In what could be good news for job seekers, a survey has revealed that over 48 per cent of companies in the UAE and Saudi Arabia are planning to hire more people in 2026. The survey conducted by Cooper Fitch indicated a strong macro-economic growth, as evident from a positive hiring sentiment.
Dr Trefor Murphy, founder and CEO of Cooper Fitch, told Khaleej Times that the UAE job market looks very promising over the next five to six years. Adding that Dubai will lead the wave on the back of a very large infrastructure growth, Fitch added: “We’ll see next year and over the next five to six years, particularly in Dubai, very large infrastructure-type projects. We need more roads. We need a metro. We need a new airport as the current airport reaches its full capacity,” said Murphy.
The survey covered key decisions across more than 1,000 organisations in the Gulf region and focused on recruitment activity, workforce headcounts, and salary trends for 2025 and projections for 2026, the report added. The areas that will see major workforce expansion include aviation, defence and aerospace, with the expectation being that the headcount might grow by double digits. While public-sector organisations anticipate significant increases, real estate and construction also will see substantial hiring, according to a Dubai-based global recruitment specialist.
However, consulting and financial services report relatively few double-digit changes in either direction, suggesting stabilisation.
Meanwhile, the study also found that 29 per cent of employers expect workforce reductions. This indicates that many companies are considering cost discipline and structural adjustments. A further 23 per cent anticipate no change to staffing levels, creating a broadly steady outlook for the year ahead.
That said, a huge majority of respondents believe that the UAE has enough talent to meet their hiring needs for the next 12 months, almost one-fifth — 19 per cent — disagree, and 14 per cent are unsure.
The UAE’s job market is becoming competitive as the population of the country has increased dramatically over the past five years.
