---
title: "UAE Hiring Bounces Back 4% in Q3 2026 After What Cooper…"
canonical: "https://www.metaintro.com/blog/uae-hiring-rebounds-4-percent-q3-2026-cooper-fitch"
language: "en"
author: "drashtigarach"
published: "2026-10-20T11:06:05.000Z"
modified: "2026-10-20T11:06:05.000Z"
---

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# UAE Hiring Bounces Back 4% in Q3 2026 After What Cooper Fitch's CEO Calls the Biggest Fall in Six Years

UAE hiring rose 4% in Q3 2026 after a 4% fall in Q2, Cooper Fitch data shows. See which sectors are hiring, what pay looks like and how one recruiter works.

[![Drashti Garach](https://cdn.metaintro.com/rs:fill:40:40/q:72/plain/images/5719d740-e510-42bc-8017-e040d145f35f_1766029465094.png)Drashti Garach @DrashtiGarach](/blog/author/drashtigarach)

[October 20, 2026](/blog/archive/2026/10)13 min read

![Office workers walking toward glass towers in a sunny Gulf business district](https://cdn.metaintro.com/rs:fill:1200:675/q:78/plain/images/uae-hiring-rebounds-4-percent-q3-2026-cooper-fitch-hero.jpg)

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Hiring in the UAE rose by [4% in the third quarter of 2026, the strongest increase in the Gulf](https://www.arnnewscentre.ae/en/news/business/uae-job-creation-rebounds-4-in-third-quarter/), after a [4% drop in the second quarter](https://www.arnnewscentre.ae/en/news/business/uae-job-creation-rebounds-4-in-third-quarter/) that Cooper Fitch founder and CEO Dr Trefor Murphy called the biggest fall in six years. The numbers come from the [third quarter findings](https://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/jobs-in-uae-hiring-rebounds-4-in-q3-2026-as-business-confidence-returns) of the Gulf Employment Index from recruitment firm Cooper Fitch, which tracks [new job prospects across the GCC using its own placement data](https://enterpriseam.com/uae/2026/07/21/uae-hiring-shrinks-for-the-first-time-in-four-years-as-firms-recruit-to-the-final-stage-then-pause-on-uncertainty/). Across the Gulf, hiring [rose 2% after a 3% drop in the previous quarter](https://www.arnnewscentre.ae/en/news/business/uae-job-creation-rebounds-4-in-third-quarter/). For [Metaintro](https://www.metaintro.com) readers working in the Gulf or hoping to move there, this guide sets out which sectors picked up, which slowed, what is happening to pay, and how one Gulf executive recruiter, Cooper Fitch, fills roles.

## What Did the Cooper Fitch Index Show for the Third Quarter?

The headline is a rebound in the UAE. Hiring in the country [rebounded to 4% in the third quarter, the highest rate across the Gulf, following a 4% decline in Q2](https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/money/2026/10/20/hiring-in-the-uae-rebounds-in-third-quarter-despite-uncertainty-fuelled-by-regional-war/). Murphy described the result as [a very decent recovery](https://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/jobs-in-uae-hiring-rebounds-4-in-q3-2026-as-business-confidence-returns), and counting both quarters he called it an [8% swing in terms of the amount of work](https://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/jobs-in-uae-hiring-rebounds-4-in-q3-2026-as-business-confidence-returns).

Murphy also walked through the months. [April was the weakest month, May improved but remained down, and June was pretty decent](https://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/jobs-in-uae-hiring-rebounds-4-in-q3-2026-as-business-confidence-returns), in Murphy's description. [September was a strong month, roughly on par with the same month in 2025 and 2024](https://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/jobs-in-uae-hiring-rebounds-4-in-q3-2026-as-business-confidence-returns), he added.

Murphy described the new roles as [a mix of brand-new jobs and stalled hiring processes that have been restarted](https://www.arnnewscentre.ae/en/news/business/uae-job-creation-rebounds-4-in-third-quarter/), and he linked the rebound to rising confidence. He discussed the figures on [Dubai Eye's Business Breakfast show on Tuesday](https://www.arnnewscentre.ae/en/news/business/uae-job-creation-rebounds-4-in-third-quarter/), October 20, ahead of the index's release.

