As economic problems still remain rampant in many parts of the world, an increasing number of professionals are looking at the UAE for job prospects, say experts in the recruitment industry.
Headhunters say there has been a significant increase in the number of applications they are receiving from Europe, and this has been the case for some time.
“The UAE is constantly evolving as a job hub for people across the globe. With financial uncertainty in Europe, we are seeing an increased interest from people looking to relocate here,” Brian Cartwright, Managing Director, Middle East & Africa at Logistics Executive told 'Emirates24|7'.
According to Hasnain Qazi, Middle East Business Manager at Huxley Associates, “Dubai has evolved into a lifestyle destination of choice for people all over the world looking for a safe, secure, vibrant, cosmopolitan city to live in, providing tax free income and a high standard of living. This is quite a contrast to many other countries in the world where economic and social conditions are not as rosy,” he said.
“In general, though, for the past decades, Dubai has developed as a major hub for international talent from all over the world. Its development and the prestige of its projects were very attractive for new businesses to join (many were needed anyway to support the development, and most are focusing on the whole GCC from Dubai, thanks to the facilities Dubai offers in its infrastructure). In addition to its growth, Dubai created a lifestyle that is most attractive to people from many countries and different cultures and, as such, the Emirate is still among the most preferred areas in the Gulf for people to move in and work,” added Konstantina Sakellariou, Partner, Marketing& Operations Director at Stanton Chase.
However, as more professionals are keen to join the UAE job market, companies prefer candidates who have local experience.
“We are still faced with challenges in helping [expat professionals find] work in the UAE as a large number of companies focus only on recruiting people with existing or at least very recent Middle East experience. Many companies are not prepared to invest in bringing in new talent from other parts of the globe. We have seen a slight positive shift from previous years but the trend remains fairly consistent with the majority of companies in the UAE,” said Cartwright.
“On the upside, within the supply chain and logistics sector, heavy investment in infrastructure development is constantly increasing the UAE’s already impressive capability for handling high volumes of cargo from around the world. This is attracting more and more major manufacturers and distributors as well as logistics service providers into setting up shop in the UAE. The ongoing investment has been a key driver in solidifying the UAE’s strategic position as the main logistics hub for the region. Rapid development is continuing, which is attracting further investment and job creation,” he added while commenting on the sector he caters to.
Besides the UAE, other GCC countries like Saudi Arabia and Qatar are also seeing more people coming from Eurozone, say analysts.
Unemployment in the 17 nations that use the euro was at 11.4 per cent in August, according to Eurostat, the statistical agency of the European Union. The agency also revised the figures for June and July to 11.4 per cent, up from the previously reported 11.3 per cent, which was a record level for the region since the introduction of the euro in 1999.
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