Vacancies in 2021: Top 10 jobs in UAE that will be in demand

Labour market is gradually recovering after taking a major hit because of Covid-19, say recruiters

TEACHER/LECTURER: The average salary in UAE is Dh9,000 with lows of Dh4,000 and highs of Dh21,000. Headteachers earn an average of Dh46,000 with highs of Dh75,000. University staff are typically well paid, with assistant professors and full lecturers earning between Dh20,000 and Dh40,000. AFP

FLIGHT CREW: Salaries for cabin crew and aircraft technicians range from Dh6,000 to Dh23,000. Pilots can usually secure between Dh20,000 to Dh60,000, depending on experience. EPA

FOOD AND DRINK: The average salary for a bartender, waiter or supervisor is Dh4,000 to Dh5,000, rising to Dh7,500 to Dh8,500 for managers. Chefs and head chefs can expect to take home between Dh6,000 to Dh38,000. Hotels often provide staff accommodation. Hollie Adams / Getty Images

ACCOUNTING AND AUDITING: A flooded market with basic accountants often earning Dh5,000 to Dh10,000. Senior auditors can earn Dh30,000 or more. Accountants who move into finance and management can expect significantly higher salaries. Getty Images

CONSTRUCTION: Engineering jobs have been hit hard by a downturn in the sector, but it remains a skilled and respected profession. Junior salaries for site inspectors and engineers begin at a few thousand dirhams, rising to Dh45,000 or more for construction managers. Gulf Talent says salaries in Saudi are higher than the UAE in some roles. Sammy Dallal / The National

NURSES: The true heroes of the pandemic, these professionals worked around the clock to treat patients and save lives. Salaries range between Dh4,000 to Dh14,500 and can be higher for senior nurses in higher-end private hospitals. AFP

HEALTH AND SAFETY: Health and safety has become a key priority. Junior roles in this sector can take home, on average, about Dh5,500 a month. That rises to Dh22,500 for managerial positions. Victor Besa / The National

HOSPITAL ADMINISTRATOR: Non-medical staff are currently in demand as the role of managing patients, their documents, payment and test results is increasingly crucial. Salaries vary but can be in the same region as nurses. Reem Mohammed / The National

CYBERSECURITY: The threat posed by cybercrime has never been more real, with the sale of financial assets, documents and medical records a lucrative business. Systems analysts and software engineers can earn Dh25,000 or more, rising significantly for those with high-end cybersecurity experience. Unsplash

HR, MARKETING AND FINANCE: Senior roles in these managerial classes vary significantly, but are generally well paid and often come with performance-related bonuses. Gulf Talent lists HR manager and HR business partner salaries at up to Dh42,500. An HR director of a major firm can earn twice that. Getty Images

SALES AND MERCHANDISING: As the economy slowly picks up, the retail sector will be looking to fill key roles again soon. Gulf Talent lists sales staff salaries from Dh1,500 to Dh3,500. A sales merchandiser can take home twice that each month. Paulo Vecina / The National

HOTELS: A duty manager at a hotel can earn anywhere from Dh6,000 to Dh26,000 per month. Front of house staff, including concierge, can take take home between Dh1,500 to Dh9,000. Staff accommodation is typically provided. Sarah Dea / The National

LEGAL: Lawyers and legal advisors can earn between Dh7,500 to Dh37,500. That rises to more than Dh53,000 for legal counsel positions, though the average sits at about Dh20,500. Jeff Topping / The National

OFFICE ADMINISTRATION: Jobseekers for secretarial and receptionist roles can expect salaries ranging from Dh2,500 to Dh8,000. Personal assistants and office managers fare better, from Dh4,500 up to Dh22,500 for higher-end firms. Getty Images

Related: UAE salaries: Half of Emirati graduates 'expect Dh15,000 to Dh30,000 starting pay'

Recruiters in the UAE have said the number of job vacancies will grow next year, as the employment market slowly recovers.

The Covid-19 pandemic caused a major downturn in the labour market this year, with many employees across a variety of sectors being laid off, sent on unpaid leave or receiving salary cuts.

But recruiters said hiring is slowly picking up speed, with many opportunities in e-commerce and distribution.

“In the past few months, we’ve managed to speak to several employers and job applicants. Hiring is slowly picking back up again across key sectors contributing to the economy that include entertainment, hospitality, logistics, tourism, retail and property, but that is constantly changing amid the current uncertainty where a vaccine has yet to be found,” said Nevin Lewis, chief executive of Black and Grey human resources.

He told The National there had been a "massive growth" in new e-commerce retailers, online groceries and last-mile distribution centres in the UAE, especially in Dubai.

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Top 10 in-demand jobs in 2021

1. Software engineers (mobile developers, devOps, full stack developer) Dh15,000 - Dh30,000
2. Digital product developers - (UI/UX) and product managers Dh20,000 – Dh40,000
3. Cloud infrastructure and cyber security Dh15,000 - Dh30,000
4. Business development and sales specialist Dh10,000 – Dh30,000
5. Credit controllers and finance analyst Dh10,000 – Dh25,000
6. Flexible part time roles – Flexible pay
7. E-commerce managers Dh8,000 – Dh20,000
8. Data scientist Dh10,000 – Dh35,000
9. Marketing and social media specialist Dh5,000 – Dh15,000
10. Edtech experts Dh10,000 – Dh25,000

(List is compiled based off data from Future Tense and Black and Grey human resources)

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Mr Lewis’ company is also receiving “many enquiries” from global start-ups in digital transformation, augmented reality and e-learning who want to establish a base in the Middle East and is encouraging jobseekers to develop skills for the coming market.

“Professionals in the region who can upskill or reskill to adapt to target job opportunities in these new thriving industries will have a competitive advantage when the demand spikes in the coming year,” he said.

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“As technology facilitating remote working continues to improve, numerous local businesses are planning to increase their share of work-at-home employees – this trend is also motivating more job applicants to embrace remote working beyond the pandemic.”

Karuna Agarwal, director of Future Tense human resources, expects that salaries will remain stable next year, with no cuts or increases expected.

She said freelancers were currently in demand as the trend of a gig economy continued and might extend into next year.

“I'm seeing that the market is so agile and everything looks like it's bouncing back,” she said.

“Things look positive in 2021, in my view," she said. “Sectors like e-commerce, logistics, healthcare, education is another space that I've seen a lot of movement in.

“Businesses without existing e-commerce capabilities or the means to develop and activate their online presence suffered drastically [during the pandemic].”

Online employment platform, LinkedIn, also said digital skills in particular are in demand.

The company currently has 14 million jobs listed on its platform globally, with the most in healthcare and technology roles.

Their data shows that technology sector will add 150 million jobs worldwide in the next five years.

“Over the past three months we have seen an improvement in the UAE hiring rate, although it is unclear whether this will offset the potential global economic impact of a second wave of infections facing many countries,” said Ali Matar, head of LinkedIn Europe, Middle East and Africa Emerging Markets.

“Focusing on transferable skills can help open a variety of roles that people may not have previously considered. Skills can be applied to different jobs or industries, creating new employment opportunities.

"Likewise, investing time in developing new skills, being proactive in your job search and engaging your professional network is key to finding a new job quickly.”