Hiring was still careful. Cooper Fitch's clients [focused on advancing active searches and securing specialist capability rather than broad expansion](https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/money/2026/10/20/hiring-in-the-uae-rebounds-in-third-quarter-despite-uncertainty-fuelled-by-regional-war/), and the index found companies [remain cautious about the year ahead](https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/money/2026/10/20/hiring-in-the-uae-rebounds-in-third-quarter-despite-uncertainty-fuelled-by-regional-war/).

## How Deep Was the Second-Quarter Fall?

The drop before this rebound was unusual. In the second quarter, UAE hiring fell [4% quarter on quarter, the sharpest fall in staffing levels since August 2020](https://enterpriseam.com/uae/2026/07/21/uae-hiring-shrinks-for-the-first-time-in-four-years-as-firms-recruit-to-the-final-stage-then-pause-on-uncertainty/), the Cooper Fitch index showed, and it was the country's [first quarterly contraction in more than four years](https://enterpriseam.com/uae/2026/07/21/uae-hiring-shrinks-for-the-first-time-in-four-years-as-firms-recruit-to-the-final-stage-then-pause-on-uncertainty/).

The behaviour behind that fall matters for candidates. In July, Murphy described firms [recruiting right up until the final stage, but not making the final hire](https://enterpriseam.com/uae/2026/07/21/uae-hiring-shrinks-for-the-first-time-in-four-years-as-firms-recruit-to-the-final-stage-then-pause-on-uncertainty/). Murphy blamed the stop-start rhythm of the regional conflict, adding that [nothing kills confidence like uncertainty](https://enterpriseam.com/uae/2026/07/21/uae-hiring-shrinks-for-the-first-time-in-four-years-as-firms-recruit-to-the-final-stage-then-pause-on-uncertainty/).

The regional conflict is the backdrop. [The Iran war, which began on February 28](https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/money/2026/10/20/hiring-in-the-uae-rebounds-in-third-quarter-despite-uncertainty-fuelled-by-regional-war/), and the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz have [significantly disrupted regional economies](https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/money/2026/10/20/hiring-in-the-uae-rebounds-in-third-quarter-despite-uncertainty-fuelled-by-regional-war/).

In July, Murphy's base case was [a slow recovery, with a flat 3Q and a better 1Q next year](https://enterpriseam.com/uae/2026/07/21/uae-hiring-shrinks-for-the-first-time-in-four-years-as-firms-recruit-to-the-final-stage-then-pause-on-uncertainty/). The third quarter came in stronger than that, with the Gulf contraction having [lasted a single quarter](https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/money/2026/10/20/hiring-in-the-uae-rebounds-in-third-quarter-despite-uncertainty-fuelled-by-regional-war/).

> Growth extended across a wider range of functions than in the previous quarter, with paused mandates resuming in sectors such as energy, Cooper Fitch said, according to [The National's report on the third quarter index](https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/money/2026/10/20/hiring-in-the-uae-rebounds-in-third-quarter-despite-uncertainty-fuelled-by-regional-war/).

## Which Sectors Are Hiring Again?

Energy led. [Energy hiring rose 7% in the region, the biggest increase of any sector](https://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/jobs-in-uae-hiring-rebounds-4-in-q3-2026-as-business-confidence-returns), as mandates stalled during the regional tensions resumed once conditions eased. Growth was [driven by nuclear, renewables and Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 pipeline](https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/money/2026/10/20/hiring-in-the-uae-rebounds-in-third-quarter-despite-uncertainty-fuelled-by-regional-war/), and supported by [multi-year contract awards for major gas programmes in Saudi Arabia and the UAE](https://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/jobs-in-uae-hiring-rebounds-4-in-q3-2026-as-business-confidence-returns).

Some energy specialists were hard to find in the third quarter. In energy, the index found [project directors, commissioning specialists and contracts leaders remained difficult to secure](https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/money/2026/10/20/hiring-in-the-uae-rebounds-in-third-quarter-despite-uncertainty-fuelled-by-regional-war/), and candidates with scarce technical skills [continued to receive multiple offers, keeping the market firmly in their favour](https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/money/2026/10/20/hiring-in-the-uae-rebounds-in-third-quarter-despite-uncertainty-fuelled-by-regional-war/).

Other functions grew too. Across the Gulf in the third quarter, these were the gains in the index.

