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The 2025 Barclay Simpson Salary Survey & Recruitment Trends Guide: Middle East
Middle East permanent jobs market
Hiring activity across risk, governance and controls-related functions remained relatively subdued throughout 2024, but Middle East recruitment began to pick up in the first quarter of this year. There were significantly more new roles advertised and interviews undertaken in Q1 2025 than in the previous quarter or the same period last year, albeit activity has begun to drop off again in Q2.
Indeed, employers across the Middle East continue to be cautious, with the economic and political uncertainty we flagged in our 2024 Market Update spilling over into this year. The knock-on effect of this tentativeness is particularly evident in companies’ recruitment processes, which are slow and often subject to delays, change or cancellation.
“Recruitment activity in the Middle East noticeably improved in the early months of 2025 compared to last year, though we are yet to see the consistently elevated hiring that was prevalent in 2022 or 2023,” says Tim Sandwell, Head of Middle East Search at Barclay Simpson.
“Certain GCC countries are busier than others, with most of the hiring momentum concentrated in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, while Qatar, Bahrain, Oman and Kuwait have been quieter.”
Much of the hiring that we are seeing in 2025 is focused within newer market entrants, including brokerage firms, payment service providers, asset managers and fintechs. Wealth managers in particular are expanding their presence in the region, as outlined in the Key Trends section of this report. However, recruitment across the mainstream banking sector is broadly flat.
Specialised skillsets in demand
In the immediate years after the COVID-19 pandemic, senior governance professionals were the key focus for employers’ hiring efforts. Firms expanding into the Middle East needed experienced compliance, risk and legal professionals to satisfy local licensing requirements and manage cross-border regulatory obligations.
This year, attention has shifted from senior hires to more specialist roles, particularly in compliance and investment risk. Firms are seeking AML experts, regulatory advisors and portfolio risk professionals to support their licensing, governance and fund oversight responsibilities.
Candidates with knowledge or experience of the region’s key financial hubs, such as the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) and Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), are especially sought after. More businesses are setting up in these and other ‘free zones’ in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, attracted by generous tax incentives for both businesses and their employees.
While newly established firms are usually relatively small, they are nonetheless regulated entities and therefore have requirements to employ Authorised Individuals, including compliance officers and MLROs. However, it is also common for businesses to outsource their governance functions – often on the advice of local regulators or licence issuers – which has driven healthy growth for consultancies in the region.
Looking beyond financial services, it’s a mixed bag of results for other industries. While tourism is booming across most of the region, there are signs that large-scale state-driven transformation projects are being scaled back. This is most obvious in Saudi Arabia, where the kingdom is reassessing the viability of certain Vision 2030 projects, mostly due to budgetary concerns. The industries most likely to be affected are construction, infrastructure, real estate and hospitality.
We are nevertheless optimistic for the Middle East jobs outlook in the latter half of this year and beyond. Our view is that risk, governance and controls recruitment in the region will stay resilient, driven by regulatory tightening, a steady flow of new market entrants and reliable economic growth.
Key trends in Middle East recruitment
Various political, economic and social forces are shaping the Middle East in 2025, creating both challenges and opportunities in recruitment. Here, we take a closer look at the trends driving demand today and the factors that could influence hiring in the future.
The economic outlook
Last year, many employers appeared to be delaying hiring decisions until the economic and political backdrop became clearer, both domestically and abroad. This is perhaps unsurprising, given that 2024 saw elections in over 60 countries, as well as persistent inflation, volatile interest rates and protracted international conflicts.
Unfortunately, 2025 has not yet brought the stability and certainty that many businesses have hoped for. At the time of writing, US President Donald Trump has announced new trade tariffs on a range of countries, with the steepest duties targeting those with which the US runs a trade deficit.
While the GCC countries won’t incur the largest levies, as they import more from the US than they export, they will undoubtedly suffer the ripple effects of broader trade disruptions. Nations with a heavy reliance on their oil and gas exports are likely to be the hardest hit.
However, Trump’s mercurial nature means the current trade situation is liable to change without much notice, making it difficult to predict what impact the tariffs will ultimately have worldwide. In the meantime, the IMF has downgraded its economic growth forecasts for the Middle East and North Africa from 4% in October to 2.6% due to weakening oil prices.
It is too early to say how these factors will affect hiring across the region over the coming months, but employers are likely to continue deferring growth-oriented recruitment and investment decisions until a clearer picture of the economic landscape emerges.
AI investment gathering pace
Artificial intelligence is fast becoming a strategic priority across the Middle East, with the UAE and Saudi Arabia both positioning themselves as early movers in the space.
The UAE has been setting the pace. In 2017, it became the first nation in the world to appoint an AI Minister. More recently, it announced plans to use AI to draft federal legislation and has launched MBZUAI, a graduate-level AI university. Both projects are world firsts.
