Hiring in the UAE rose 4% in the third quarter of 2026, the strongest increase in the Gulf, after falling 4% in the second quarter, according to recruitment firm Cooper Fitch’s quarterly employment index.
The second-quarter decline was the biggest in six years, Cooper Fitch founder and Chief Executive Trefor Murphy told Dubai Eye’s Business Breakfast show on Tuesday, as reported by ARN News Centre.
Across the Gulf, hiring rose 2% in the July to September quarter after a 3% decline in the previous three months.
Recruitment rose 1.5% in Saudi Arabia and 0.5% in Oman. It fell 1% in Qatar and 2% each in Kuwait and Bahrain, The National reported, citing the index.
Energy was the fastest-growing sector for hiring across the Gulf, up 7%, as searches paused during the regional conflict resumed. In the UAE, growth came from across the energy market, including nuclear and renewables, the report said.
Hiring in finance roles rose 5% and strategy roles rose 6%. Real estate and software hiring both increased 4%, while sales and marketing rose 3% and human resources 2%.
Banking hiring fell 4% and investment management dropped 5%.
“Business demand has provided a firmer base, but costs remain elevated and visibility on trade and shipping is still limited,” Cooper Fitch said in the report.
Murphy said salaries had been largely flat this year. He said early pay data for 2027 from about 800 organizations looked “a little bit positive.”
The International Monetary Fund this month projected the UAE economy would contract 3.9% in 2026 before growing 7.7% in 2027, provided shipping routes normalize and the Strait of Hormuz reopens.
