Hiring in December 2021 36% higher than pre pandemic levels
UAE sees highest talent inflow relative to population size in the world
Healthcare, Software and IT industries lead the hiring drive
UAE report ‘The Great Reshuffle’ partnership between Ministry of Economy and LinkedIn
The United Arab Emirates recorded one of the strongest hiring booms globally over the last two years – with an inflow of talent that is the highest in the world relative to its population. This is the finding of LinkedIn’s latest report, “The Great Reshuffle: How the UAE is Embracing the New World of Work”.
The report is the result of a partnership between the UAE’s Ministry of Economy and LinkedIn and seeks to understand the shifting employment trends in the country, including hiring numbers, skills acquisition, workplace gender balance and emerging sectors.
The findings demonstrate that talent is increasingly drawn to the UAE, where private-sector growth is creating a wealth of new opportunities – particularly for highly skilled workers. In December 2021, hiring was 36% higher than December 2019, underlining that the country’s economy isn’t simply returning to its pre-pandemic levels but expanding well beyond them.
The UAE’s hiring rates also surpass major economies around the world. Singapore, for instance, registered a 34% increase in December 2021 over December 2019, while Australia was 9% and the USA 5%. In terms of talent inflow, the UAE ranked fifth globally after the US, the UK, Canada and France but first relative to population size for talent inflow.
Healthcare, software and IT industries witnessed the highest growth in hiring, expanding rapidly as a result of the covid-19 pandemic. There was also an accompanying rise in career transitions between different job domains, particularly to industries that were thriving amid challenging economic conditions. “Digital Content Management” and “Self-Employment” were two job domains that witnessed a three-fold growth in the number of roles in 2021, while “Entrepreneurship” was the fastest growing job function in UAE.
In terms of skills, the “digital disruptive skills” category, such as AI and Data Science, grew by 12.4% yearly over the past five years. The UAE is now the regional leader in all digital skills categories, including disruptive digital skills, digital software & hardware skills, and applied digital skills.
His Excellency Dr Thani Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of Foreign Trade and Minister in Charge of Talent Attraction and Retention, said the findings reflect the nation’s proactive policies towards economic transformation and diversification, as well as those geared towards creating an attractive, open and tolerant society for talent from all backgrounds.
“As revealed in the Projects of the 50 last September, the United Arab Emirates has embarked on a bold mission to develop a dynamic, globally competitive and sustainable economy, one that will foster new industries and create opportunities for the next 50 years and beyond. Our ability to attract the most accomplished global talent is crucial to these ambitions. Their skills, insight and expertise will enhance our capabilities in key sectors such as manufacturing, logistics, e-commerce, transport and energy, and accelerate our transition to a knowledge- and innovation-based economy.”
His Excellency continued: “The UAE government has developed an integrated strategy to ensure the country is a magnet for ambitious, high-caliber professionals from across the world. We have introduced new and upgraded visa and residency laws to ensure we become a global hub for bright minds and bold ideas. We also understand the importance of family and lifestyle, too, and our consistently high ranking in expat surveys underline our commitment to establishing the ideal place for people to live, work and grow. We are committed to ensuring the UAE the most dynamic and attractive business environment in the world – and these results illustrate we are moving in the right direction.”
Sue Duke, Vice President, Head of Global Public Policy and Economic Graph at LinkedIn, said “Our Economic Graph data shows us in real time how the economy and labor markets are changing around the world, and these insights have never been more relevant as the world of work undergoes major change. Our partnership with the UAE’s ministry of economy is an example of how we work with our partners to leverage data and inform policymaking, ultimately helping to realize our vision of creating economic opportunity for every member of the global workforce”.
Duke added, “Our UAE Economic Graph report shows that the UAE has emerged from the pandemic a global talent hub, with one of strongest hiring booms globally. We are pleased to have the opportunity to track trends with our UAE partners and provide insights that help chart the way forward”.
Conducted in partnership with the UAE Ministry of Economy, the report is based on an analysis of a highly diverse sample of over five million members of the UAE’s workforce with a LinkedIn account. Using their Economic Graph, a digital representation of the global economy, LinkedIn established a comprehensive, detailed picture of the trends that have shaped the UAE labor market over the last five years.