The UAE job market grew by 4.2% y-o-y in 2024, led by the real estate, banking and finance, and technology sectors, Khaleej Times reports, citing Cooper Fitch’s 4Q GCC Employment Index and the UAE 2025 Salary Guide (pdf). The country also recorded a 3% increase in job creation in 4Q 2024, compared to the previous quarter. Meanwhile, some 41% of UAE employers have raised salaries for new hires in 2024, while 30% maintained them at the same level, and 29% issued reductions.

Headcount to rise and salaries to remain stagnant: Some 54% of the employers surveyed expect to expand their workforce in 2025, while 31% predict a reduction in headcount. On the other hand, less than half of the employees are expected to witness a salary increase in 2025, with only 44% of the employers surveyed intending to increase paychecks this year. Meanwhile 30% plan to cut the salaries by 0-10% and 26% will leave payroll expenses unchanged .

REMEMBER- Human resources consulting firm Robert Half reported in November that about 63% of UAE business leaders expect an increase in employee headcount to accommodate growth plans over the upcoming 12 months.

Employers trust their candidate pool, as 66% of the employers’ responses suggest that the available candidates in the UAE will meet their hiring needs this year. The main talent gaps in the UAE job market are in the sectors of mining, consulting and professional services, hospitality and tourism, government, and technology.

Zooming out to the region: The GCC job market grew by 5% y-o-y in 2024 which was mainly driven by the energy, real estate, and technology sectors. Meanwhile, job opportunities grew by 2% in 4Q 2024 across the region. On the other hand, sectors such as cloud, legal, banking, finance, and supply chain saw hiring declines in 4Q.

MORE FROM THE UAE JOB MARKET-

A 75% majority of the UAE’s workforce will look for a new job this year, The National reports, citing a LinkedIn survey. Professionals in the marketing, education, finance, sales, and media sectors are the most keen on seeking new roles, while half of surveyed healthcare professionals share the same intentions. The fastest-growing jobs in the country are media buyers, AI engineers, real estate consultants, sustainability managers, and sales development representatives.

Vacancies aren’t easy to fill on both ends: Professionals who believe that the job search became harder than last year amounted to 51%, while 46% of HR professionals said that filling roles with suitable talents is becoming more challenging.

The country’s workforce remains confident about their chances, as 58% of employees in the UAE are confident of securing new opportunities in 2025 due to their belief that the job market will get better. However, about 69% of employers reported that less than half of the job applicants match the requirements.

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