The UAE recorded the highest demand for office support professionals in the region as the economy rallies on the back of high market confidence, strong foreign direct investment and companies accelerating hiring plans to attract the best talent, recruitment specialists say.
Employers in the financial services, professional services, legal and industrial sectors continue to expand their office support teams across roles including administration, secretarial, personal assistants and executive assistants, the Hays 2023 GCC Salary Guide says.
In contrast, employers in the education and fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sectors are recruiting less as they have already built and developed in-house teams, the research shows.
“There’s a high demand for executive assistants in the UAE, particularly in Abu Dhabi, where the market has been growing rapidly but the candidate pool remains limited,” says Jarren Smith, consultant for office support jobs at Hays.
“As such, employers in the region find it challenging to secure experienced talent, and competition between organisations is high.”
The job market in the UAE, the Arab world's second-largest economy, has recovered well from the pandemic thanks largely to fiscal and social measures taken by the government.
Most companies in the Emirates plan to hire more employees during the remainder of the year, and wages are expected to increase by just under 2 per cent in 2023, according to the Cooper Fitch Salary Guide 2023.
More than half of companies (57 per cent) expect to increase salaries this year, according to Cooper Fitch, which polled leaders at 300 companies in the GCC.
Office support professionals changed roles at the highest rate in any sector in the UAE last year, Hays reports.
Thirty-seven per cent of office support employees changed roles in 2022 compared with 23 per cent that started a new job the previous year.
When asked about hiring intentions for 2023, 56 per cent of employers in the office support sector say that they plan to recruit permanent employees, Hays says.
Within the UAE, contracting and outsourcing are popular, and 22 per cent of employers plan to recruit office support freelancers and/or contractors this year, it adds.
With hiring rates increasing in the UAE’s office support sector, what are the most sought-after jobs and how much do they pay?
Read on to find out – and check out our comprehensive UAE salary guide 2023 slide show below for a snapshot of your sector.
Which jobs are in demand?
Michael Page says in its 2023 UAE Salary Guide that the jobs most in demand in the UAE’s office support industry include executive assistant (C-level), office manager, receptionist, office administrator/team assistant, and personal assistant.
Sixty per cent of the UAE’s office support employers say that intermediate and management level positions are the hardest to fill, according to Hays.
Professionals with regional knowledge and experience in multinational organisations will be sought-after. Moreover, multitasking and strong communication skills remain essential, the recruiter says.
What job skills are employers looking for?
The role of a business executive assistant/personal assistant has evolved over the past few years, the Michael Page report says.
“Beyond the universally understood duties, the modern-day EA/PA is often required to now facilitate corporate duties involving, but not limited to, client onboarding, compliance and even project management depending on the nature of the company.
“Businesses are now looking for support candidates that are eager to learn and assist with the core business expectations, instead of just providing administrative support. This is a step forward in providing support candidates with the opportunity for growth and progression. Companies consider this as a cost benefit.”
The market now recognises support candidates as a necessity as opposed to a luxury, according to the Michael Page report.
Support/secretarial candidates are expected to provide solutions to complex requests and lighten personal responsibilities of their senior stakeholders so they can focus on core activities, the consultancy says.
Requests can vary from managing a complex travel itinerary to collating information from key stakeholders for reports/projects.
“In previous years, work experience and transferable skills were enough to be selected as the successful candidate for an office support role,” Michael Page says.
“However, in this competitive market, the decision of who to hire and why has needed to be more rigorous for employers to make a decision between a strong shortlist.
“Diplomas and university degrees can help a candidate to demonstrate a competitive edge and help convince an employer of the long-term time investment as well as growth potential.”
Are salaries expected to rise in the sector?
Office support professionals in the UAE are optimistic about their rate of pay, with 69 per cent expecting to receive a salary increase in 2023, the Hays Salary Guide shows.
Conversely, 56 per cent of employers in the Emirates expect salaries within their organisation to increase.
In 2022, only 37 per cent of those polled by Hays received a salary increase. However, those that received a wage rise experienced a significant improvement, most commonly by 15 per cent or more.
The main reason cited for a salary increase was a new job with a new organisation, according to Hays.
Intermediate-level professionals experienced the highest salary increases, with 48 per cent of this cohort being awarded a pay rise, it says.
“The No 1 factor employers take into account when considering an employee’s pay rise request is individual performance, followed by length of service,” Ms Smith of Hays says.
