Financial hubs such as Dubai International Finance Centre have experienced an increase in demand for compliance, risk and regulatory professionals. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Financial hubs such as Dubai International Finance Centre have experienced an increase in demand for compliance, risk and regulatory professionals. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Financial hubs such as Dubai International Finance Centre have experienced an increase in demand for compliance, risk and regulatory professionals. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Financial hubs such as Dubai International Finance Centre have experienced an increase in demand for compliance, risk and regulatory professionals. Chris Whiteoak / The National

UAE outpaces Saudi job growth driven by tech and real estate hiring


Deepthi Nair
  • English
  • Arabic

Job growth in the UAE in the second quarter outpaced Saudi Arabia, driven by strong demand in real estate, financial services and technology sectors, the introduction of a digital work permit system and high employer confidence, a report by recruitment company Cooper Fitch has shown.

Hiring activity in the Emirates accelerated by 4 per cent for the three months to the end of June, while job growth in the kingdom rose by 2 per cent, according to Cooper Fitch’s Gulf Employment Index report.

Saudi Arabia recorded steady hiring across finance, tourism and infrastructure, although momentum slowed slightly as organisations reassessed budgets and project timelines, the research found.

“The UAE had a significant import of high-net-worth individuals, millionaires and billionaires. We're also seeing a lot of SME activity happening in the jobs market here. A lot of sectors in the UAE are growing well simultaneously,” Trefor Murphy, founder and chief executive of Cooper Fitch, told The National.

“Legal in-house, public sector, infrastructure [roads and rail], education, tourism, supply chain, sales and marketing are other sectors in the UAE recording robust hiring activity.

“Saudi Arabia is repositioning themselves and working on projects that have specific timelines attached to them, such as the AFC Asian Cup and Expo 2030, among others. They've a huge amount of infrastructure they need to do to be prepared for those big global events.”

There is also a shift from hiring of “strategic, visionary type” roles to “execution roles” in the UAE, he added.

The UAE is facing a surplus of skilled professionals in many roles, particularly at middle and senior management levels, according to recruitment experts. The country’s attractive lifestyle and tax-free salaries continue to draw skilled professionals from around the world.

The Emirates' population is booming and job seekers in many professions now far outstrip the number of available roles, HR professionals said. People are coming in and taking jobs for very low salaries just to get their foot in the door, they added.

Employers are placing greater emphasis on UAE market experience and cultural fit, as well as soft skills, given the abundance of technically qualified candidates.

Overall hiring in the GCC rose by 1 per cent in the second quarter, Cooper Fitch said. Oman registered a 2 per cent growth in hiring activity driven by expansion in the renewables, manufacturing and industrial development sectors.

Employment creation in Bahrain increased by 1 per cent, led by FinTech and tourism. However, a smaller talent pool and limited project scale continued to temper broader hiring momentum, the consultancy reported.

Qatar and Kuwait both saw reduced hiring in the second quarter, with contractions of 3 per cent and 4 per cent, respectively.

“In Qatar, employers reassessed short-term hiring plans due to slower momentum in energy and infrastructure projects, particularly around the North Field expansion. However, long-term hiring intent remaining intact,” the report said.

“Kuwait’s hiring activity remained subdued, with many employers deferring decisions amid ongoing policy discussions and the absence of new project approvals.”

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With both Eid Al Fitr and Eid Al Adha falling in the second quarter, along with the early summer slowdown, many organisations delayed decision-making, particularly in markets with large public sectors or family-owned businesses, according to Cooper Fitch.

Countries advancing project delivery saw hiring growth, while others slowed amid delays in spending, the consultancy said.

Roles in demand in Gulf

Senior finance roles notched the highest growth in the GCC this quarter, up by 8 per cent, driven by the formation of new joint ventures and increased regulatory oversight. Internal audit and compliance hiring surged, particularly in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, Cooper Fitch research found.

Broader finance recruitment also rose 4 per cent, fuelled by a “sustained appetite” for financial planning and analysis specialists and treasury professionals.

GCC financial hubs, particularly the Dubai International Finance Centre and ADGM, experienced a 2 per cent increase in investment-linked hiring, as “global fund inflows intensified the competition for top-tier compliance, risk and regulatory professionals”, according to Cooper Fitch.

In banking, hiring activity grew by 3 per cent, led by demand for professionals who straddle governance, automation and data.

Strategy hiring, aligning recruitment with long-term business goals, remained flat as companies increasingly favoured interim consultants or niche specialists over traditional firms, the consultancy said.

We're seeing a lot of SME activity happening in the UAE job market. A lot of sectors are growing well simultaneously
Trefor Murphy,
founder and chief executive, Cooper Fitch

“Leadership hiring in the chief executive practice increased by 4 per cent, driven by mandates related to restructuring, digital redesign and new market expansion,” according to Cooper Fitch.

Public sector hiring grew 5 per cent underpinned by sustained investment in digitalisation and citizen services. HR hiring rose by 4 per cent in the GCC, largely fuelled by nationalisation mandates and large-scale workforce mobilisation across utilities, energy and industrial sectors.”

Sales and marketing hiring grew by 6 per cent, driven by strong activity in real estate, manufacturing and consumer markets. Real estate hiring increased by 1 per cent, supported by key project delivery milestones and a rise in developer activity, particularly in Abu Dhabi, the report said.

Legal hiring was mixed: in-house counsel demand rose by 7 per cent, especially within investment and real estate firms, while private practice hiring contracted by 3 per cent.

Hiring in manufacturing increased by 2 per cent, driven by new plant developments and upgrades across steel, power, packaging and chemicals. Supply chain hiring rose 3 per cent. Roles linked to automation, vendor management and logistics transformation gained traction, the report found.

In technology, software jobs contracted by 2 per cent, while cloud hiring declined by 3 per cent and cybersecurity hiring rose by 3 per cent. Digital, data and AI hiring increased by 4 per cent in the GCC.

Living in...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.

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Chef Nobu's advice for eating sushi

“One mistake people always make is adding extra wasabi. There is no need for this, because it should already be there between the rice and the fish.
“When eating nigiri, you must dip the fish – not the rice – in soy sauce, otherwise the rice will collapse. Also, don’t use too much soy sauce or it will make you thirsty. For sushi rolls, dip a little of the rice-covered roll lightly in soy sauce and eat in one bite.
“Chopsticks are acceptable, but really, I recommend using your fingers for sushi. Do use chopsticks for sashimi, though.
“The ginger should be eaten separately as a palette cleanser and used to clear the mouth when switching between different pieces of fish.”

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Key figures in the life of the fort

Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.

Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.

Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.

Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.

Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.

Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.

Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.

Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.

Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae

Tearful appearance

Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday. 

Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow. 

She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.

A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.

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The more serious side of specialty coffee

While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.

The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.

Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”

One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.

Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms. 

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Updated: July 10, 2025, 6:15 AM`