UAE Tops Global FinTech Skills Ranking in LinkedIn Report

The UAE ranks first globally for FinTech skills and second for attracting artificial intelligence talent relative to population, according to the latest UAE Economic Graph Report 2026, prepared by LinkedIn in partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Trade.

The report also found that hiring activity and inbound talent flows began recovering in June 2026 following a volatile start to the year. It noted that the UAE was among a small group of countries to maintain hiring above 2019 levels throughout 2025, making it one of the strongest post-pandemic labour market recoveries among major global economies.

Among sectors, real estate recorded the strongest hiring growth compared with 2019, while education, construction, healthcare, administrative and support services, and transport and logistics also remained above the national average. Professional services accounted for the largest share of LinkedIn members at 14.5%, followed by manufacturing at 12% and accommodation and hospitality at 9.2%. The report also identified technology and media, professional services and manufacturing as the sectors with the highest concentration of digital skills.

LinkedIn found the UAE remained one of the world's leading destinations for net talent migration in 2025, supported by long-term visa programmes and a competitive business environment. It also reported that female representation in leadership positions increased from 18.8% in 2015 to 21.9% in 2025, with the highest representation in education, healthcare and entertainment.

The report marks the sixth edition published since the launch of the UAE's National Strategy for Attracting and Retaining Talent.