There’s a high demand for executive assistants in the UAE, particularly in Abu Dhabi where the market has been growing rapidly but the candidate pool remains limited
Jarren Smith,
consultant for office support jobs, Hays
What other benefits can employees expect?
When office support professionals moved jobs last year, the main reason for their change was salary. Aside from salary, professionals in the sector value air ticket allowances, flexible working, and child education allowances, Hays reports.
While air ticket allowances and flexible working are common benefits employees currently receive, only 13 per cent of employees in this sector receive child education allowances.
Three in 10 (31 per cent) office support professionals in the UAE cited lack of career development opportunities as the main reason they plan to change organisation but stay within the same role or industry this year, the Hays report shows.
“Employers that want to retain staff should consider upskilling initiatives and create more comprehensive ways for people to continue their professional development,” the consultancy says.
Lengthy interview processes, counter-offers and selling your brand versus your competition are challenges employers need to adapt to in this current market in order to retain talent.
“Secretarial and office support staff are in high demand and it is crucial for employers to be aware of the variables that can contribute to your business being chosen over your competition,” it says.
“A well-planned, streamlined interview process is pivotal to keep candidates engaged and interested in your vacancy. Consistent, transparent communication throughout the process will help avoid awkward conversations at offer stage and strengthen your brand’s reputation.
“Creating a memorable experience from the very beginning is important to ensure the candidate experience is pleasant, boosting the chance of a great candidate accepting your job offer over others and reducing the chance of accepting a counter-offer.”
What are the highest-paying jobs in the office support sector?
Professional and financial services
- Executive assistant to C-level (five+ years’ experience): Dh25,000 ($6,807) to Dh35,000 a month
- Office manager (five+ years’ experience): Dh25,000 to Dh40,000
- Personal assistant (five+ years’ experience): Dh20,000 to Dh30,000
- Private personal assistant (five+ years’ experience): Dh20,000 to Dh30,000
- Legal secretary (private practice): Dh17,000 to Dh25,000
- Executive assistant – multi support (five+ years’ experience): Dh18,000 to Dh25,000
- Team assistant: Dh10,000 to Dh18,000
- Receptionist: Dh8,000 to Dh16,000
- Administrator: Dh8,000 to Dh15,000
Industrial
- Executive assistant to C-level (five+ years’ experience): Dh20,000 to Dh30,000
- Office manager (five+ years’ experience): Dh20,000 to Dh30,000
- Legal secretary (in-house): Dh14,000 to Dh25,000
- Executive assistant – multi support (five+ years’ experience): Dh15,000 to Dh23,000
- Administration manager: Dh12,000 to Dh20,000
- Receptionist: Dh8,000 to Dh15,000
- Administrator: Dh8,000 to Dh15,000
- Customer service: Dh8,000 to Dh15,000
Government/semi-government
- Receptionist: Dh11,000 to Dh16,000
- General administration: Dh13,000 to Dh16,000
- Senior administration: Dh18,000 to Dh25,000
- Legal secretary: Dh19,000 to Dh27,000
- Team assistant: Dh17,000 to Dh25,000
- Executive assistant: Dh18,000 to 35,000
- Office manager: Dh22,000 to Dh35,000
SME
- Receptionist: Dh8,000 to Dh12,000
- General administration: Dh7,000 to Dh13,000
- Personal assistant: Dh14,000 to Dh22,000
- Executive assistant: Dh15,000 to Dh22,000
- Office manager: Dh17,000 to Dh23,000
MNC
- Receptionist: Dh10,000 to Dh15,000
- General administration: Dh10,000 to Dh18,000
- Office manager: Dh22,000 to Dh30,000
- Executive assistant: Dh22,000 to Dh32,000
Source: Hays and Michael Page
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Kandahar%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ric%20Roman%20Waugh%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3EGerard%20Butler%2C%20Navid%20Negahban%2C%20Ali%20Fazal%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
The Lost Letters of William Woolf
Helen Cullen, Graydon House
What is an FTO Designation?
FTO designations impose immigration restrictions on members of the organisation simply by virtue of their membership and triggers a criminal prohibition on knowingly providing material support or resources to the designated organisation as well as asset freezes.
It is a crime for a person in the United States or subject to the jurisdiction of the United States to knowingly provide “material support or resources” to or receive military-type training from or on behalf of a designated FTO.