- [Senior finance and strategy each rose 6%, while finance grew 5%](https://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/jobs-in-uae-hiring-rebounds-4-in-q3-2026-as-business-confidence-returns).
- [Real estate and software employment was up 4%](https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/money/2026/10/20/hiring-in-the-uae-rebounds-in-third-quarter-despite-uncertainty-fuelled-by-regional-war/), and cyber also [gained 4%](https://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/jobs-in-uae-hiring-rebounds-4-in-q3-2026-as-business-confidence-returns).
- [Public sector hiring rose 3%](https://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/jobs-in-uae-hiring-rebounds-4-in-q3-2026-as-business-confidence-returns), with UAE public sector projects starting to regain momentum in Murphy's view.
- [Recruitment in sales and marketing rose 3%](https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/money/2026/10/20/hiring-in-the-uae-rebounds-in-third-quarter-despite-uncertainty-fuelled-by-regional-war/), a rise described in the index as cautious confidence rather than a broad hiring rebound.
- [Human resources grew 2%](https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/money/2026/10/20/hiring-in-the-uae-rebounds-in-third-quarter-despite-uncertainty-fuelled-by-regional-war/).

Murphy also named sectors his firm had not expected to grow. Hiring picked up in [energy, mining, industry, manufacturing and senior finance roles](https://www.arnnewscentre.ae/en/news/business/uae-job-creation-rebounds-4-in-third-quarter/), in areas the firm didn't expect.

Murphy was [very surprised](https://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/jobs-in-uae-hiring-rebounds-4-in-q3-2026-as-business-confidence-returns) by underlying growth in mining. The index shows [mining hiring rose 1% after a strong previous quarter](https://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/jobs-in-uae-hiring-rebounds-4-in-q3-2026-as-business-confidence-returns), after [hiring in the mining industry grew 5% on Saudi exploration licensing](https://enterpriseam.com/uae/2026/07/21/uae-hiring-shrinks-for-the-first-time-in-four-years-as-firms-recruit-to-the-final-stage-then-pause-on-uncertainty/) in the second quarter. Murphy named two drivers, [domestic mining where natural resources exist and Gulf investment vehicles developing and investing in mines overseas](https://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/jobs-in-uae-hiring-rebounds-4-in-q3-2026-as-business-confidence-returns), which in his view is creating demand for investment, technical and strategic skills.

> Clients resumed searches where they left off. In the UAE, growth came from across the energy market, including nuclear and renewables, the Cooper Fitch report said, according to [The National's report on the third quarter index](https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/money/2026/10/20/hiring-in-the-uae-rebounds-in-third-quarter-despite-uncertainty-fuelled-by-regional-war/).

## Which Sectors Hired Less in the Third Quarter?

Two parts of financial services went the other way. [Banking fell 4% and investment management declined 5%, the sharpest drop of any sector](https://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/jobs-in-uae-hiring-rebounds-4-in-q3-2026-as-business-confidence-returns), in a quarter when most functions grew.

The investment management decline came [after a strong run of hiring earlier in the year, driven by regional platform expansion and fund activity](https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/money/2026/10/20/hiring-in-the-uae-rebounds-in-third-quarter-despite-uncertainty-fuelled-by-regional-war/), and in the second quarter [hiring in investment management grew 6% on the back of ADGM and DIFC fund activity](https://enterpriseam.com/uae/2026/07/21/uae-hiring-shrinks-for-the-first-time-in-four-years-as-firms-recruit-to-the-final-stage-then-pause-on-uncertainty/). In Cooper Fitch's reading, that fall [appears to reflect a pause after a strong run of hiring earlier in the year, not a change in market direction](https://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/jobs-in-uae-hiring-rebounds-4-in-q3-2026-as-business-confidence-returns).

Technology was mixed earlier in the year. In the second quarter, [hiring for data- and AI-related jobs grew 4%, even as hiring for software positions fell 6% and cloud jobs dipped 4%](https://enterpriseam.com/uae/2026/07/21/uae-hiring-shrinks-for-the-first-time-in-four-years-as-firms-recruit-to-the-final-stage-then-pause-on-uncertainty/).