According to CSIS, a US thinktank, the emirate plans to derive 20% of its non-oil GDP from AI by 2031. This is in line with the UAE’s National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence, with AI expected to contribute US$91 billion to GDP within six years.
Saudi Arabia, while arriving later on the scene, is no less ambitious. PwC figures forecast that AI could contribute over US$135 billion to the kingdom’s economy by the end of the decade – roughly 12.4% of GDP. Earlier this year, Saudi officials also confirmed it will be setting up a $40 billion fund to invest in AI development.
Early-stage tech companies are receiving grants, office accommodation and other support from sovereign wealth funds to kickstart AI innovation. But in order for the UAE and Saudi Arabia to realise their AI ambitions, both countries will need to invest in the right talent.
Candidate confidence remains high
Although the economic and political backdrop remains somewhat uncertain, professionals in the Middle East are upbeat about their career prospects. In a recent Barclay Simpson survey, 88% expressed confidence in the current job market, with nearly half saying they feel ‘very’ confident.
How confident are you in the current job market?
Source: Barclay Simpson Middle East candidate survey
Indeed, an increasing number of professionals in the UK and Europe are expressing interest in relocating to the Middle East, citing the lifestyle, generous remuneration and a lack of opportunities at home as key motivators. As a result, there is an abundance of willing candidates in the market. However, the region’s employers are discerning; they are seeking people who have a strong work record, key skillsets and a desire to build a long-term career in the Middle East.
Many countries in the region are also focusing on employing more home-grown talent. This process is colloquially called Emiratisation and Saudization in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, respectively. For example, the UAE set a target of placing 75,000 nationals in the private sector by 2025 — a goal that has now already been exceeded, with more than 131,000 Emiratis in such roles as of last year.
These factors, along with visa quotas being more strictly enforced, make it a competitive environment for Middle East jobs, though opportunities remain for strong candidates who bring regional experience or high-demand expertise.
Wealth management surge in UAE
The GCC countries account for 38% of the Middle East’s financial wealth, with new wealth projected to grow at a compound annual rate of 4.7% between 2022 and 2027. Within the next two years, total wealth for the region is expected to hit US$3.5 trillion (£2.6 trillion).
In particular, the UAE is emerging as a hot spot for high net-worth individuals. Figures from Henley & Partners show that the emirate saw a net inflow of approximately 6,700 millionaires in 2024 – nearly seven times as many as in a typical year prior to 2020.
Wealth management firms, keen to be closer to where the wealth they manage is located, have sought to establish more offices in the UAE as a result. According to Reuters, the DIFC now has more than 400 wealth and asset management firms operating in the city, while Abu Dhabi has roughly 112 registered funds.
Total wealth for the GCC countries is expected to hit US$3.5 trillion by 2027.
Source: BCG
Moreover, Boston Consulting Group research indicates the UAE has now taken Luxembourg’s place as the seventh-largest booking centre in the world, with 8.9% growth in new wealth in 2023 – more than any other country. It is now tipped to overtake the sixth-placed Channel Islands and Isle of Man by 2028.
This surge in wealth in the UAE and across the Middle East more generally is driving hiring demand for portfolio managers, investment risk specialists and other governance professionals, IT and support staff, as firms look to strengthen their presence on the ground.
Salary and bonus trends
An oversupply of candidates in the market has led to salary inflation remaining relatively low across the Middle East in 2024 and the first quarter of 2025. That said, successful candidates can still expect generous remuneration packages that compare favourably to the UK.
Indeed, 56% of professionals in the Middle East choose remuneration as the most important factor to consider when weighing up job opportunities in the region, according to our candidate survey data. By comparison, career development (15%), a better work-life balance (15%) and greater job security (10%) lag well behind as motivators.
Annual bonus: 74%
Remote working: 9%
Flexible working: 7%
Private healthcare: 4%
In addition to receiving substantial work-related benefits at most organisations, such as extensive medical care and schooling support, employees also benefit from lower taxes, cheaper fuel and savings on private education for their children.
While professionals don’t receive pension benefits, foreign nationals are usually entitled to an end-of-service gratuity payment at the end of their employment in most countries. Overall, the region remains an attractive location for professionals who wish to further their career and enjoy an excellent quality of life.
With over two decades of experience recruiting in the Middle East, we understand the nuances of this complex market.
Whether you’re looking to build a local team, attract international candidates or find a new job in the Middle East yourself, our consultants are well-versed in the logistical, cultural and regulatory considerations across the region.
If you’re an employer, we can support you on a retained, exclusive or contingent basis, helping you secure people with the right skills and experience for your organisation. And for professionals, we’ll work closely with you to find opportunities that align with your current and future ambitions, all the way from initial interviews through to salary negotiations.
Arrange a consultation today to discover how Barclay Simpson can help you achieve your recruitment aims.
