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Dubai and Abu Dhabi are at the top of the world's job rankings

The number of people who want to come and work here has grown from 55% to 73%.

Dubai and Abu Dhabi are two of the top five cities in the world for job opportunities. According to Boston Consulting Group (BCG), The Network and The Stepstone Group report, the UAE continues strengthening its employment market position:
  • 14th place in the country ranking
  • Dubai and Abu Dhabi were ranked 3rd and 4th, respectively, as the most attractive cities for job opportunities.
But those numbers don't tell the whole story. So let's dig a little deeper and see why the business world thinks so highly of these two cities.

Job opportunities

73% of survey respondents said job opportunities were the main reason for moving to Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
Sure, the UAE economy is doing well and is expected to grow at a solid 3.9% by 2024. Some industries are really booming. For instance, the UAE's digital economy is expected to grow to $140 billion by 2031!
There are so many job opportunities in the digital economy alone, that the respondents' answers don't seem random. An interesting example is the gaming industry. Dubai Program for Gaming 2033 will create jobs for people interested in gaming — it will be about 30,000 jobs.
If you need a work visa or other relocation paperwork, you know whom to talk to. 😉

Taxes and money

62% of people said that income levels, taxes, and cost of living are reasons why the UAE is attractive to work in.
That's no surprise. Even with the new Corporate Tax, the overall tax load is still way lower than in many progressive countries:
  • 9% standard tax rate reduced to 0% in many cases
  • 5% VAT tax rate
  • No personal income tax, property tax, capital gains tax, etc.
So if you're a freelancer or small business owner, you probably don't pay much in taxes. But there are some things to keep in mind, so it's best to know them before you start. In this article, we've talked about it in detail. We've explained at what income level you'll pay 9% tax, and when it's 0%.
Actually, it's not that hard, but if you don't get the details right, you could end up with fines. So read this, and you will be safe.

Quality of life

61% marked it as a benefit and we can confirm that. From our experience in Dubai, we can say that it is:
  • Safe: Dubai ranks 7th place in the world according to Numbeo's 2023 Security Index.
  • Comfortable: It has a great infrastructure and lots of places to work and have fun.
  • Diverse: in Dubai, you can meet people from everywhere in the world, from all walks of life. There are tons of opportunities for both business and personal connections.
Let's just show you some pics of Dubai that our CEO took (Nastya, thanks!).
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If you want to move here as much as we do, you probably want to know more about living here. So we've prepared some special guides – for work and living.
So, if you're already set on making the move, then get all the necessary documentation sorted out, buy your tickets, and go for it! If there are any difficulties with the documents, don't hesitate to drop us a line.
We help not only businesses but also freelancers and sole entrepreneurs. You can schedule a consultation with us by clicking on the link below.