As professionals seek new opportunities the UAE stands out as a magnet for talent. According to the 'Decoding Global Talent 2024' report by the Boston Consulting Group, the UAE holds the 14th position globally with cities like Dubai and Abu Dhabi ranking among the top five preferred cities for professionals worldwide.
This extensive survey gathered insights from over 150,000 professionals across 180 countries between October and December. A remarkable 73 percent of respondents cited the quality of job opportunities as the primary reason for being drawn to the UAE. Considerations such as income tax (62 %) and the cost of living (61 %) also played significant roles. Together, these factors position the UAE as a top destination for professionals seeking new horizons.
These elements align with broader motivations for working in Dubai, including factors like safety, stability and inclusivity. Dubai earned an overall score of 6.8 out of 10 in these regards.
In April 2022, the UAE cabinet introduced new visa schemes aimed at attracting global talent thereby expanding opportunities in flourishing sectors such as private equity, venture capital and AI.
Dubai stands out for offering highly sought-after qualities, including financial and economic opportunities, avenues for career progression, and an improved quality of life. Its strong English language environment is also a key factor that professionals consider when choosing a country to work in, alongside cultural aspects, salary packages and the smoothness of the relocation process.
Dubai boasts a fast work visa processing turnaround time reducing it from 30 days to just five for foreign expatriates being brought in for work. Moreover, the number of required documents has been slashed from 16 to five streamlining the process further.
The BCG report estimated that up to 800 million professionals could be actively looking for jobs abroad considering 3.55 billion people as the size of the active labor force globally, according to the World Bank.
The '2024 Salary Guide' report highlights a shift towards an employer's market in the Emirates, with more people moving in due to economic challenges in other countries.
In a study conducted by the language learning platform Preply, Dubai ranks as the 9th best city overall for foreigners, surpassing destinations in countries like Australia, Canada, Spain, Portugal and Denmark.