approved tax agent firm;
- whether the adviser has practical VAT and corporate tax experience;
- whether the adviser understands the company’s industry;
- whether advice is documented properly;
- whether filings, submissions, and FTA correspondence are reviewed before being submitted;
- whether the adviser can support the business in case of FTA queries, audits, penalty matters, or voluntary disclosures.
This is now a serious governance issue.
For aspiring Emirati tax professionals, the message is even more direct. Tax is becoming a long-term career path in the UAE. The Emirati Tax Agent Programme offers a structured route through VAT and Corporate Tax diplomas.
For Emiratis, the pathway can lead to becoming a certified tax agent UAE professional, joining an advisory firm, working inside a corporate tax team, or moving into public and private sector tax roles.
The timing is strong.
Corporate tax is still new for many UAE businesses. VAT compliance continues to be active. Free zone tax treatment is technical. Transfer pricing is developing. E-invoicing is approaching. Tax data quality is becoming more important.
In other words, the profession is not slowing down.
How ADEPTS Can Help
While the national talent pipeline grows, businesses still need accurate and FTA-compliant tax support today.
ADEPTS is an FTA-approved tax agent firm in the UAE. Our tax team supports businesses with practical, compliant, and commercially clear tax advice across VAT, corporate tax, tax registration, filings, representation, and advisory work.
ADEPTS can support with:
- FTA-approved tax agent representation
- Corporate tax compliance, registration, and filing
- VAT registration, return filing, and compliance review
- End-to-end taxation support for UAE businesses
- IFRS, accounting, and finance training for internal teams
The FTA’s latest announcement shows where the UAE tax sector is heading. More national talent. Better service standards. Stronger oversight. Higher expectations.
For businesses, the action point is simple: review your tax position now.
Do not wait for an FTA query, filing deadline, or penalty notice to find out whether your tax support is strong enough.
ADEPTS explains the change — and keeps your tax obligations covered while the UAE’s national tax talent base continues to grow.
Conclusion
The FTA’s push for more Emirati Tax Agents is more than a press release. It is part of a structural investment in homegrown tax capability.
The UAE is building a more credible, better-supervised, and locally rooted tax ecosystem. That benefits taxpayers, advisers, regulators, and the wider economy.
For Emiratis, it opens a specialised career path in a growing sector.
For businesses, it is a reminder that tax compliance is becoming more technical and more closely monitored. The adviser you choose matters.
Talk to ADEPTS for FTA-approved tax agent support in the UAE.
References
- ‘As Part of the National Campaign “The Emirates: The Startup Capital of the World” Ministry of Economy & Tourism and Ministry of Community Empowerment, in Collaboration with the New Economy Academy, Launch Initiative to Train 1,000 Emirati Entrepreneurs from Local Families’. Ministry of Community Empowerment, https://www.moce.gov.ae/ar/w/%D9%81%D9%8A-%D8%A5%D8%B7%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AD%D9%85%D9%84%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%88%D8%B7%D9%86%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A5%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D8%B9%D8%A7%D8%B5%D9%85%D8%A9-%D8%B1%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%AF-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A3%D8%B9%D9%85
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https://tax.gov.ae//en/media.centre/news/federal.tax.authority.highlights.plans.to.develop.national.competencies.in.the.tax.agent.profession.at.customer.council.in.dubai.aspx. - ———. ‘REGISTERED TAX AGENTS’. Federal Tax Authority – Tax Agents,
https://tax.gov.ae//en/tax.support/tax.agents/registered.tax.agents.aspx - Federal Decree-Law No. (13) of 2016 Establishing Federal Tax Authority.
https://uaelegislation.gov.ae/en/legislations/2572/download. - gulftoday. ‘FTA Unveils New Strategy to Boost UAE National Talent in Tax Sector’. Gulftoday, 26 June 2026,
https://www.gulftoday.ae/business/2026/06/26/fta-unveils-new-strategy-to-boost-uae-national-talent-in-tax-sector. - ‘Initiative to Train, License 500 Emirati Tax Agents over next 3 Years Kicks Off’. Khaleej Times,
https://www.khaleejtimes.com/uae/uae-emirati-tax-agent-programme-train-500-nationals - New Economy Academy Tax Programs. https://newea.ae/en/tracks/tax-programs-en/.
- https://newea.ae/en/course/emirati-ta-vat-en/
