Prime Highlights:
- The UAE’s offshore industry is expected to create around 83,000 skilled jobs over the next five years, attracting international companies to the region.
- The sector’s growth reflects the UAE’s focus on advanced offshore work and building expertise in high-demand professional fields.
Key Facts:
- The offshore industry’s contribution to the UAE economy is projected to reach $7 billion (Dh25.7 billion) by 2030, up from $4.79 billion.
- Growth is supported by the UAE’s strategic location, English-speaking workforce, modern digital infrastructure, and government initiatives.
Key Background:
The UAE’s offshore industry is expected to grow quickly, creating about 83,000 skilled jobs in the next five years, a study by Robert Walters says. This industry, which involves work at sea like extracting resources and building infrastructure, is attracting many international companies to hire skilled workers in the UAE.
The study also shows that the offshore industry’s contribution to the UAE economy could reach $7 billion (Dh25.7 billion) by 2030, up 46 percent from the current $4.79 billion. Often linked with oil drilling, the offshore sector has been an important part of the UAE’s economy for decades, with many local and international companies employing thousands of workers across the country.
Phill Brown, Head of Market Intelligence at Robert Walters, noted that the industry’s growth underscores the UAE’s emergence as a strategic offshoring hub. “Offshoring is no longer just a cost-saving strategy; it is increasingly a talent-driven approach that supports job creation, skills development, and service diversification,” he said.
This expansion is enabled by the fact that the UAE is located between Europe, Asia, and Africa, has a skilled workforce, up-to-date digital systems, and government aid towards innovation. There is also a rising need for experts in cybersecurity, machine learning, and product analysis, showing the country’s focus on advanced offshore work.
David Barr, CEO of Outsourcing at Robert Walters, said, “Many companies are adding offshore teams to their main operations to build skills in areas that need technical expertise, teamwork across countries, and long-term planning.”
As companies around the world change how they manage their workforce, the UAE is becoming a hub for skilled talent and supportive business practices. The growth of the offshore sector will help the UAE economy and create many job opportunities in high-demand fields.
