Hiring in the UAE
Hiring in the UAE.
A practical guide for VC-backed SaaS, fintech and AI companies building a team in the UAE: salaries, Emiratisation, packages and how to hire fast.
At a glance
- ZeroPersonal income tax on salaries
- 2%Yearly Emiratisation rise in skilled jobs, 50+ staff
- 50+Roles in our 2025 UAE benchmark
- 2 to 3 weeksBefore in-demand candidates are off the market
Key facts
What to know before you hire.
Where is the talent?
Dubai, the GCC's main SaaS hub. DIFC in Dubai and ADGM in Abu Dhabi, the financial free zones, keep drawing global fintech talent.
Is there income tax?
No personal income tax on salaries, so candidates compare the whole package: housing allowance, health cover, annual flights, performance bonus and equity.
Which roles are hardest to fill?
AI and machine learning engineers, fintech product managers, data scientists, cybersecurity leads and GTM sales directors. Sign-on bonuses and retention incentives are increasingly standard for these profiles.
How fast do candidates move?
Fast. In-demand profiles such as AI engineers, fintech product managers and senior sellers are typically off the market within 2 to 3 weeks.
Salaries
Monthly salaries in the UAE, 2025.
Base salary per month in UAE dirhams, from HAILO's 2025 UAE Salary Benchmark: 50+ roles across SaaS, fintech and AI.
| Role | Level | Monthly base (AED) |
|---|---|---|
| Chief Revenue Officer (CRO)Executive | Executive | 70,000 to 120,000 |
| Chief Technology Officer (CTO)Executive | Executive | 75,000 to 120,000 |
| Sales Director / VP SalesSenior | Senior | 45,000 to 80,000 |
| Enterprise Account ExecutiveSenior | Senior | 25,000 to 45,000 |
| SDR / BDRJunior | Junior | 8,000 to 15,000 |
| Customer Success ManagerMid | Mid | 12,000 to 22,000 |
| Marketing DirectorSenior | Senior | 30,000 to 55,000 |
| Product ManagerMid | Mid | 16,000 to 28,000 |
| Software Engineer (Senior)Senior | Senior | 25,000 to 40,000 |
| Software Engineer (Mid)Mid | Mid | 15,000 to 25,000 |
| Cloud / Solutions ArchitectSenior | Senior | 30,000 to 50,000 |
| AI/ML Engineer (Senior)Senior | Senior | 30,000 to 50,000 |
| NLP / LLM SpecialistSenior | Senior | 35,000 to 60,000 |
| Data Scientist (Mid)Mid | Mid | 15,000 to 28,000 |
| Talent Acquisition ManagerMid | Mid | 18,000 to 35,000 |
Emiratisation
Build Emiratisation into the plan.
The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) sets Emiratisation targets for private companies. Companies with 50 or more employees must raise the share of UAE nationals in their skilled jobs by 2% a year, 1% in each half of the year, toward a cumulative 10 percentage points by the end of 2026. Companies with 20 to 49 employees in 14 named sectors have a headcount target instead. Companies that miss their targets pay financial contributions.
In practice, budget Emirati hires into the plan from the start, and post those roles on Nafis, the platform MoHRE uses to reach Emirati job seekers.
A summary, not legal advice. Check your current target with MoHRE.
The hard part
Why hiring in the UAE takes longer than planned.
- 01
The best people aren't on job boards
The strongest sellers and engineers in the UAE are employed and not applying. They have to be mapped and approached.
- 02
Candidates move in weeks
In-demand profiles are off the market within 2 to 3 weeks. Slow processes lose them to faster competitors.
- 03
Base salary alone loses candidates
With no income tax, candidates compare the whole package, and companies competing on base salary alone lose them.
How long does it take to hire in the UAE?
In-demand candidates are typically off the market within 2 to 3 weeks, so the process has to move faster than that. With HAILO, your recruiter is live on roles within 3 days, and our speed guarantee covers role go-live to accepted offer in 35 days.
What are the UAE's Emiratisation targets?
Private companies with 50 or more employees must raise the share of UAE nationals in skilled jobs by 2% a year, 1% in each half of the year. Companies with 20 to 49 employees in 14 named sectors have a headcount target instead.
How much does a software engineer earn in the UAE?
In HAILO's 2025 UAE benchmark, a senior software engineer earns AED 25,000 to 40,000 a month, mid level AED 15,000 to 25,000 and junior AED 8,000 to 15,000, base salary.
How much does an account executive earn in the UAE?
In HAILO's 2025 UAE benchmark, an enterprise account executive earns AED 25,000 to 45,000 a month in base salary, and a sales director or VP Sales AED 45,000 to 80,000.