UAE Hiring Activity Rises 16% Across Key Sectors in 2026
Hiring activity in the UAE increased by 16% between April and September 2026, showing signs of recovery in the country’s job market after a slower start to the year.
According to the latest Naukrigulf Hiring Index, the index increased from 1,007 in April to 1,167 in September. The improvement reflects stronger recruitment activity across several major industries.
Manufacturing and industrial jobs recorded a 32% increase in hiring activity during the six-month period. Healthcare and pharmaceutical recruitment rose by 26%, while retail, FMCG and consumer-related hiring increased by 17%.
Real estate and construction also showed improvement, with hiring activity rising by 20%. The sector accounts for nearly a quarter of hiring mandates in the UAE.
Other sectors, including hospitality, travel and entertainment, recorded particularly strong growth. However, these increases started from relatively low levels earlier in the year.
Engineering remained an important employment category, with hiring activity increasing by 16%. Operations jobs also recorded a 28% rise, while sales and marketing recruitment grew by 21%.
UAE Hiring Activity Shows Changes in Salary Demand
The report also highlighted differences in recruitment across salary groups. Hiring for positions offering monthly salaries of up to Dh10,000 increased by 24% between April and September. Recruitment for jobs paying Dh10,000 to Dh20,000 rose by 7%.
Another finding concerned nationality preferences. Around 56% of UAE hiring mandates did not specify a nationality preference, compared with 54% a year earlier.
The second edition of the Naukrigulf Hiring Index draws on recruitment activity from more than 7,000 employers and over 200,000 hiring mandates annually.
Despite the recent improvement, hiring activity remained around 9% below the same period in 2025. The narrowing gap suggests that recruitment demand is gradually recovering across the UAE.
