Gone are the days when a generic 1-hour PowerPoint presentation once a year satisfied the regulator. In 2025, the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) and the Ministry of Economy have made it clear: training must be role-specific, continuous, and assessed.
The "Role-Based" Requirement
You cannot train your Receptionist and your Compliance Officer with the same material. Examiners now request to see the Training Needs Analysis (TNA) for each department.
- Frontline Staff: Focus on "Red Flags" (e.g., nervous behavior, structuring cash).
- Senior Management: Focus on "Liability," "Governance," and "Decision Making" for high-risk clients.
- HR & Finance: Focus on "Employee Screening" and "Payroll Monitoring."
Frequency: The 30-Day Rule
New hires MUST be trained within 30 days of joining. If an employee handles a customer before being trained, it is a direct violation. Furthermore, "refresher" training must be triggered by events (e.g., a new Circular release), not just the calendar year.
Audit Tip:
Keep a "Training Register" that logs not just the date, but the test score of every employee. A training session without an assessment (quiz) holds little weight during an inspection.
Author: Zeej Strategic Consulting Research Team