The UAE, which has undertaken several economic, legal and social reforms to attract skilled workers, is the top destination for talent in the Arab world and 22nd globally, according to the 2023 IMD World Talent Ranking. 

The country’s high scores for quality of life, management remuneration, health infrastructure, quality of education, and labor force growth make it an attractive place for skilled workers worldwide.

The Economic Integration Committee, led by Minister of Economy Abdulla bin Touq, is developing new laws and initiatives to help new sectors  – from renewable energy to artificial intelligence – grow their contribution to GDP and create more jobs, state-run news agency WAM reported.

“Today, the UAE is seen as a pioneer in empowering the new economy sectors, most notably renewable energy, advanced financial technology, artificial intelligence, the Fourth Industrial Revolution, entrepreneurship and space,” bin Touq said.

He added that the country has made a “tremendous breakthrough” in developing a knowledge-based economic model, diversifying its economy and boosting its global competitiveness.

The UAE has recently implemented several economic, legal, and social reforms to attract skilled workers. 

These include overhauling visa programs to boost opportunities for foreign workers to live and work in the country, simplifying eligibility criteria for the ten-year golden visa, introducing a green visa to provide five-year residency to skilled workers without requiring them to have a sponsor or employer, and unveiling an unemployment insurance program for federal government and private sector employees.

This is aligned with the UAE Ministry of Economy’s national strategy to attract and retain global talent in the country’s strategic sectors to become a leading global partner and economic hub.