Dubai: Dubai is among the top cities where the world’s digital talent want to be based, to work and live, according to new rankings from BCG (Boston Consulting Group) that finds London and Singapore at the top. Dubai was placed sixth, while Abu Dhabi is in ninth spot, with recent reforms on residency visas and remote-work permits hitting their mark.
The UAE thus has pivoted to be among the prospective choices where digital talent want to be when it comes to job-related relocation. At the same time, there are others who want to be based here to launch their own businesses or as extensions of their current ones.
“Although the events of the past two years may have changed where and how people in digital roles work, many of the job attributes they care about the most remain much the same,” said the BCG report. “Chief among those is maintaining an equitable balance between their jobs and their lives outside of work—a familiar refrain among workers from all walks of life during the pandemic.”
Multiple surveys in recent months show that demand for tech-related jobs are still climbing, especially those related to data and cloud computing. The 5G telecom network requirements too are opening up new positions for aspirants.
Tech industry sources say that 2022 will speed up more openings in pure-tech, while digital-commerce affiliated jobs will be the other hot contender. “Several fintechs in the UAE have raised sizeable funds for regional expansion, and each new step will add to the job creation,” said a HR consultant. “These fintechs need more personnel beyond the core group that they started with.”
Change of tack
According to BCG report, digital talent who were working remotely during the pandemic have started getting interested in working virtually for an international employer. “In all, 68 per cent percent of digital workers say they are willing to work remotely for an employer that lacks a physical presence in their country, significantly more than the 57 per cent cross-job average,” the report finds. “It’s also higher than the 55 per cent of digital workers who say they would move abroad for work.