## Why Are Strategy Roles Rising for the First Time in Years?

Strategy roles turned up. The index showed [the first rise in strategy roles in three years, after 12 straight quarters of decline](https://www.arnnewscentre.ae/en/news/business/uae-job-creation-rebounds-4-in-third-quarter/), and strategy [rose 6%](https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/money/2026/10/20/hiring-in-the-uae-rebounds-in-third-quarter-despite-uncertainty-fuelled-by-regional-war/).

In Murphy's view, the hiring is [mostly companies building their own in-house teams rather than using consultants](https://www.arnnewscentre.ae/en/news/business/uae-job-creation-rebounds-4-in-third-quarter/), with growth [in in-house strategy roles rather than consulting practices](https://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/jobs-in-uae-hiring-rebounds-4-in-q3-2026-as-business-confidence-returns), a positive sign.

Murphy tied longer-term hiring to confidence. "[If you're confident about the world and the market, then you start having a longer-term view on workforce planning, then you start looking at longer-term hires](https://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/jobs-in-uae-hiring-rebounds-4-in-q3-2026-as-business-confidence-returns)," in his words.

Cooper Fitch's strategy and PMO team recruits people [who help set and achieve an organisation's goal from ideation, cascading and implementation](https://cooperfitch.ae/strategy-management-consulting-recruitment/), for both industry and consulting clients. Industry clients want candidates with [a mix of high-level strategy consulting backgrounds coupled with operational experience](https://cooperfitch.ae/strategy-management-consulting-recruitment/), in the words of Cooper Fitch's undated strategy recruitment page.

## How Did the Rest of the Gulf Do?

The UAE led a mixed region. [Hiring in Saudi Arabia rose 1.5% as companies expanded sales and technical teams to support new investment, and Oman recorded 0.5% growth](https://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/jobs-in-uae-hiring-rebounds-4-in-q3-2026-as-business-confidence-returns).

Three markets fell again. Hiring [fell by 1% in Qatar, 2% in Kuwait and 2% in Bahrain](https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/money/2026/10/20/hiring-in-the-uae-rebounds-in-third-quarter-despite-uncertainty-fuelled-by-regional-war/), and Murphy pointed out that [all three have now contracted for two quarters in a row](https://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/jobs-in-uae-hiring-rebounds-4-in-q3-2026-as-business-confidence-returns). Declines [narrowed in Qatar and Kuwait](https://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/jobs-in-uae-hiring-rebounds-4-in-q3-2026-as-business-confidence-returns). In the second quarter, [Qatar was down 6% on its reliance on energy exports and Gulf shipping, Kuwait and the UAE down 4%, and Bahrain down 2%](https://enterpriseam.com/uae/2026/07/21/uae-hiring-shrinks-for-the-first-time-in-four-years-as-firms-recruit-to-the-final-stage-then-pause-on-uncertainty/).

Bahrain is trying to hold on to jobs. The government [extended its support programme for smaller businesses affected by the conflict and lengthened operating-expense support from three months to six](https://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/jobs-in-uae-hiring-rebounds-4-in-q3-2026-as-business-confidence-returns) to help firms retain national staff.

The IMF projects [the UAE's economy to contract by 3.9% this year before rebounding at a 7.7% growth rate in 2027](https://thenationalnews.com/business/economy/2026/10/13/imf-cuts-2026-growth-forecasts-for-gulf-economies-due-to-prolonged-hormuz-closure/), conditional on the normalisation of shipping routes and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. The fund [now expects the strait to gradually reopen from March 2027](https://thenationalnews.com/business/economy/2026/10/13/imf-cuts-2026-growth-forecasts-for-gulf-economies-due-to-prolonged-hormuz-closure/).

## What Is Happening to Salaries in the UAE?

In Murphy's assessment, [salaries have been largely flat this year, with only small, one-off increases](https://www.arnnewscentre.ae/en/news/business/uae-job-creation-rebounds-4-in-third-quarter/).

Early figures for 2027 [from about 800 organisations look "a little bit positive"](https://www.arnnewscentre.ae/en/news/business/uae-job-creation-rebounds-4-in-third-quarter/) to Murphy, though in his view it is still early.

In September, the S&P Global UAE PMI found [selling prices rose at the sharpest rate since May 2011](https://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/uae-business-activity-picks-up-as-prices-rise-at-fastest-pace-in-over-15-years), broadly matching the increase in what firms pay for supplies, as [raw material and freight costs rose](https://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/jobs-in-uae-hiring-rebounds-4-in-q3-2026-as-business-confidence-returns).

