Three quarters of UAE residents say they receive an annual airfare allowance to their home country. Photo: AFP
Three quarters of UAE residents say they receive an annual airfare allowance to their home country. Photo: AFP

UAE a 'top-five favourite for expats'



The UAE is the fourth-best country in the world for expatriates looking to work abroad, according to newly released data from HSBC’s Expat Explorer Survey.

The survey of 22,000 people across the globe scored the Emirates in the top five for the third consecutive year due to generous benefits packages from employers and earning prospects.

“Better earning potential is the cornerstone of why people seek career opportunities here. It is indicative of the success of the UAE’s focus on diversification, which has resulted in the creation of an internationally recognised and sought-after working environment,” Marwan Hadi, head of Retail Banking and Wealth Management, UAE at HSBC, said.

Germany was the most popular location for expatriates to move to, followed by Bahrain in second place and the UK in third. Switzerland was the fifth most-favoured relocation destination.

Salary increases are no longer enough to attract and retain the best candidates in the UAE, a January study from global recruitment consultancy Michael Page found, as employees prioritise other career benefits such as career development, organisational culture and flexibility.

While benefits packages was another primary factor luring newcomers in, earning prospects was also among the top three attractions, the HSBC study found. Three-quarters of residents say they receive an annual airfare allowance to their home country and 85 per cent receive health allowances compared to the global average of 17 per cent.

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Read more:

UAE jobseekers look for career development over salaries and perks

UAE salary guide 2019: How much should you be earning?

Financial confidence on the rise for UAE residents

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However, other factors play into the decision for those planning to relocate. Fifty-five per cent said the UAE was a good location to progress their career and six in ten of those polled said working in the Emirates has developed their confidence.

Almost three-quarters of expatriates in the country (73 per cent) said they earn more than in their home nation.

Salaries in the UAE are projected to increase by 4.8 per cent across all industries this year, a November study from global consulting company Mercer found.

In October, HSBC said more than half of UAE expatriates moved to the UAE to boost their income, while a fifth said their salaries doubled when they relocated to the Emirates.

Twenty per cent said their yearly wage doubled in comparison to their earnings before their move to the UAE, with the average annual expatriate salary of $155,039 (Dh569,500), the sixth highest globally.

Those looking for a more sociable life should head to Brazil, Indonesia and the Philippines, according to HSBC's latest data, while 57 per cent of foreign workers say working in Brazil has made them more creative.

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Read more:

A fifth of UAE expatriates doubled their salary when they relocated

New to the UAE guide: set-up costs, visas, rent, school fees and more

New to the UAE guide part 2: banking, saving, investing and sound financial advice

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HAJJAN
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Founder: Ayman Badawi

Date started: Test product September 2016, paid launch January 2017

Based: Dubai, UAE

Sector: Software

Size: Seven employees

Funding: $170,000 in angel investment

Funders: friends

MATCH INFO

Chelsea 3 (Abraham 11', 17', 74')

Luton Town 1 (Clark 30')

Man of the match Abraham (Chelsea)

The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo

Power: 178hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 280Nm at 1,350-4,200rpm

Transmission: seven-speed dual-clutch auto

Price: from Dh209,000 

On sale: now

Despacito's dominance in numbers

Released: 2017

Peak chart position: No.1 in more than 47 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Lebanon

Views: 5.3 billion on YouTube

Sales: With 10 million downloads in the US, Despacito became the first Latin single to receive Diamond sales certification

Streams: 1.3 billion combined audio and video by the end of 2017, making it the biggest digital hit of the year.

Awards: 17, including Record of the Year at last year’s prestigious Latin Grammy Awards, as well as five Billboard Music Awards

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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.”

Company%20Profile
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Super%20Mario%20Bros%20Wonder
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World Sevens Series standing after Dubai

1. South Africa
2. New Zealand
3. England
4. Fiji
5. Australia
6. Samoa
7. Kenya
8. Scotland
9. France
10. Spain
11. Argentina
12. Canada
13. Wales
14. Uganda
15. United States
16. Russia

The specs

Engine: 1.4-litre 4-cylinder turbo

Power: 180hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 250Nm at 3,00rpm

Transmission: 5-speed sequential auto

Price: From Dh139,995

On sale: now

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 

Results

6.30pm: The Madjani Stakes (PA) Group 3 Dh175,000 (Dirt) 1,900m

Winner: Aatebat Al Khalediah, Fernando Jara (jockey), Ali Rashid Al Raihe (trainer).

7.05pm: Maiden (TB) Dh165,000 (D) 1,400m

Winner: Down On Da Bayou, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer.

7.40pm: Maiden (TB) Dh165,000 (D) 1,600m

Winner: Dubai Avenue, Fernando Jara, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.

8.15pm: Handicap (TB) Dh190,000 (D) 1,200m

Winner: My Catch, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.

8.50pm: Dubai Creek Mile (TB) Listed Dh265,000 (D) 1,600m

Winner: Secret Ambition, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar.

9.25pm: Handicap (TB) Dh190,000 (D) 1,600m

Winner: Golden Goal, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.

Specs

Engine: 51.5kW electric motor

Range: 400km

Power: 134bhp

Torque: 175Nm

Price: From Dh98,800

Available: Now

Specs

Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric

Range: Up to 610km

Power: 905hp

Torque: 985Nm

Price: From Dh439,000

Available: Now

NO OTHER LAND

Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal

Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham

Rating: 3.5/5

Hotel Silence
Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir
Pushkin Press

Roll of honour 2019-2020

Dubai Rugby Sevens
Winners: Dubai Hurricanes
Runners up: Bahrain

West Asia Premiership
Winners: Bahrain
Runners up: UAE Premiership

UAE Premiership
}Winners: Dubai Exiles
Runners up: Dubai Hurricanes

UAE Division One
Winners: Abu Dhabi Saracens
Runners up: Dubai Hurricanes II

UAE Division Two
Winners: Barrelhouse
Runners up: RAK Rugby

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets