What are salaries really like in the UAE?

Here's the truth about salaries in the UAE.

Charlie Bowsher
October 26, 2023

The UAE has an expat ratio that sits somewhere at around 90% which is by far the highest in the world.

In the past six months, I have relocated people to the region from Australia, Singapore, the UK, France, the USA, Chile, Brazil and India.

A big pull to working in the region is the sheer diversity of cultures that you get to encounter.

However, one of the biggest misconceptions that we deal with for people looking to move is the idea that relocating to the GCC is a sure-fire way to double your salary.

This might be true for Neymar and the host of footballers who have made the move to Saudi Arabia – it’s less so for the rest of us.

A healthy starting point that we tend to lead with is looking to secure people a 10-15% increment on their current package in order to justify the move.

Salaries in the UAE are generally on-par with financial hubs like Singapore, Paris or London. The fact these salaries are received tax-free is a helpful variable to take into account.

The GCC is a hyper-competitive market. You are not only competing with people locally - who may be preferred due to their regional experience - but also people from all around the world.

It’s also very expensive for companies to relocate a candidate. They will have to pay relocation for the individual (potentially their family too) and also cover visa, medical insurance, flights and short-term accommodation.

Some companies we work with also ask for pay slips as part of the onboarding process to stop people inflating their salaries during the screening call.

If a company is going to relocate someone they want assurances that they are the very best at what they do. If you’re looking to make the move and unsure on where to benchmark yourself, then feel free to check out our Salary Survey.

Job of the Week.

I am looking for a Design Lead to work with one of my clients who are an agency working across a number of industries.

The role is a senior position within the firm and aligns to Director level. Previous experience working with clients in any of the following spaces is preferred; Governmental, Financial Institutions, Corporates.

The ideal candidate will be at a senior level and still be hands on in their involvement in the Design process.

They are likely to come from an advertising background and the position probably closest aligns with someone at an ACD level (art).

There is a healthy salary on offer to potential candidates and my client is looking to move quickly on this position. An up-to-date portfolio is required in order to be considered for this position.

Please reach out to me on LinkedIn and I will be happy to chat if your profile matches the requirements.What

What are salaries really like in the UAE?

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