Nearly six in 10 professionals in the UAE are considering switching their work industry in the next few months, according to the findings of a new survey.
They cited better salary and career growth (46 per cent) as the main reasons for considering an industry change. Government or civil service (14 per cent) ranked as the most appealing sector among those thinking of an industry switch, Bayt.com’s Top Industries in the Middle East and North Africa 2020 survey found. Conducted in partnership with market research company YouGov, the survey polled 1,898 respondents in several Mena countries, including the UAE and Saudi Arabia, from September 21 to October 8.
The coronavirus pandemic has tipped the global economy into a steep recession, prompting workers around the world to reskill to adjust to a rapidly changing economy.
The Bayt.com survey found that 19 per cent of UAE respondents have changed their industry at least once in the past two years.
“Our latest survey confirms a significant increase in interest in certain industries – largely fuelled by salary and benefits, work-life balance, career growth and job security,” Ola Haddad, director of human resources at job site Bayt.com, said.
“Employers need to deliver on jobseekers’ continuously evolving expectations to attract the best candidates. This starts with understanding jobseeker preferences.”
The UAE’s hiring rate briefly hit pre-pandemic levels in October, rising 9.5 per cent annually within the global average of 9 to 10 per cent, according to LinkedIn. It identified 10 jobs that are expected to continue to be in high demand by employers in the future, including digital marketers, data analysts, software developers and financial analysts.
Jobseekers in the UAE are most keen to work in sectors such as hospitality/recreation/entertainment, education and engineering/design, the Bayt.com survey found.
However, when it comes to maintaining a work-life balance, respondents ranked government/civil service (30 per cent), banking/finance/accounting (22 per cent) and oil, gas and petrochemicals (17 per cent) as the most attractive industries to work in the UAE.
Information technology and e-commerce (25 per cent) and healthcare/medical services (25 per cent) are viewed as the industries expected to record the strongest growth next year.
According to the survey findings, almost two in five respondents believe that oil, gas and petrochemicals is the industry that offers the best salary package, including non-monetary benefits, in their country of residence, while 21 per cent believe that banking/finance offers the second-best salaries.
In terms of career growth, a majority of respondents (26 per cent) consider oil, gas and petrochemicals to be the best industry, followed by banking/finance/accounting (22 per cent).
For job security, 29 per cent of respondents ranked military/defence/police on top, followed by government/civil service (27 per cent) and oil, gas and petrochemicals (21 per cent).
More than half of all respondents (55 per cent) to the survey said the government is a favourable employer, and 36 per cent said it is an extremely favourable employer.
Meanwhile, the sectors of banking/finance/accounting (21 per cent) and hospitality/recreation/ entertainment (18 per cent) are perceived to hire most new graduates.
However, when it comes to attracting local talent, the top three sectors are government/civil service (28 per cent), military/defence/police (27 per cent) and oil, gas and petrochemicals (20 per cent), the survey found.
Female jobseekers in the UAE said the industries of hospitality/recreation/entertainment (28 per cent), healthcare/medical services (24 per cent) and human resources (24 per cent) are the most attractive.
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Uefa Champions League Group F
Manchester City v Hoffenheim, midnight (Wednesday, UAE)
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
Fourth Arab Economic and Social Development Summit
As he spoke, Mr Aboul Gheit repeatedly referred to the need to tackle issues affecting the welfare of people across the region both in terms of preventing conflict and in pushing development.
Lebanon is scheduled to host the fourth Arab Economic and Social Development Summit in January that will see regional leaders gather to tackle the challenges facing the Middle East. The last such summit was held in 2013. Assistant Secretary-General Hossam Zaki told The National that the Beirut Summit “will be an opportunity for Arab leaders to discuss solely economic and social issues, the conference will not focus on political concerns such as Palestine, Syria or Libya". He added that its slogan will be “the individual is at the heart of development”, adding that it will focus on all elements of human capital.
