LinkedIn: UAE remains global leader in attracting talent

The UAE has been revealed as the global leader in attracting talent for the second consecutive year, according to a recent global study by LinkedIn, the world's largest professional network on the Internet. By analysing every new position that was added to member profiles between January 1, 2014, and December 31, 2014, LinkedIn determined that the UAE attracts the most talent, gaining 1.89 per cent as a percentage of its total workforce.

Ali Matar, Head of Talent Solutions, LinkedIn MENA, said: "This is the second year that the UAE has been revealed as the most attractive destination for professionals. LinkedIn has more than 380 million members from around the world, including more than 16 million in the Middle East and North Africa region, and more than two million members in the UAE, which enables us to determine trends amongst the globe's connected professionals."

According to the study, India is the leading source of professional talent coming to the UAE representing 28 per cent, with the United Kingdom, Pakistan, United States, and Qatar making up the top five. Other Gulf nations contributed a combined 11 per cent of members who moved to the UAE. The top sectors for talent moving into the UAE in 2014 were professional services, architectural and engineering, financial services and insurance, technology (software), and retail and consumer products, while the most common occupations were salespeople, marketing specialists, project managers, corporate finance specialists, accountants, consultants, and mechanical engineers.

Matar concluded: "It is especially interesting that the results of this study show that the UAE's attractiveness as an employment market is no longer limited to the traditional sources of talent, which for years have been India, Pakistan, and other Arab states. The study clearly shows that there is a high international appeal, especially from the United Kingdom and the United States, establishing the UAE as a globally desirable destination for migration. This confirms the country's status as a strong economy and an appealing working environment that is highly capable of competing on a global scale."

Other countries attracting the most talent according to LinkedIn's study are Switzerland (0.90 per cent), Saudi Arabia (0.85 per cent), followed by Singapore, Germany, South Africa, Ireland, Australia, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, and Belgium. Losing the most talent is India (-0.23 per cent), France (-0.20 per cent) and Italy (-0.19 per cent).