The UAE job market showed clear signs of recovery in the third quarter of 2026. According to a new report from HR firm Cooper Fitch, hiring across the UAE rose 4 percent in the quarter, outpacing the broader Gulf average of 2 percent growth across GCC countries.
Dr Trefor Murphy, CEO of Cooper Fitch, attributed the uptick to returning business confidence. After a period of cautious hiring decisions, companies are now reactivating workforce planning for 2027. The shift is most visible among firms that had previously paused recruitment and are now re-entering the market with a clearer outlook on demand.
The report also points to a shift in what employers prioritise when hiring. Rather than focusing purely on salary, companies are placing growing weight on human skills such as communication, a trend echoed in analysis of thousands of recent job postings across the UAE.
This recovery comes as the UAE continues to rank highly among regional peers for aligning workforce skills with emerging technology needs. Beyond pay, employers are increasingly factoring in job security and work-life balance as tools to attract and retain staff.
For jobseekers in the UAE, the figures offer encouraging news: after months of relatively subdued hiring activity, the market is growing again, with companies showing more active recruitment planning heading into next year.