Borrowing also got dearer. [In mid-September, central banks in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman raised interest rates by 25 basis points](https://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/jobs-in-uae-hiring-rebounds-4-in-q3-2026-as-business-confidence-returns), following a rise in the US federal funds target range.

## What Does the Wider UAE Economy Say About Hiring?

A separate monthly business survey tracks the non-oil economy. In September, the PMI [stayed at 55.3, matching August's 20-month high](https://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/uae-business-activity-picks-up-as-prices-rise-at-fastest-pace-in-over-15-years), and a reading above 50 means business conditions are improving compared with the previous month. The survey covers [around 1,000 non-energy private sector companies](https://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/uae-business-activity-picks-up-as-prices-rise-at-fastest-pace-in-over-15-years).

Demand from abroad is returning. [New export business grew for the third month in a row and at its strongest pace since November 2024](https://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/uae-business-activity-picks-up-as-prices-rise-at-fastest-pace-in-over-15-years), and in the view of David Owen, principal economist at S&P Global Market Intelligence, the non-oil economy has [moved past the mid-year slowdown](https://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/uae-business-activity-picks-up-as-prices-rise-at-fastest-pace-in-over-15-years).

Staffing in that survey grew only a little. [Employers added staff in September after cutting jobs in August, but only slightly, despite the surge in orders](https://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/uae-business-activity-picks-up-as-prices-rise-at-fastest-pace-in-over-15-years), so unfinished work piled up again, though more slowly than in August. In Dubai, firms [hired more staff, but work still built up](https://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/uae-business-activity-picks-up-as-prices-rise-at-fastest-pace-in-over-15-years).

For Cooper Fitch, the question for the fourth quarter is [whether the improvement can be sustained, given elevated costs and limited visibility on trade and shipping](https://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/jobs-in-uae-hiring-rebounds-4-in-q3-2026-as-business-confidence-returns).

## How Do You Get Hired Through a Gulf Recruiter Like Cooper Fitch?

Cooper Fitch's [recruitment and executive search assignments are often of confidential nature](https://cooperfitch.ae/job-seekers/). Unless a client asks, in its own words Cooper Fitch does not ["usually advertise our appointments"](https://cooperfitch.ae/job-seekers/) and ["will rarely advertise opportunities on our website"](https://cooperfitch.ae/job-seekers/).

The firm's route in is through a specialist. Candidates can [find their industry page on the Cooper Fitch site and contact the specialist directly](https://cooperfitch.ae/job-seekers/), and the firm does not take walk-in visits because it [receives hundreds of resumes daily](https://cooperfitch.ae/job-seekers/).

Plan for a long process. Ideally, the firm's process [should take three months (including a one month notice period)](https://cooperfitch.ae/job-seekers/), and board level positions [can take over eight months to complete](https://cooperfitch.ae/job-seekers/).

Expect to talk about money. The firm asks for salary information so it can check whether it can [meet your expectations](https://cooperfitch.ae/job-seekers/), and its fees are [typically a percentage of a hired person's first-year annual income](https://cooperfitch.ae/job-seekers/).

You should never pay to be hired. [Job seekers and successfully hired personnel do not pay any recruitment service fees](https://cooperfitch.ae/job-seekers/), and the UAE government states that [charging recruitment fees to prospective employees is illegal in the UAE](https://u.ae/en/information-and-services/jobs/Sector-of-employment/employment-in-the-private-sector/labour-rights). For workers recruited from abroad, [the costs of the recruitment and travel, as well as the expenses for obtaining your residency permit in the UAE shall be borne by the employer](https://u.ae/en/information-and-services/jobs/Sector-of-employment/employment-in-the-private-sector/labour-rights) with whom you have agreed to conclude a contract. That rule matters for workers weighing offers from abroad, such as [Ghanaian workers who could be hired for Dubai building jobs with visas and air tickets paid](https://www.metaintro.com/blog/ghana-dubai-5000-construction-maintenance-jobs-first-500-workers).

