Related: UAE salary guide 2022: how much should you be earning?
Businesses in the UAE are expected to accelerate their hiring plans in 2022 as the economy continues to recover and the jobs market returns to pre-pandemic levels, recruitment experts say.
The technology sector will dominate demand for new hires this year while a sharp increase in hiring is expected in well-established industries such as health care, pharmaceuticals, human resources, sales, retail, finance and oil and gas.
“Software developers will be one of the most sought-after skills categories, ranging from state-of-the-art virtual and augmented reality to gamification, cryptocurrency, digital education and telemedicine,” says Deepa Sud, chief executive of Plum Jobs, a Dubai recruitment and leadership skills consultancy.
“Each of these sectors will boom as our work and personal dynamics change with hybrid working becoming more of the norm.”
The jobs market in the UAE, the second-largest Arab economy, has made a strong recovery from the coronavirus-induced slowdown on the back of the government’s fiscal and monetary measures.
The pick-up in economic activity and business confidence spells good news for skilled jobseekers.
“As the most in-demand jobs evolve, candidates and employees who have a robust mix of technical and soft skills will become the most sought-after,” says Ms Sud.
“As we become more reliant on technology in our everyday lives, the need for technology security increases with greater focus on applications and cloud security. Businesses are investing in risk management, threat intelligence and auditing skills as cyber attacks are becoming more common.”
Demand for professionals in cloud computing, cyber security, digital media and artificial intelligence is also expected to surge in 2022, says Richard Jackson, the chief operating officer at recruitment agency TASC Outsourcing.
“The healthcare industry will also continue to be a big employer in 2022, followed by the information technology, internet, e-commerce sectors and hospitality industry,” Mr Jackson adds.
Meanwhile, the most in-demand skills in 2022 will be a combination of technical capabilities – such as digital literacy, technology design and programming – and soft attributes, including critical thinking and analysis, design thinking and innovation.
“Many employers will also be looking for strategic skills like business strategy, strategic planning, organisational development, leadership and team management,” Mr Jackson says.
Good communication skills in both English and Arabic are also highly sought-after by UAE employers, says Ola Haddad, director of human resources at jobs portal Bayt.com.
“[This is] followed by being a team player, having good leadership skills and having the ability to work under pressure,” Ms Haddad says.
With hiring on the increase, what are the most in-demand jobs in 2022 and how much do they pay?
Read on to find out – and check out our comprehensive UAE salary guide 2022 slide show above for a snapshot of your sector.
Technology
Positions in demand: front-end developer, full stack developer, cyber security architect, cloud architect/engineer, IT project management
The demand for software development professionals is rapidly increasing as companies in the UAE continue to digitise their processes after the pandemic, the Michael Page Salary Guide 2022 report says.
“In the past, most of the demand we saw was from highly regulated sectors and software development outsourcing companies, however, recently we have seen an increase in start-ups and scale-ups looking to employ their own talent,” the report says.
“The shortage of skilled talent in this space is a growing problem globally.”
Hiring recommendation: “Where possible, remote working and hybrid models should be explored, while traditional compensation and benefits packages must also be reviewed to ensure employees are receiving attractive, yet fair, incentives,” the Michael Page report says.
Salaries:
- Front-end developer: Dh12,000 – Dh22,000
- Full stack developer: Dh20,000 – Dh35,000
- Cyber security architect: Dh35,000 – Dh60,000
- Cloud architect/engineer: Dh25,000 – Dh60,000
- IT project management: Dh20,000 – Dh55,000
Healthcare and life sciences
Positions in demand: nurse, laboratory technician, doctor, regional sales manager, marketing manager
The pandemic has driven demand for medical and laboratory roles since 2020, with healthcare organisations forced to change their operations rapidly to address an increase in patients and testing, the Michael Page report says.
“Many companies are looking to hire in large volumes, which presents a challenge to find licensed professionals with UAE experience or people who can become licensed in the UAE quickly,” it adds.
Hiring recommendation: “Healthcare professionals will also be highly sought-after, so organisations need to ensure they have competitive salaries, benefits and a stable onboarding programme to ensure they are able to attract and, more importantly, retain employees,” the Michael Page report advises.
Salaries:
- Nurse: Dh6,000 – Dh15,000
- Laboratory technician: Dh8,000 – Dh15,000
- Doctor (consultant): Dh60,000 – Dh160,000
- Regional sales manager (life sciences): Dh30,000 – Dh55,000
- Marketing manager (life sciences): Dh30,000 – Dh50,000
Retail
Positions in demand: trainer, store manager, marketer with e-commerce experience, buyer for online channels, sales staff
Online shopping took hold in 2020 after governments around the world introduced movement restrictions to prevent the spread of Covid-19. However, more physical retail stores are expected to open in the UAE in 2022, leading to more jobs, a Robert Half report says.
“Businesses will continue their evolution towards moving online … while also managing their brick-and-mortar investments as having a physical presence is still extremely relevant in the Middle East and this is evident with multiple online brands opening physical stores in the region.”