Representatives and members of a designated FTO, if they are aliens, are inadmissible to and, in certain circumstances removable from, the United States.
Except as authorised by the Secretary of the Treasury, any US financial institution that becomes aware that it has possession of or control over funds in which an FTO or its agent has an interest must retain possession of or control over the funds and report the funds to the Treasury Department.
Source: US Department of State
ULTRA PROCESSED FOODS
- Carbonated drinks, sweet or savoury packaged snacks, confectionery, mass-produced packaged breads and buns
- margarines and spreads; cookies, biscuits, pastries, cakes, and cake mixes, breakfast cereals, cereal and energy bars;
- energy drinks, milk drinks, fruit yoghurts and fruit drinks, cocoa drinks, meat and chicken extracts and instant sauces
- infant formulas and follow-on milks, health and slimming products such as powdered or fortified meal and dish substitutes,
- many ready-to-heat products including pre-prepared pies and pasta and pizza dishes, poultry and fish nuggets and sticks, sausages, burgers, hot dogs, and other reconstituted meat products, powdered and packaged instant soups, noodles and desserts.
PROFILE OF HALAN
Started: November 2017
Founders: Mounir Nakhla, Ahmed Mohsen and Mohamed Aboulnaga
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport and logistics
Size: 150 employees
Investment: approximately $8 million
Investors include: Singapore’s Battery Road Digital Holdings, Egypt’s Algebra Ventures, Uber co-founder and former CTO Oscar Salazar
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Tips for used car buyers
- Choose cars with GCC specifications
- Get a service history for cars less than five years old
- Don’t go cheap on the inspection
- Check for oil leaks
- Do a Google search on the standard problems for your car model
- Do your due diligence. Get a transfer of ownership done at an official RTA centre
- Check the vehicle’s condition. You don’t want to buy a car that’s a good deal but ends up costing you Dh10,000 in repairs every month
- Validate warranty and service contracts with the relevant agency and and make sure they are valid when ownership is transferred
- If you are planning to sell the car soon, buy one with a good resale value. The two most popular cars in the UAE are black or white in colour and other colours are harder to sell
Tarek Kabrit, chief executive of Seez, and Imad Hammad, chief executive and co-founder of CarSwitch.com
Why seagrass matters
- Carbon sink: Seagrass sequesters carbon up to 35X faster than tropical rainforests
- Marine nursery: Crucial habitat for juvenile fish, crustations, and invertebrates
- Biodiversity: Support species like sea turtles, dugongs, and seabirds
- Coastal protection: Reduce erosion and improve water quality
No%20Windmills%20in%20Basra
%3Cp%3EAuthor%3A%20Diaa%20Jubaili%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EPages%3A%20180%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EPublisher%3A%20Deep%20Vellum%20Publishing%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
if you go
The flights
Fly direct to Kutaisi with Flydubai from Dh925 return, including taxes. The flight takes 3.5 hours. From there, Svaneti is a four-hour drive. The driving time from Tbilisi is eight hours.
The trip
The cost of the Svaneti trip is US$2,000 (Dh7,345) for 10 days, including food, guiding, accommodation and transfers from and to Tbilisi or Kutaisi. This summer the TCT is also offering a 5-day hike in Armenia for $1,200 (Dh4,407) per person. For further information, visit www.transcaucasiantrail.org/en/hike/
Going grey? A stylist's advice
If you’re going to go grey, a great style, well-cared for hair (in a sleek, classy style, like a bob), and a young spirit and attitude go a long way, says Maria Dowling, founder of the Maria Dowling Salon in Dubai.
It’s easier to go grey from a lighter colour, so you may want to do that first. And this is the time to try a shorter style, she advises. Then a stylist can introduce highlights, start lightening up the roots, and let it fade out. Once it’s entirely grey, a purple shampoo will prevent yellowing.
“Get professional help – there’s no other way to go around it,” she says. “And don’t just let it grow out because that looks really bad. Put effort into it: properly condition, straighten, get regular trims, make sure it’s glossy.”
The specs
Engine: four-litre V6 and 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: six-speed and 10-speed
Power: 271 and 409 horsepower
Torque: 385 and 650Nm
Price: from Dh229,900 to Dh355,000
Emirates exiles
Will Wilson is not the first player to have attained high-class representative honours after first learning to play rugby on the playing fields of UAE.
