Staffing Outlook for Dubai in 2011 and Beyond

Any staffing or human resource professional that keeps an eye on Dubai’s labor market has to see the unlimited potential this area provides. When companies like Manpower and Robert Half flock to establish a presence in an area, big things are happening. The recent economic climate has made the media portray Dubai in a negative light, which has caused less people from Europe and North America to seek employment there than in the past.

In past years the majority of recruiting efforts in Dubai were focused on overseas candidates. However, the current job market is leaning in a different direction. The high cost of relocation and recruiting agency fees for bringing workers from abroad has local companies pushing to hire more people that currently live in the market. When you couple this with the risk involved in relocating and the money lost if the employee chooses to return home, its understandable why local companies want to hire from the local workforce.

This creates a unique opportunity for recruiters and human resource professionals. Dubai’s old approach to recruiting just is not going to cut it any longer. Companies of all sizes will be looking for recruiters and human resource professionals that can deliver quality candidates with all of the extra expense.

So while the companies may not want to pay to relocate employees to fill the vast number of vacant positions that the Job Index forecasts, a great opportunity is presented for recruiters and human resource professionals. Those from North America and Europe should consider getting on board now before the big push to recruit locally begins.