Dubai Skilled Tech Talent Demand to ‘Outpace’ Supply in the Emirate, Report Reveals
The ‘Tech Talent in Dubai 2023’ report officially launched at a dedicated session of GITEX x Expand North Star 2023.
LinkedIn and employee referrals are key sourcing channels, while building relationships with academia and internal recruitment units prove effective for some, when looking out for tech jobs in Dubai.
The ‘Tech Talent in Dubai 2023’ report by Integra Seven, a Dubai-based consulting agency, in partnership with Wamda, a leading entrepreneurship empowerment platform for the Middle East and North Africa, showed an in-depth exploration of the emirate’s tech ecosystem, shedding light on the strategies employed by tech companies to attract and retain talent.
It also provides valuable insights into policy enhancements for the technology sector in the emirate, and focuses into the challenges faced by tech companies in Dubai as well as shows best practices from successful founders.
The report officially launched at a dedicated session of GITEX x Expand North Star 2023, featuring speakers from Wamda, Gebeya Inc., and Lexyom, who brought their unique perspectives on why Dubai is poised to win the global competition among tech hubs for skilled talent in the near future.
A standout finding reveals that Dubai-based tech firms are adopting a global approach, dispersing their tech teams across 2–4 countries.
“In an ever-evolving global economic landscape, the UAE understands that talent will be a cornerstone of our progress and a key form of competitive advantage, particularly in the fields of technology and innovation,” Dr. Thani Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for International Trade said.
“Our forward-thinking economic agenda is successfully establishing the UAE as an attractive hub for global talent, a place where exceptional individuals can progress their careers or launch new businesses – and make a lasting contribution to the nation’s success on the world stage as they do so.”
MENA ‘key market’ for sourcing tech talent
The report also identifies key markets for sourcing tech talent, including MENA, India, Pakistan, Eastern Europe, the Balkans, and Turkey.
Despite an attrition rate of 8.75 percent in Dubai’s tech sector, which is higher than the national average but lower than mature tech ecosystems like the USA, HR functions play a critical role in scaling up technology businesses, with 24 percent of founders’ time dedicated to talent-related matters.
“Dubai’s success as MENA’s top tech ecosystem stems from collaboration among policy makers, venture builders, and talent. Our report elevates this public-private effort, fostering sustainable development in the emirate,” Natalia Sycheva, Managing Director of Integra Seven added.
“The ‘State of Tech Talent in Dubai 2023’ report emerges at a pivotal moment in Dubai’s tech ecosystem development and provides stakeholders a well-researched insight into the dynamics of the opportunities, needs, and challenges that face both talent and startups,” Fadi Ghandour, Chairman of Wamda, said.
Two-thirds of Dubai tech developers look for new opportunities
The report reveals that two-thirds of employed tech developers in Dubai are open to new job opportunities.
Reasons for job changes include ownership opportunities, citizenship prospects, lifestyle benefits, and, most importantly, the chance to work with the latest technologies and learn new skills.
The report also included an exclusive interview with Amadou Daffe, CEO of Gebeya, a Pan-African tech talent marketplace, in which he shares his experience in reskilling thousands of engineers and discusses Gebeya’s plans to strengthen Dubai-Africa ties through skill and talent transfer.