Hiring recommendation: “Businesses need to invest in training their key functions to maintain a balance between the online and offline world, as well as investing in structures that support a well-established omnichannel experience,” Robert Half says.
Salaries:
- Trainer: Dh15,000 – Dh30,000
- Store manager: Dh15,000 – Dh25,000
- Marketing manager: Dh25,000 – Dh45,000
- Buying manager: Dh27,000 – Dh40,000
- Sales staff: Dh5,000 – Dh15,000
Human resources
Positions in demand: talent acquisition and recruitment manager, regional HR manager, talent and performance management specialist
The demand for human resources and recruiting specialists in 2022 is “unprecedented” and driven by the trend towards creating an engaged workforce across the new hybrid working models, the Robert Half report says.
Start-ups are also looking to create HR departments, which means that candidates with experience in building an HR function from scratch will be in demand, the report says.
“[There is] a bigger emphasis on launching employee well-being initiatives, especially around mental health support and work-life balance,” it adds.
“This is often led by HR and examples of creative initiatives are sought out by employers when reviewing CVs of candidates.”
Hiring recommendation: “Focus your CV on quantifiable and qualitative achievements related to employee engagement, workplace culture and performance management,” the report advises.
Salaries:
- Talent acquisition manager: Dh30,000 – Dh40,000
- Regional HR manager: Dh33,000 – Dh48,000
- Talent and performance management specialist: Dh20,000 – Dh28,000
Oil and gas
Positions in demand: operations manager, project manager, commissioning/decommissioning manager, logistics manager, estimating/cost manager
The oil and gas sector’s shift in focus to reducing greenhouse gas emissions has resulted in many companies investing in new technology, including cloud-based data platforms and AI machine learning to boost productivity.
“As the UAE has committed to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, the energy sector will transition to green energies and we will see an increase in process engineers and technology specialists,” says Ms Sud of Plum Jobs.
However, the industry is facing recruitment challenges, particularly with fresh talent, says the Robert Half salary report.
“Oil and gas companies are looking for employees who have a wide range of skills and backgrounds to help them become more differentiated as new business strategies and new innovations emerge,” it says.
Hiring recommendation: “Organisations should recognise that innovation and digital transformation will be critical to increasing efficiency and accelerating sustainability, and can be used as key employer branding pillars to attract and retain talent,” the report says.
Salaries:
- Operations manager: Dh40,000 – Dh50,000
- Project manager: Dh32,000 – Dh45,000
- Commissioning/decommissioning manager: Dh28,000 – Dh40,000
- Logistics manager: Dh20,000 – Dh35,000
- Estimating/cost manager: Dh30,000 – Dh42,000
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FINAL RECKONING
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg
Rating: 4/5
Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
RESULTS
%3Cp%3E%0D%3Cstrong%3E1.45pm%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Green%20Oasis%20Trading%20%E2%80%93%20Maiden%20(PA)%20Dh50%2C000%20(Dirt)%201%2C400m%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EWinner%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Meeqat%2C%20Saif%20Al%20Balushi%20(jockey)%2C%20Khalifa%20Al%20Neyadi%20(trainer)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E2.15pm%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAl%20Shafar%20Investment%20%E2%80%93%20Maiden%20(TB)%20Dh60%2C000%20(D)%201%2C400m%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EWinner%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Flying%20Hunter%2C%20Ray%20Dawson%2C%20Ahmad%20bin%20Harmash%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E2.45pm%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EThe%20Union%2051%20Cup%20%E2%80%93%20Handicap%20(TB)%20Dh84%2C000%20(D)%201%2C400m%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EWinner%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ibra%20Attack%2C%20Adrie%20de%20Vries%2C%20Ahmed%20Al%20Shemaili%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E3.15pm%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20ASCANA%20Thakaful%20%E2%80%93%20Maiden%20(TB)%20Dh60%2C000%20(D)%201%2C200m%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EWinner%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Onda%20Ruggente%2C%20Royston%20Ffrench%2C%20Salem%20bin%20Ghadayer%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E3.45pm%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ECommercial%20Bank%20of%20Dubai%20%E2%80%93%20Handicap%20(TB)%20Dh76%2C000%20(D)%201%2C200m%0D%3Cbr%3EWinner%3A%20Dignity%20Joy%2C%20Antonio%20Fresu%2C%20Musabah%20Al%20Muhairi%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E4.15pm%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%20Real%20Estate%20Centre%20%E2%80%93%20Handicap%20(TB)%20Dh76%2C000%20(D)%201%2C600m%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EWinner%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Tolmount%2C%20Xavier%20Ziani%2C%20Salem%20bin%20Ghadayer%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E4.45pm%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJebel%20Ali%20Racecourse%20%E2%80%93%20Handicap%20(TB)%20Dh84%2C000%20(D)%201%2C950m%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EWinner%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ERakeez%2C%20Tadhg%20O%E2%80%99Shea%2C%20Bhupat%20Seemar%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
more from Janine di Giovanni
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Scores in brief:
Boost Defenders 205-5 in 20 overs
(Colin Ingram 84 not out, Cameron Delport 36, William Somerville 2-28)
bt Auckland Aces 170 for 5 in 20 overs
(Rob O’Donnell 67 not out, Kyle Abbott 3-21).
