UAE: Amid Big Changes In US, Americans Move To 'Welcoming' Emirates

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times)

Belgian-American Alix Harou moved from Washington‭, ‬DC to Dubai about two weeks ago for her husband's new job in an engineering company‭. ‬We speak the day after her daughter's first day at a brand-new high school‭, ‬and Harou says she already feels at home and is excited to explore the brand-new city‭. ‬“I feel like a little kid here‭, ‬for now‭,‬”‭ ‬she smiles‭. ‬“I look forward to discovering beautiful places‭, ‬new neighbourhoods‭, ‬and understanding the history‭ [‬of the country‭].‬”‭ ‬Harou is no stranger to venturing into unknown territory‭ ‬-‭ ‬at 19‭, ‬for instance‭, ‬she'd backpacked across Rajasthan in India‭.‬

Her decision to move to Dubai‭, ‬however‭, ‬was not entirely driven by career ambition or wanderlust‭ ‬-‭ ‬it came after a series of recent actions by the US government that have shaken its domestic and global politics‭. ‬

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As a global health programme and business development expert in Washington‭, ‬DC‭, ‬Harou's job was to‭ ‬“leverage US foreign aid funding‭, ‬including United States Agency for International Development‭ (‬USAID‭) ‬allocations‭, ‬to design‭, ‬manage and scale health programmes across Africa‭, ‬Asia‭, ‬and South America‮...‬‭ ‬through strategic partnerships‭, ‬programme management‭, ‬and donor engagement‭.‬”‭ ‬USAID's shutdown earlier this year by the US government and Department of Government Efficiency‭ (‬DOGE‭) ‬led‭, ‬back then‭, ‬by billionaire‭ ‬Elon Musk‭, ‬eliminated Harou's job‭. ‬“Within days‭, ‬I lost all my contracts‮...‬‭ ‬my colleagues from USAID‭, ‬NGOs and companies that were implementing these programmes‭, ‬all‭ ‬slowly vanished‮...‬‭ ‬It left hundreds and thousands of people with important skill sets jobless‭,‬”‭ ‬she says‭. ‬

The UAE‭, ‬says Harou‭, ‬is the perfect place for them to reinvent their careers as she feels it would‭ ‬“embrace their expertise”‭. ‬“Back in the day‭, ‬colleagues who were experts in their fields would come to work in the US and that led to a‭ ‬'brain drain'‭ ‬in their countries‭,‬”‭ ‬she says‭. ‬“But now‭, ‬I feel it's the opposite‭, ‬where people like us‮...‬‭ ‬find other places where our skillsets can be utilised‭.‬”‭ ‬

Harou's observation is not far off the mark‭. ‬Experts from across fields like recruitment and real estate confirm this trend that's triggered by a range of factors including shifting US policies and ever-evolving geopolitics‭. ‬They also note that the arrival‭ ‬of such skilled professionals from the US will benefit sectors like digital transformation‭, ‬artificial intelligence‭ (‬AI‭), ‬financial services‭, ‬and professional consulting in the UAE‭.‬

Aws Ismail‭, ‬director of recruitment‭, ‬outsourcing and training provider at Marc Ellis‭, ‬says that the firm has seen‭ ‬“a noticeable increase in professionals relocating from the US to the UAE”‭ ‬compared to last year‭, ‬not just in terms of the volume of people applying but also in the seniority‭. ‬“We're seeing more mid-level to senior professionals making the move‭, ‬which wasn't as common in previous years‭,‬”‭ ‬he says‭. ‬“We also get a lot of professionals from the consulting and finance domains‭ ‬-‭ ‬fields where the UAE is heavily investing and scaling‭.‬”‭ ‬Other applicants making enquiries work in fields like healthcare‭, ‬education and renewable energy which‭, ‬as Ismail points out‭, ‬reflects how diversified the UAE economy has become‭. ‬

And this is already beginning to have a noticeable impact on businesses‭. ‬“Multinational companies that once viewed the UAE as a satellite office are now making it a central hub for their regional and‭, ‬in some cases‭, ‬global operations‭,‬”‭ ‬he says‭. ‬While this is partly driven by‭ ‬“talent migration”‭ ‬as companies want to be where skilled professionals are willing to relocate‭, ‬he also believes that it is‭ ‬“tied to the UAE's business-friendly environment and strong government incentives”‭. ‬

An attractive hub

Sovereign Group‭, ‬a business formation and corporate services provider for professionals‭, ‬entrepreneurs‭, ‬investors and business owners moving to the UAE‭, ‬shares some data that is rather revealing‭.‬

Jade Wong‭, ‬senior sales manager at the company‭, ‬explains in an email that although they have seen a steady and long-term rise in‭ ‬interest from the US market even before recent political developments‭ (‬for instance‭, ‬“leads increased by 62‭ ‬per cent from 2023‭ ‬to 2024”‭), ‬2025‭ ‬is already showing‭ ‬“a further 9‭ ‬per cent growth on last year's total”‭. ‬“And looking at the types of enquiries over the past three years‭, ‬18.2‭ ‬per cent have been for various residency visas‭ ‬-‭ ‬such as Golden Visas‭, ‬Retirement‭, ‬and Remote Working‭ ‬-‭ ‬while 35.5‭ ‬per cent have been for Limited Liability Company set-ups‭, ‬highlighting a nice balance between corporate and individual interest‭,‬”‭ ‬she elaborates‭. ‬

