UAE turns into a migrant hotspot

The UAE was found more attractive among migrants than Singapore, Sweden, New Zealand, Netherlands, South Korea, Turkey, Russia and China.

The UAE fascinates not just short-term residents who come here to make a quick buck. It is also one of the most-desired destinations among global citizens when it comes to permanent migration.

According to a global survey conducted by Gallup, the UAE is the world's 12th most desired destination for potential migrants, with 12 million keen to make the Emirates their permanent home. Considering the UAE's population of 9.4 million, this will more than double the country's existing population.

The UAE is also the second most desired country in the Middle East and Africa after Saudi Arabia, which is popular for migration due to its religious importance among Muslims from around the world.

The UAE will substantially benefit from migration, with a potential net migration index score of 204 per cent as the majority of foreigners keen to migrate to the UAE are young people. This migration, according to the Gallup poll, will result in the UAE's youth population jumping by 303 per cent with a brain gain of 22 per cent for the country.

The UAE was found more attractive among migrants than Singapore, Sweden, New Zealand, Netherlands, South Korea, Turkey, Russia and China.

Globally, the US tops, followed by Canada, Germany, France, Australia, UK, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Japan and Italy making up the top 10 rankings, revealed the findings of the survey, which was conducted between 2015-2017 based on interviews with nearly half a million adults in 152 countries.

The bottom-ranked countries were war-torn and unstable - mostly from Africa - such as Kosovo, Syria, Honduras, Armenia, Nigeria, Dominican Republic, Ghana, Congo, El Salvador and Albania.

Andreas Keller, managing partner, Henley & Partners Dubai, and head of Middle East, said there are many reasons the UAE continues to attract great talent from around the world.

"It provides access to exciting business opportunities, a great quality of life and the peace of mind that comes with living in a stable and secure country. The UAE has always been at the forefront of innovation, focusing on new industries that can fuel economic growth and job creation. The country recently emerged as a prominent destination to attract foreign direct investment in AI and robotics which are appealing industries for top global talent working in science and technology fields," he said.

"Perhaps more than anywhere else in the world at present, the UAE epitomises the relationship between technological development, passport power and future readiness. All these elements are very appealing to professionals looking to relocate to an international market," said Keller.

Every year, thousands of migrants come to the UAE for business and jobs, according to Sam Bayat, CEO of Bayat Group.

"But once they settle and start living here, they all want to stay for a longer period of time, say 40 years. As compared to other GCC countries, the biggest attractions for people to relocate to the UAE are safety, security, quality of life and low taxes. Strong economy, tax-free income, world-class infrastructure, ease of doing business, higher job prospects and career growth, strict rule of law and safer environment for the family are a few aspects that make the UAE a favourite destination for migrants," Bayat said.

Attracting more talent
Keller of Henley & Partners said the UAE's government mandate of economic diversification means it has taken important steps in attracting talented individuals, clearly recognising the contribution they can make to the development of a sustainable economy.

Recently, for instance, the UAE Cabinet approved changes to the visa regime, including a 10-year residency visa for investors and specialists and a five-year visa for exceptional students.

"Measures such as these will boost the attractiveness of the UAE as a higher education hub, attract quality talent and fill employment gaps. From a business perspective, it is clear that these initiatives are likely to encourage companies in exploring long-term investment opportunities in the UAE," he added.

Bayat said the UAE believes that talented and hardworking people are the pillar of a strong economy. Therefore, the government gives special incentives to highly-qualified people.

"To honour them and retain this high talent, the UAE government has planned to give 10-years visas to specialists in medical, scientific, research and technical fields, scientists, innovators and entrepreneurs. The UAE also planned 5-year visa for students studying in the UAE and 10-year visas for exceptional students," he added.

- waheedabbas@khaleejtimes.com