Average salary Dh37,000 ($10,000): Number of people signing up to freelance in the UAE has doubled

 Average salary Dh37,000 ($10,000): Number of people signing up to freelance in the UAE has doubled

Diverse visa options, technology adoption across sectors and freelancer-friendly policies are credited for the increase in registrations

Through the web desk

April 18, 2024, 7:00 P.M

With an average monthly salary of $10,000 (Dh36,800), freelancer registrations on the talent-on-demand platform saw a massive 122 percent increase in 2023 compared to the previous year.

freelance in the UAE has doubled

An Outsized executive said average daily rates for professionals in the UAE are influenced by factors such as years of experience, length of project and specific skills required. “According to data from our platform, for talent with 7-10 years of experience when they join a 12-month project, … the average daily rate is around USD 400-500 (up to Dh1,800),” Azeem Zainulbhai, co. -founder and chief product officer of Outsized, told Khaleej Times.

This is significantly higher than the average daily rates for Mena professionals of US$309 (Dh1,100).

the Mena region has some of the fastest growing independent economies in the world. On-demand talent in the UAE has an average of 11-12 years of experience. This is more than the Mena region average of 10.1 years, which is already the highest average expertise, surpassing the larger Apac and Africa regions.

The executive attributed the massive increase in registrations to the UAE's various visa options, the adoption of technology across sectors and freelancer-friendly policies.

Top skills

According to the company's Talent On Demand 2024 report, which is based on data collected from its platform, the Mena region is experiencing "a remarkable increase in the demand for freelance talent, diverging from the global decline seen in the US and Europe". This includes sectors such as IT, banking, finance, real estate, construction, energy and hospitality. In the UAE, there is a "growing demand for skilled professionals in technology, project management, business transformation, cyber security and other key areas", according to Azeem.

The following skills are most in demand in the UAE market:

1. Product and Offer

— Introducing the Cards product

-   Customer experience

— Card operations

-    Product development

2. Change management

- Project management

— Agile transformation

— Business analytics

— Business transformation

3. Sales and Marketing

- Digital marketing

- Business development

— GTM (go to market) strategy.

— Loyalty program management

4. Risk

- Risk management

— Risk modeling

— Council of Government

— Fraud risk management

5. Strategy

— Strategic consulting

Scope, recruitment practices

According to the Hays GCC Salary & Employment Report 2024, the majority of companies (87 percent) will hire permanent employees this year. However, 19 percent said they would hire temporary contract workers, while 16 percent would hire freelancers.

Even employers who do not expect an increase in the number of employees this year will have to hire employees. Oliver Kowalski, managing director of Hays Middle East, explained to Khaleej Times: “This means that even organizations that do not plan to increase their overall headcount will still need to hire for a variety of reasons, such as turnover, skills shortages or project-based work. For jobseekers, this suggests a dynamic recruitment environment across different employment types, providing opportunities for permanent roles, temporary positions, contract work and freelance work."

The guide revealed that 41 percent of employers report that more candidates are applying for jobs overall than in the past. However, 41 percent drew attention to the lack of qualified professionals.

According to Azeem, the growing demand for freelance talent in the UAE is driven by a global skills shortage that is expected to result in 85.2 million job vacancies by 2030 across sectors such as finance and business services. "Companies are increasingly looking for skilled talent to fill these gaps and offer specialized services that provide flexibility and agility."

Outsized predicts that in 2024, companies will continue to move towards a "more holistic approach" to agile talent. "Employers will not just use freelancers for specific projects, but instead see them as a competitive advantage that can be used at scale, proactively."

visa,

With more visa options, demand for freelancers is on the rise in the UAE. Its "open immigration policy" offers freelance visas that allow professionals to sponsor themselves and their families and ensure stability and happiness, Azeem said.

Residence

Azeem said independent qualified professionals who want to reside in the UAE have several residency options that eliminate the need for local sponsorship. These include golden visas and freelancer permits issued from free zones that offer residency. "For those interested in a more temporary stay, the Dubai Digital Nomad and UAE Remote Worker visas allow freelance talent to live in Dubai for about a year."