According to data shared by the company‭, ‬leads for long-term residency programmes from the US‭ ‬stood at 6.2‭ ‬per cent in 2024‭ ‬while this year‭, ‬it is already at 10.4‭ ‬per cent‭. ‬As of now‭, ‬US has replaced Saudi Arabia at second spot this year while enquiries from the UK remain the highest‭ ‬–‭ ‬it was at 20.4‭ ‬per cent in 2024‭, ‬and is at 16.6‭ ‬per cent this year so far‭.‬

The UAE attracts a diverse crowd of professionals‭, ‬but it has emerged as an attractive hub for ultra-high-net-worth-individuals‭ ‬‭(‬UHNWIs‭), ‬including from the US‭. ‬Leigh Williamson‭, ‬managing director at Dubai Sotheby's International Realty‭, ‬points out‭: ‬“In recent years‭, ‬we have observed a notable trend of UHNWIs buyers from the US gravitating towards the UAE‮...‬‭ (‬and‭) ‬incorporating‭ ‬Dubai into their global portfolios as not just a residence‭, ‬but as an investment‭. ‬While the US elections may have added to this‭ ‬shift‭, ‬this upward trend took root in 2020‭, ‬driven by Dubai's reputation as a secure and stable haven compared to other global cities‭.‬”‭ ‬

Former US residents moving to the UAE are motivated by a range of other factors as well‭, ‬say experts‭ ‬-‭ ‬like American schools of repute for their children‭, ‬tax efficiency‭, ‬its global reputation as the land of opportunity and luxurious living and for UHNWIs‭, ‬it's strategic geographical location for smooth business operations across the region‭. ‬

Williamson also points out that Dubai's growing presence in Hollywood films and US media has sparked an interest among Americans about the city's real estate opportunities‭. ‬Once here‭, ‬they typically prefer to rent properties until they get familiar with the city‭. ‬“And when they do buy‭, ‬there is a growing inclination towards branded residences owing to their perfect blend of luxury and convenience‭,‬”‭ ‬she observes‭.‬

The turnaround

Norah‭* ‬was born and raised in the UAE and is currently pursuing a BA in Economics at a university in Chicago‭. ‬A few months ago‭, ‬the international adviser at her university had cautioned her against travelling outside the US‭, ‬despite her having a valid visa‭. ‬When we speak‭, ‬she criticises the country's tighter student visa rules‭, ‬saying that it's become virtually impossible for international students to stay back and look for a job‭. ‬Norah hopes to return to the UAE in 2027‭ ‬after her studies to work in aviation management‭. ‬“New students are also leaving as soon as they are done because of the crackdown on visas‭,‬”‭ ‬she adds‭.‬

Poonam Dabur‭, ‬co-founder and senior partner at Dubai-based HR consulting firm The Greater Change‭, ‬explains that there is a clear‭ ‬shift in mindset‭. ‬“A few years back‭, ‬the story was very different‭. ‬Most students who went to the US for higher studies would stay on‭, ‬find a job‭, ‬work a few years‭, ‬and do their best to settle there‭.‬”‭ ‬But today‭, ‬students educated in the US and young professionals feel there is tremendous uncertainty around immigration and visas‭, ‬and prefer to return to the UAE‭. ‬Concerns about safety regularly come up in their conversations with Dabur as they share stories of being questioned at airports‭, ‬or being looked at differently‭. ‬“And then‭, ‬especially for those in science‭, ‬tech or research‭, ‬there's a sense that funding and opportunities are drying up in the US‭. ‬Research grants are being cut or politicised‭, ‬and that discourages students who want to do serious work‭,‬”‭ ‬she adds‭.‬

UAE‭, ‬on the other hand‭, ‬seems like the smarter choice‭. ‬“The country has built a reputation for being accessible‭, ‬welcoming and forward-looking‭, ‬especially in‭ [‬terms of‭] ‬education and careers‭,‬”‭ ‬says Dabur‭. ‬She adds that with new universities and labs‭, ‬government-led initiatives in AI and sustainability‭, ‬she senses‭ ‬“fresh energy”‭. ‬“From AI to real estate‭, ‬and from wealth management to marketing‭, ‬young returnees and professionals are choosing sectors where the UAE's momentum meets their ambition‭,‬”‭ ‬she says‭. ‬“Most of the youngsters I speak with are drawn to the UAE's growth areas‭ ‬-‭ ‬tech and AI are on top of the list‭, ‬with data science and robotics being natural fits‭. ‬Healthcare and engineering are also strong‭, ‬especially post-pandemic‭, ‬where they see purpose and opportunity‭. ‬Beyond that‭, ‬I see many moving into marketing and creative‭ ‬roles‭, ‬wealth management and finance‭, ‬and of course real estate and property sales‭ ‬-‭ ‬all are booming industries here‭.‬”

‭*‬ Name changed to protect identity

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