UAE firms face shortage of Asian talent: Report

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Dubai - Naukrigulf Hiring Outlook is a bi-annual survey which gauges the hiring sentiment in the Middle East across sectors and industries.

It may seem that Asian workers are in abundance in the UAE, yet employers say they are struggling to find the right people to fill in positions, according to the findings of a recent survey.
About 44 per cent of recruiters surveyed in the recently concluded Naukrigulf Hiring Outlook 2016 said they face maximum talent crunch when they hire people of Asian origin. 35 per cent said they struggle while hiring for middle management levels in the UAE.
While there is a strong expectation of new job openings in the UAE, 64 per cent recruiters predicted that the talent crunch will continue for the next six months.
Recruitment specialists told Khaleej Times there are particular industries that face talent crunch in the UAE. Anoop Kumar, who is a recruitment lead at SOS HR solutions, said that Asian workers would usually move to the UAE for jobs in real estate, banking or construction. "They offer higher salaries in these fields in the UAE as compared to their home countries. However it is difficult to find Asian workers in the field of Information Technology, as the salaries here aren't as great as that offered back home."
"The tedious paperwork and visa clearance is another reason that candidates give up a job offer in the Middle East," he added. 
Another HR consultant, Jaya Bhatia from Job Hunt Gulf, said the biggest challenge for Asian candidates is the accommodation and overhead costs that comes with the job. "It's easier for a single person below 27 years of age to relocate. However it's challenging for mid and senior-management levels, especially if they are moving with families."
Ms. Bhatia added that IT jobs in particular are in abundance in South-East Asian countries. "The projects in many cases are based out of the US, Australia and UK, that offer enticing salaries. In UAE, there are few IT companies and we are mostly looking for young professionals with 2 to 5 years of experience, hence it becomes challenging to find skilled Asian workers to fit these roles. However it's not difficult to find candidates in the field of real estate, construction and finance."
Ms. Bhatia added the salaries in the UAE are expected to improve by the first quarter of next year, and that could drive more Asian workforce into the Gulf.