Indians among top professional migrants to UAE

Dubai: India is the leading source of professional talent coming to the UAE representing 28 per cent, with the UK, Pakistan, the US and Qatar making up the  top five in the list, according to a global study by LinkedIn.  Other Gulf nations contributed a combined 11 per cent of members who moved to the UAE.  By analysing every new position that was added to member profiles between January 1, 2014, and December 31, 2014,  LinkedIn determined that the UAE attracts the most talent,  gaining 1.89 per cent as a percentage of its total workforce. 

The top sectors for talent moving into the UAE in 2014  were professional services, architectural and engineering, financial services and insurance, technology (software), and  retail and consumer products, while the most common  occupations were salespeople, marketing specialists, project  managers, corporate finance specialists, accountants,  consultants, and mechanical engineers. The study also shows that the industry sectors are attracting the most talent. 

Ali Matar, Head of Talent Solutions, LinkedIn MENA, said  this is the second year that the UAE has been mentioned as the  most attractive destination for professionals. "LinkedIn has more than 380 million members from around  the world, including more than 16 million in the Middle East  and North Africa region, and more than two million members in  the UAE, which enables us to determine trends amongst the  globe's connected professionals," he said. "It is especially interesting that the results of this  study show that the UAE's attractiveness as an employment  market is no longer limited to the traditional sources of  talent, which for years have been India, Pakistan, and other  Arab states," Matar said. 

The study clearly shows that there is a high international appeal, especially from the United Kingdom and the United States, establishing the UAE as a globally  desirable destination for migration. This confirms the country's status as a strong economy and an appealing working  environment that is highly capable of competing on a global  scale," he added.  Other countries attracting the most talent according to  LinkedIn's study are Switzerland (0.90 per cent), Saudi Arabia  (0.85 per cent), followed by Singapore, Germany, South Africa,  Ireland, Australia, Canada, Brazil, Mexico and Belgium.