As we move through the summer months, the job market in the UAE has experienced a slowdown in hiring activity and decision-making.

With the roads noticeably quieter and exciting new infrastructure projects nearing completion, there’s a tangible sense of calm and progress across the region. Our team has also managed to take some well-deserved time to rest and reconnect with family and friends - we hope you have had the chance to do the same.

Insight: New Expats and the UAE Job Market — What Our Recent Poll Revealed

The UAE continues to attract international talent, but our latest poll among expats who arrived within the last 12 months reveals some important insights for employers and recruiters.

Key findings:

17% of new arrivals secured jobs before arriving or within one month

15% found roles within 2–3 months

19% took between 3–6 months to secure employment

14% required 6–12 months

34% were still searching after a year

What this means for hiring teams: The fact that over a third of new arrivals remain as job seekers after 12 months is astonishing. Unfortunately there is a perception that the longer someone is out of a job, the less desirable they may appear – ‘Why is nobody hiring them?’ ‘What is wrong with them?’ However more often than not, it’s the job seekers who are being choosy – not wishing to accept a low-ball salary (as many employers try to take advantage of their situation). They also don’t want to accept a job that’s not the right cultural fit, so they keep looking.

Talent readiness varies: Some candidates arrive with roles they secured from overseas, but a significant proportion start their search on the ground, requiring additional time and support to transition. In our experience, candidates with prior experience working in the region are the ones who are hired more quickly.

Importance of proactive recruitment: Building relationships early with high calibre candidates before or soon after their arrival means that we have access to the best talent before they step foot in the region. These candidates are often exclusive to our agency.

Market conditions matter: Seasonal fluctuations and broader economic factors continue to impact the pace at which roles are filled. This summer has slower recruitment down for many of our vacancies, so we are looking forward to getting back to business as usual!

Immediately available senior candidates

We recently help an exclusive event for our most exceptional senior-level candidates, who are actively seeking a new job in the region. The majority of whom have extensive local experience and are available to join a new company immediately. Salaries range from AED 50-80,000 across a variety of industries and expertise. Let us know if you’re hiring at this level.

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We’re growing Team Inspire Selection

With activity picking up in the autumn, we’re excited to be actively growing our Inspire Selection team. We’re seeking experienced, professional recruiters with strong networks and solid reputations to complement our close-knit, values-led team.

Please do let us know if you have any referrals or recommendations!

Finally…

As a reminder, our recruiters are well-established with solid networks, and exclusive candidates that other agencies are not representing.

We have specialist recruiters in the following areas:

• Finance, Accounting, Banking, Fintech, Data Analytics
• IT, Tech
• Legal, Compliance, Risk
• Business Support / Admin
• Sales
• Marketing
• Events
• Supply Chain, Procurement, Shipping, Logistics

Whether you’re actively hiring or simply want a market update, benchmarking on your existing team’s salaries, we’re always happy to help.

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