Keep your paperwork. Workers recruited from abroad are expected to [maintain a copy of the job offer you have signed](https://u.ae/en/information-and-services/jobs/Sector-of-employment/employment-in-the-private-sector/labour-rights) under the UAE government's Know Your Rights guide, and workers with a grievance can call the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation's (MoHRE) [Labour Claims and Advisory Call Centre on the toll-free number 80084](https://u.ae/en/information-and-services/jobs/Sector-of-employment/employment-in-the-private-sector/labour-rights).

## What This Means for Job Seekers in the UAE, and What Should You Do Next?

The rebound is [selective](https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/money/2026/10/20/hiring-in-the-uae-rebounds-in-third-quarter-despite-uncertainty-fuelled-by-regional-war/). UAE hiring rose [4% in the third quarter](https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/money/2026/10/20/hiring-in-the-uae-rebounds-in-third-quarter-despite-uncertainty-fuelled-by-regional-war/). The index is built from [one recruiter's own placement data](https://enterpriseam.com/uae/2026/07/21/uae-hiring-shrinks-for-the-first-time-in-four-years-as-firms-recruit-to-the-final-stage-then-pause-on-uncertainty/), so read it as a signal of where one recruiter sees demand, not as a count of open jobs.

- **Restart stalled applications.** Murphy described some of the new roles as [stalled hiring processes that have been restarted](https://www.arnnewscentre.ae/en/news/business/uae-job-creation-rebounds-4-in-third-quarter/), so go back to employers who paused your process in the second quarter.
- **Follow the sectors that grew.** Energy, senior finance and strategy led the gains, with energy hiring up [7% in the region](https://www.khaleejtimes.com/business/jobs-in-uae-hiring-rebounds-4-in-q3-2026-as-business-confidence-returns). If you are an energy project director, commissioning specialist or contracts leader, those roles were [difficult to secure](https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/money/2026/10/20/hiring-in-the-uae-rebounds-in-third-quarter-despite-uncertainty-fuelled-by-regional-war/) in the third quarter.
- **Be ready for flat pay.** Salaries were [largely flat this year](https://www.arnnewscentre.ae/en/news/business/uae-job-creation-rebounds-4-in-third-quarter/) in Murphy's view, so ask how the role is graded and what happens at review.
- **Be in the region if you can.** Murphy's read is that employers [still strongly prefer people already based in the region](https://www.arnnewscentre.ae/en/news/business/uae-job-creation-rebounds-4-in-third-quarter/), even though there has been little slowdown in talent wanting to move to the UAE.
- **Work with specialists the right way.** Find the recruiter who covers your field through the firm's [industry pages](https://cooperfitch.ae/job-seekers/). Prepare a short, clear pitch and practise it with tips on [how to prepare for recruiter conversations with AI](https://www.metaintro.com/blog/prepare-for-recruiter-conversations-with-ai).
- **Never pay a fee.** Recruitment fees charged to job seekers are [illegal in the UAE](https://u.ae/en/information-and-services/jobs/Sector-of-employment/employment-in-the-private-sector/labour-rights), so walk away from anyone who asks.

## Related Articles

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- [Nearly Half of Job Seekers No Longer Trust Recruiter Messages After Scam Surge](https://www.metaintro.com/blog/job-seekers-distrust-recruiter-messages-scams-2026)
- [How Nuclear-Powered Data Centers Are Sparking a New Wave of Energy Jobs](https://www.metaintro.com/blog/nuclear-powered-data-centers-energy-jobs-wave)

## People Also Asked

### Q: How much did UAE hiring grow in the July to September quarter?

A: Hiring in the UAE [rose by 4% in the third quarter of 2026, the strongest increase in the Gulf](https://www.arnnewscentre.ae/en/news/business/uae-job-creation-rebounds-4-in-third-quarter/), after a 4% drop in the second quarter, in the Cooper Fitch index.

### Q: Which sectors hired most in the Gulf in the third quarter?

A: Energy led with a [rise of 7% across the Gulf](https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/money/2026/10/20/hiring-in-the-uae-rebounds-in-third-quarter-despite-uncertainty-fuelled-by-regional-war/) in the July to September period, ahead of strategy, finance, real estate and software.

### Q: Are salaries rising in the UAE this year?

A: Not by much. In the view of Cooper Fitch's chief executive, [salaries have been largely flat this year, with only small, one-off increases](https://www.arnnewscentre.ae/en/news/business/uae-job-creation-rebounds-4-in-third-quarter/).

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