LA LIGA FIXTURES
Thursday (All UAE kick-off times)
Sevilla v Real Betis (midnight)
Friday
Granada v Real Betis (9.30pm)
Valencia v Levante (midnight)
Saturday
Espanyol v Alaves (4pm)
Celta Vigo v Villarreal (7pm)
Leganes v Real Valladolid (9.30pm)
Mallorca v Barcelona (midnight)
Sunday
Atletic Bilbao v Atletico Madrid (4pm)
Real Madrid v Eibar (9.30pm)
Real Sociedad v Osasuna (midnight)
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021
Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.
The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.
These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.
“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.
“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.
“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.
“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”
Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.
There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.
“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.
“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.
“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”
Biog
Mr Kandhari is legally authorised to conduct marriages in the gurdwara
He has officiated weddings of Sikhs and people of different faiths from Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Russia, the US and Canada
Father of two sons, grandfather of six
Plays golf once a week
Enjoys trying new holiday destinations with his wife and family
Walks for an hour every morning
Completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Loyola College, Chennai, India
2019 is a milestone because he completes 50 years in business
SHOW COURTS ORDER OF PLAY
Wimbledon order of play on Saturday, July 8
All times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Centre Court (4pm)
Agnieszka Radwanska (9) v Timea Bacsinszky (19)
Ernests Gulbis v Novak Djokovic (2)
Mischa Zverev (27) v Roger Federer (3)
Court 1 (4pm)
Milos Raonic (6) v Albert Ramos-Vinolas (25)
Anett Kontaveit v Caroline Wozniacki (5)
Dominic Thiem (8) v Jared Donaldson
Court 2 (2.30pm)
Sorana Cirstea v Garbine Muguruza (14)
To finish: Sam Querrey (24) leads Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (12) 6-2, 3-6, 7-6, 1-6, 6-5
Angelique Kerber (1) v Shelby Rogers
Sebastian Ofner v Alexander Zverev (10)
Court 3 (2.30pm)
Grigor Dimitrov (13) v Dudi Sela
Alison Riske v Coco Vandeweghe (24)
David Ferrer v Tomas Berdych (11)
Court 12 (2.30pm)
Polona Hercog v Svetlana Kuznetsova (7)
Gael Monfils (15) v Adrian Mannarino
Court 18 (2.30pm)
Magdalena Rybarikova v Lesia Tsurenko
Petra Martic v Zarina Diyas
ASSASSIN'S%20CREED%20MIRAGE
%3Cp%3E%0DDeveloper%3A%20Ubisoft%20Bordeaux%0D%3Cbr%3EPublisher%3A%20Ubisoft%0D%3Cbr%3EConsoles%3A%20PlayStation%204%26amp%3B5%2C%20PC%20and%20Xbox%20Series%20S%26amp%3BX%0D%3Cbr%3ERating%3A%203.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
The Pope's itinerary
Sunday, February 3, 2019 - Rome to Abu Dhabi
1pm: departure by plane from Rome / Fiumicino to Abu Dhabi
10pm: arrival at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
Monday, February 4
12pm: welcome ceremony at the main entrance of the Presidential Palace
12.20pm: visit Abu Dhabi Crown Prince at Presidential Palace
5pm: private meeting with Muslim Council of Elders at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
6.10pm: Inter-religious in the Founder's Memorial
Tuesday, February 5 - Abu Dhabi to Rome
9.15am: private visit to undisclosed cathedral
10.30am: public mass at Zayed Sports City – with a homily by Pope Francis
12.40pm: farewell at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
1pm: departure by plane to Rome
5pm: arrival at the Rome / Ciampino International Airport
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder turbo
Transmission: CVT
Power: 170bhp
Torque: 220Nm
Price: Dh98,900
Abu Dhabi traffic facts
Drivers in Abu Dhabi spend 10 per cent longer in congested conditions than they would on a free-flowing road
The highest volume of traffic on the roads is found between 7am and 8am on a Sunday.
Travelling before 7am on a Sunday could save up to four hours per year on a 30-minute commute.
The day was the least congestion in Abu Dhabi in 2019 was Tuesday, August 13.
The highest levels of traffic were found on Sunday, November 10.
Drivers in Abu Dhabi lost 41 hours spent in traffic jams in rush hour during 2019
World Test Championship table
1 India 71 per cent
2 New Zealand 70 per cent
3 Australia 69.2 per cent
4 England 64.1 per cent
5 Pakistan 43.3 per cent
6 West Indies 33.3 per cent
7 South Africa 30 per cent
8 Sri Lanka 16.7 per cent
9 Bangladesh 0
Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Raha%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202022%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Kuwait%2FSaudi%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Tech%20Logistics%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%2414%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Soor%20Capital%2C%20eWTP%20Arabia%20Capital%2C%20Aujan%20Enterprises%2C%20Nox%20Management%2C%20Cedar%20Mundi%20Ventures%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20166%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
