Top skills in demand include cards portfolio management, project and product management, data analytics, business development, and risk management, with day rates starting from $300 (Dh1,100).

Released by independent talent platform Outsized, the 2025 Talent on Demand report said freelancer registrations in the Mena region increased by 78 per cent in the past year.
The day rates for independent professionals in the UAE vary widely depending on their experience, industry, and the complexity of the projects they undertake,” Azeem Zainulbhai, managing director for Mena and India at Outsized, told Khaleej Times.

“For instance, in cards portfolio management, someone with up to five years of experience typically earns between $275 and $325 per day, whereas a more seasoned professional with 11-15 years of experience can command anywhere from $725 to $875 per day. Similarly, project managers at the early stages of their career earn around $250 per day, with rates increasing to $525 to $675 per day for those with over a decade of expertise.”

UAE to increase annual foreign investment inflows to Dh240 billion

The UAE has set an ambitious goal to more than double its annual foreign investment inflows over the next six years. Announced Monday, the National Investment Strategy aims to increase inflows from Dh112 billion in 2023 to Dh240 billion by 2031. This will grow the UAE’s total foreign investment stock from Dh800 billion to Dh2.2 trillion over the next few years.

“This strategy will focus on key sectors, including industry, logistics, financial services, renewable energy, and information technology. The UAE continues to develop its economy, expand global markets, attract investments, and create the most business-friendly environment in the world,” Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE, wrote on X after chairing a UAE Cabinet meeting.

 
Current investment results peg the total cumulative foreign direct investment at Dh0.8 trillion and annual foreign direct investment inflows at Dh112 billion. The target by 2031 is to increase the share of foreign direct investment in total investments (domestic and foreign) to above 30 per cent, and reach the contribution of foreign direct investment to GDP to 8 Percent.