Prospective candidates are not required to list their vaccination status, according to HR executives.
Applicants for jobs in the UAE are voluntarily including details of their vaccination status in their resumes. Although it’s not mandatory for UAE residents to get the vaccine, both public and private sectors encourage their employees to get Covid-19 shots in the public’s interest.
In HR circles, employers do not require prospective employees to list their vaccination status on resumes, but they do want to know the status of the employee.
Vijay Gandhi, regional director for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa at Korn Ferry, a management consulting firm, says candidates are voluntarily stating their vaccination status on resumes and LinkedIn profiles as vaccine mandates continue to be debated in businesses.
It was more common for candidates to list their hobbies or favorite sports team on their resumes in the past than their vaccination status.
However, as the pandemic persists, many people are debating whether to divulge their vaccination status as a way to show their willingness to take on a position.”
Gandhi stated, “We do not see UAE employers proactively asking for it or making it a mandatory requirement. Nevertheless, it’s clear that employers are increasingly interested in knowing if a candidate has been vaccinated. As some countries are also offering incentives to get vaccinated, they track their employees’ vaccination status when filling positions.”
Vaccination rates in the UAE are among the highest in the world. According to the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP), over 18 million doses were administered. This brings the dose rate to 182 per 100 people. “With 85 percent of the population vaccinated in the UAE, employers may prefer to hire vaccinated candidates to avoid the hassle of tracking regular PCR tests,” Gandhi said. Even so, employers do not disqualify unvaccinated candidates, since it could have a detrimental impact on the efforts of an organization to be inclusive since some minority groups are disproportionately unvaccinated.”