Jobs In UAE, GCC: 94% Firms Plan To Hire With Arabs, Indians, Filipinos In High Demand

The UAE and Gulf job market is booming as around 94 per cent of employers across the region plan to hire over the next six months, with Arab, Indian, and Filipino professionals being the most sought-after, said a new study released on Wednesday.

According to the NaukriGulf Hiring Outlook Report, 29 per cent of employers are looking to recruit Arab professionals, 28 per cent intend to hire Indians, and 20 per cent aim to onboard Filipino talent. Europeans (eight per cent) and English-speaking professionals (three per cent) are also among the most in-demand nationalities.

The job markets in the UAE and the wider Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) are highly diversified, reflecting the large presence of expatriate workers from around the world.

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In the UAE, approximately 85 per cent of the population is made up of expatriates, with Indians comprising the largest group - accounting for 37 per cent of the country's 11 million residents. In Saudi Arabia, the largest country in the region, over 41 per cent of the population consists of foreign professionals and workers.

Other Gulf countries - including Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, and Oman - also rely heavily on expatriate talent. According to data from the Gulf Research Centre, foreign workers made up 55 per cent of the total Gulf population as of mid-2022.

The Gulf countries are among the fastest-growing economies globally, driven by oil and non-oil sectors. In the post-pandemic period, the UAE has seen a massive influx of foreign professionals as new companies were established and many multinationals relocated to the UAE. Similarly, Saudi Arabia has been opening up its economy, creating job opportunities for locals and foreigners.

The report indicates that hiring activity remains strong, with 58 per cent of employers planning to recruit for both new and replacement positions. An additional 32 per cent are hiring specifically for newly created roles, while four per cent are replacing existing staff. Only five per cent of surveyed firms reported no hiring plans over the next six months.

Furthermore, nearly two-thirds (67 per cent) of companies across the GCC expect to hire for in-office or hybrid roles, reflecting a preference among employers for on-site collaboration.

“Hiring in the Gulf is moving forward with intent. Employers are prioritising mid-level, favouring in-office collaboration, and making every hire count. This continued growth signals a more mature and focused market. We see this as a strong step forward, where smarter outreach, sharper targeting and job-ready talent will define who hires best,” said Sharad Sindhwani, business and product head at NaukriGulf.

The survey highlights that the most in-demand roles are in sales and marketing, followed by positions in engineering (non-IT), supply chain and operations, finance, HR, and administration, as well as IT/software development.

Top hiring industries are construction and real estate; staffing and recruitment; manufacturing and industrial services; IT and telecom; and oil, gas, chemical and energy.

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