Related: 60% of UAE employers plan to hire more workers in 2021
The Covid-19 pandemic caused major disruptions to the global jobs market last year, but sentiments towards UAE salaries for 2021 look promising.
A new report by Hays recruitment agency showed that 44 per cent of respondents in the UAE expect a pay rise in the next 12 months.
Just over half are confident their pay package will remain the same, while only two per cent foresee a cut coming their way.
The results are surprising, considering the global salary cuts and redundancies in 2020, due to strict lockdowns.
However, recruitment experts are hopeful the market is set for a rebound – even if a little slower than normal, due to the ongoing impact of Covid-19.
“We do not expect the pandemic to negatively affect salaries in 2021,” said Samantha Wright, senior recruitment consultant with Hays.
“This view is reflected by professionals working in the UAE, with 53 per cent expecting their salary to remain the same, year-on-year in 2021, 44 expecting an increase and two per cent expecting a decrease.”
Going forward, Ms Wright said IT specialists with digital technology and data-driven skill-sets will be the “most in-demand professionals in the market in 2021”.
This is due to the UAE government’s ongoing focus on digitisation and automation.
Positions that invite a big salary package include IT directors and managers, as well as digital marketing managers.
In late 2020, the government embarked on one of the biggest overhauls of the legal system in years, with changes to family law and other areas affecting people's daily lives announced.
The laws reflect progressive measures to improve living standards for both nationals and residents in the UAE.
As a result, the legal sector is likely to be a part of the economy's rebound efforts, with more opportunities for legal advisers, legal secretaries and paralegals likely this year.
As part of the Hays 2021 Emiratisation Salary and Employment report, experts have mapped out a salary guide that Emiratis can use to benchmark their salary packages against others in the region.
The salaries have been broken down into three categories – the private sector and the public sector in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
The report clearly shows that public sector organisations in Abu Dhabi pay the highest salaries to UAE nationals – sometimes more than 40 per cent higher than private organisations.
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Age: 46
Number of Children: Four
Hobby: Reading history books
Loves: Sports
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Company%20Profile
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Our House, Louise Candlish,
Simon & Schuster
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Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
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Prop idols
Girls full-contact rugby may be in its infancy in the Middle East, but there are already a number of role models for players to look up to.
Sophie Shams (Dubai Exiles mini, England sevens international)
An Emirati student who is blazing a trail in rugby. She first learnt the game at Dubai Exiles and captained her JESS Primary school team. After going to study geophysics at university in the UK, she scored a sensational try in a cup final at Twickenham. She has played for England sevens, and is now contracted to top Premiership club Saracens.
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Seren Gough-Walters (Sharjah Wanderers mini, Wales rugby league international)
Few players anywhere will have taken a more circuitous route to playing rugby on Sky Sports. Gough-Walters was born in Al Wasl Hospital in Dubai, raised in Sharjah, did not take up rugby seriously till she was 15, has a master’s in global governance and ethics, and once worked as an immigration officer at the British Embassy in Abu Dhabi. In the summer of 2021 she played for Wales against England in rugby league, in a match that was broadcast live on TV.
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Erin King (Dubai Hurricanes mini, Ireland sevens international)
Aged five, Australia-born King went to Dubai Hurricanes training at The Sevens with her brothers. She immediately struck up a deep affection for rugby. She returned to the city at the end of last year to play at the Dubai Rugby Sevens in the colours of Ireland in the Women’s World Series tournament on Pitch 1.
In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
- Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
- Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
- HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
- Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
- Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000
- Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000
- Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000
- Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000
- Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
Remaining fixtures
- August 29 – UAE v Saudi Arabia, Hazza bin Zayed Stadium, Al Ain
- September 5 – Iraq v UAE, Amman, Jordan (venue TBC)
The five pillars of Islam
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Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
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From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
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Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
