At the Dubai AI Week 2025, the humanoid robot Ameca charmed attendees with its smiles and blinks, highlighting the fervor surrounding artificial intelligence at the event. Significant announcements included the launch of a $545 million hyperscale data center aimed at supporting Microsoft and the introduction of Dubai’s inaugural PhD program in AI.
AI engineer Nair, 29, expressed her motivation during the event. After relocating to the United Arab Emirates from Kerala, India, last October, she faced numerous rejections, scams, and unsatisfactory job offers while applying to various entry-level positions. For privacy reasons, her first name remains undisclosed.
Reflecting on her move, she stated, “Dubai is becoming a central hub for global AI development.” She found it encouraging to see companies expanding the limits of technology.
Professionals in the tech industry, like Nair, are drawn to the UAE by its Golden Visa program, which grants a decade-long residency to skilled workers, as well as by the absence of taxes, lucrative salaries, and simplified business setup processes, according to recruiters and tech insiders.
According to Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, the UAE’s Minister of Economy, “The UAE ranks just behind the U.S. regarding the attraction of elite AI talent, with many experts choosing to reside here.”
The UAE has aligned closely with the tech landscape in the U.S. Recently, during a visit from former President Donald Trump, the UAE secured access to 500,000 advanced Nvidia chips, essential for AI advancements. Additionally, plans were unveiled to build the largest AI campus outside the U.S., in collaboration with American tech firms. Last year, Microsoft partnered with the Emirati AI company G42 to foster a well-trained and diverse AI workforce.
Amar Diwakar
With a sharp focus on AI, the UAE presents a compelling opportunity for tech professionals amidst a contracting job market in the West. This year alone, over 50,000 tech employees, predominantly mid-level managers and developers, faced layoffs in the U.S. from around 100 companies, as reported by Layoffs.fyi. The number of available positions for roles like software developers has also decreased, leading many to worry about the U.S. government’s strict immigration policies. Moreover, venture capital investment in startups has cooled in the West.
However, the job market in the UAE can be challenging for tech professionals depending on their backgrounds, as shared by workers and recruiters. Senior talents from Western countries are often recruited for lucrative positions, while experienced AI specialists from regions like South Asia and Ukraine typically fill lower-tier roles with reduced pay.
Young professionals like Nair find themselves in a difficult spot within the AI job market. Despite holding a Master’s degree in electronics engineering with a focus on AI hardware and one year of work experience, she struggles to find a position.
“I often face immediate rejections,” she noted. “Companies prefer candidates with four to five years of experience even for entry-level jobs, or they rely on personal referrals.”
This situation is not due to a lack of jobs; Dubai hosts over 800 AI companies, consisting mainly of startups, according to the Dubai Center for Artificial Intelligence. Additionally, Abu Dhabi has more than 400 AI firms, most of which plan to hire this year.
Yet, as revealed in a talent report from the UAE Ministry of Economy and immigration law firm Fragomen, the UAE is facing a surplus of tech workers. Many of these individuals aren’t qualified for the specialized AI positions that are in demand.
Approximately 95% of the 50,000 companies surveyed in the report reported hiring tech professionals from outside the Middle East.
“There is not enough local talent from universities, prompting us to hire from India and Ukraine,” commented Vahid Haghzare, director of SVA Recruitment in Dubai.
The combination of data and AI is incredibly dynamic here. There is financial backing to implement quickly.
According to Froilan Malit Jr., a visiting scholar at American University in Dubai and a migration expert, the UAE acts as a “global migration hub.” It serves as a gateway for individuals from developing nations to gain experience before potentially moving to the West, while professionals from Western countries can utilize their skills for better compensation and long-term residency.
Individuals from the West are lured by lifestyle benefits in Dubai, while Asian and Muslim tech professionals appreciate the interplay of Eastern and Western cultures. “It’s mutually beneficial: tax-free earnings, excellent schools, security, and a cosmopolitan environment,” Malit Jr. remarked.
Salary disparities exist based on years of experience and national origin. Professionals from developing nations endure a “citizenship penalty,” often resulting in lower pay compared to their Western counterparts, according to Malit Jr.
“This chasm drives many tech workers from the Global South to the West, only to return to the UAE with a new passport,” he added.
Jarkko Moilanen, the head of data products at the Abu Dhabi Department for Government Enablement, was recruited in 2022 from Finland as part of a global initiative. He shared, “I sought a change,” and after a year, he chose to remain long-term in the UAE, applying for a Golden Visa.
Moilanen believes the UAE offers a more promising future than Europe, which he views as economically declining. In contrast, Abu Dhabi is heavily investing in AI, with ambitions to create the world’s first AI-native government, focused on automating and digitizing governmental functions.
Although Moilanen received various job offers from recruiters in Saudi Arabia, he decided to pursue an AI and data business in the UAE instead, stating, “The synergy between data and AI is thriving here, backed by substantial financial resources.”
The UAE’s startup ecosystem is flourishing, bolstered by investment initiatives like Hub71, an incubator based in Abu Dhabi. In Dubai, Sandbox, sponsored by Oraseya Capital, assists existing startups while the Dubai Future Accelerators facilitate collaboration between enterprises and the government.
I encounter automatic rejections. Companies seek candidates with four to five years of experience for entry-level positions.
Entrepreneur Nidhima Kohli, originally from Luxembourg, has recently established her startup, The AI Accelerator, an online course designed to help business owners and executives leverage AI tools for enhanced productivity. After moving to Dubai in 2022, she obtained a Golden Visa within the following year.
“Having lived in London, Paris, and the U.S., I’ve never felt as secure as I do in Dubai. The environment is international, and people are friendly and eager to connect,” she commented.
Kohli appreciates the straightforward process of networking and starting a business in the UAE. “The UAE is truly committed to growth and innovation,” she added.
However, for less experienced individuals from South Asia, challenges remain. Nair has encountered numerous fraudulent job postings on LinkedIn, including one recruiter requesting $1,000 for a certification course. Additionally, she has received exploitative job offers—such as a monthly salary of 3,000 dirhams ($816), significantly below market value, and another requiring her to work seven days a week without paid leave or sick days.
Despite these obstacles, Nair holds on to hope for a better future, stating, “I’m enthusiastic about the potential to learn, grow, and make a significant impact here.”