Inside the UAE job market: What you need to know about hiring in 2026

In this live Q&A session, Business Extra host Salim Essaid explores what the UAE Salary Guide 2026 reveals about the job market. He is joined by Viacheslav Shakhov, managing partner at Cooper Fitch, to discuss hiring trends across key sectors, how employers are responding to slower global growth, and why competition for skilled roles is intensifying. The conversation explores the growing influence of artificial intelligence in recruitment, including which skills are becoming more valuable, how roles are evolving rather than disappearing, and why continuous learning is increasingly important for job seekers. The session also addresses salary expectations, inflation pressures, and how companies are adjusting pay structures, benefits and long-term incentives to retain talent. Mr Shakhov shares his insights on which industries are showing the strongest demand, where hiring is slowing, and how the UAE compares with other Gulf markets. Audience questions address practical concerns such as CV strategy, applicant tracking systems, negotiating salaries, applying from overseas, and standing out in a crowded job market.

You can listen to Inside the UAE job market: What you need to know about hiring in 2026 online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

Inside the UAE job market: What you need to know about hiring in 2026 is an episode from Business Extra by The National News.

This episode is 41:57 long.

This episode was published on Jan 29, 2026.

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