Jonny Macdonald
Abu Dhabi-born and raised, the current Jebel Ali Dragons assistant coach was selected to play for Scotland at the Hong Kong Sevens in 2011.
Jordan Onojaife
Having started rugby by chance when the Jumeirah College team were short of players, he later won the World Under 20 Championship with England.
Devante Onojaife
Followed older brother Jordan into England age-group rugby, as well as the pro game at Northampton Saints, but recently switched allegiance to Scotland.
SPECS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202-litre%204-cylinder%20turbo%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E268hp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E380Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh208%2C000%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENow%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FINAL RECKONING
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg
Rating: 4/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The%20trailblazers
%3Cp%3ESixteen%20boys%20and%2015%20girls%20have%20gone%20on%20from%20Go-Pro%20Academy%20in%20Dubai%20to%20either%20professional%20contracts%20abroad%20or%20scholarships%20in%20the%20United%20States.%20Here%20are%20two%20of%20the%20most%20prominent.%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EGeorgia%20Gibson%20(Newcastle%20United)%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EThe%20reason%20the%20academy%20in%20Dubai%20first%20set%20up%20a%20girls%E2%80%99%20programme%20was%20to%20help%20Gibson%20reach%20her%20potential.%20Now%20she%20plays%20professionally%20for%20Newcastle%20United%20in%20the%20UK.%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMackenzie%20Hunt%20(Everton)%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EAttended%20DESS%20in%20Dubai%2C%20before%20heading%20to%20the%20UK%20to%20join%20Everton%20full%20time%20as%20a%20teenager.%20He%20was%20on%20the%20bench%20for%20the%20first%20team%20as%20recently%20as%20their%20fixture%20against%20Brighton%20on%20February%2024.%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Match info
Athletic Bilbao 0
Real Madrid 1 (Ramos 73' pen)
Secret Pigeon Service: Operation Colomba, Resistance and the Struggle to Liberate Europe
Gordon Corera, Harper Collins
Dubai World Cup Carnival card
6.30pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-2 Group 1 (PA) US$75,000 (Dirt) 1,900m
7.05pm: Al Rashidiya Group 2 (TB) $250,000 (Turf) 1,800m
7.40pm: Meydan Cup Listed Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) 2,810m
8.15pm: Handicap (TB) $175,000 (D) 1,600m
8.50pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 1,600m
9.25pm: Al Shindagha Sprint Group 3 (TB) $200,000 (D) 1,200m
10pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 2,000m
The National selections:
6.30pm - Ziyadd; 7.05pm - Barney Roy; 7.40pm - Dee Ex Bee; 8.15pm - Dubai Legacy; 8.50pm - Good Fortune; 9.25pm - Drafted; 10pm - Simsir
Sinopharm vaccine explained
The Sinopharm vaccine was created using techniques that have been around for decades.
“This is an inactivated vaccine. Simply what it means is that the virus is taken, cultured and inactivated," said Dr Nawal Al Kaabi, chair of the UAE's National Covid-19 Clinical Management Committee.
"What is left is a skeleton of the virus so it looks like a virus, but it is not live."
This is then injected into the body.
"The body will recognise it and form antibodies but because it is inactive, we will need more than one dose. The body will not develop immunity with one dose," she said.
"You have to be exposed more than one time to what we call the antigen."
The vaccine should offer protection for at least months, but no one knows how long beyond that.
Dr Al Kaabi said early vaccine volunteers in China were given shots last spring and still have antibodies today.
“Since it is inactivated, it will not last forever," she said.
The Year Earth Changed
Directed by:Tom Beard
Narrated by: Sir David Attenborough
Stars: 4
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Alaan%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202021%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Parthi%20Duraisamy%20and%20Karun%20Kurien%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20FinTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%247%20million%20raised%20in%20total%20%E2%80%94%20%242.5%20million%20in%20a%20seed%20round%20and%20%244.5%20million%20in%20a%20pre-series%20A%20round%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Brief scores:
Everton 0
Leicester City 1
Vardy 58'
New UK refugee system
- A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
- Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
- A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
- To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
- Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
- Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds
Wonka
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%C2%A0Paul%20King%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3ETimothee%20Chalamet%2C%20Olivia%20Colman%2C%20Hugh%20Grant%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
