Moving to the UAE anytime soon? Salaries in the UAE are going up next year, so it’s definitely a smart time to migrate!
According to media reports, Cooper Fitch just conducted a survey that projected up to a four per cent increase next year! For some employees, it’s about to get even better with over a 10 per cent increase predicted by recruitment and HR experts.
Dr Trefor Murphy, founder and CEO of Cooper Fitch, told Khaleej Times the UAE Salary Guide 2026 revealed organisations aim to increase salaries in the UAE by at least 1.6 per cent to four per cent.
What the UAE Salary Guide predicted for 2026
Cooper Fitch survey found that 84 per cent of respondents are forecasting either an increase or maintain salary levels, signalling confidence in the year ahead.
For 2026, nearly half of the respondents plan to increase, while 37 per cent expect to keep them flat, and 15 per cent anticipate offering lower ranges for new hires.
The Michael Page 2026 UAE salary guide is broken down into 17 industries and then by position, providing a wide scope of understanding of how different roles and sectors perform.
Under banking and financial services, accountants’ salaries in the UAE are forecasted to be between AED 20,000 and AED 27,000 per month, while mid-level associate roles across investments typically take between AED 50,000 to AED 60,000.
Salaries in the UAE: Sector-wise breakdown
- Paralegals: AED 22,500
- Associates and Senior Associates: Between AED 48,000 and AED 65,000, respectively.
- HR: Entry level at AED 25,000 per month for talent acquisition specialists, L&D training officers and HR coordinators
- Top-level roles: Between AED 60,000 and AED 80,000
- PR and comms manager: AED 30,000 and AED 65,000
- Sales and marketing directors: AED 70,000.
- Data and engineering: Starting around AED 25,000, increasing to AED 35,000 and even AED 45,000 for mid-level roles. Senior roles across data science and AI could take home upwards of AED 80,000
According to global organisational consulting firm Korn Ferry, salaries in the UAE are also projected to increase 4.1 per cent in 2026, nearly in line with 2025.
The Central Bank expects real GDP to accelerate to around 5.3 per cent next year, with growth underpinned by construction, financial services, logistics and advanced industries. This strong macroeconomic growth is projected to be one of the key drivers of the increase in salaries in the UAE.
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