A recent study conducted by Huntr, a UAE-based AI-driven workforce management platform, has unveiled a 25% increase in demand for Indian workers in the last one year. The study highlights that this surge is primarily driven by Abu Dhabi’s expanding infrastructure, manufacturing, and logistics sectors, positioning the emirate as a rising powerhouse for skilled labor in the region.

According to the Huntr study, Abu Dhabi’s blue-collar workforce demand is significantly outpacing other emirates, offering wage premiums 15-30% higher than in Dubai and other regions. The emirate’s industrial and infrastructure expansion is fueling a rapid hiring spree, with electricians, plumbers, and technicians seeing a 20-25% spike in demand.

The emirate’s robust economic performance is a key factor behind the rising labor demand. Abu Dhabi recorded a 4.5% GDP growth in 2024, with the construction sector growing 10% year-on-year in Q3 alone, contributing AED 26.7 billion in economic activity—8.8% of the GDP. Similarly, the manufacturing sector generated AED 29.4 billion, marking a 2% year-on-year rise and accounting for 9.7% of the GDP.

The transport and logistics industry is also witnessing rapid growth, with a projected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.90%, expected to reach USD 30.19 billion by 2030. These economic strides are driving an urgent demand for skilled workers, particularly from India, reinforcing the emirate’s need for an expanding workforce.
Huntr’s study further highlights that Abu Dhabi’s wage structure is significantly more competitive than other UAE regions, attracting skilled Indian workers seeking stable, high-paying opportunities. The report indicates that:

• Construction and infrastructure jobs pay 15-25% more than in Dubai and 20-30% more than in other emirates
• Manufacturing and industrial roles offer salaries 10-20% higher than in Dubai and up to 25% more than elsewhere in the UAE
• Logistics and transport workers earn 12-18% more than in Dubai and 18-25% more than in other emirates

The rising demand has resulted in a 69% increase in blue-collar employment in Abu Dhabi in 2024, with Indian workers playing a crucial role in this workforce expansion.
Indians constitute nearly 40% of the UAE’s total population, with an estimated 3.5 million Indian nationals residing in the country. A significant portion of this workforce is engaged in critical sectors such as construction, manufacturing, logistics, hospitality, and security services. Within Abu Dhabi’s construction sector alone, between 100,000 and 500,000 Indian workers are currently employed, supporting the emirate’s ambitious infrastructure growth plans.

“For long, Dubai has been the primary focus for job seekers, but Abu Dhabi’s 25% rise in labor demand and higher wage offerings showcase its emergence as the UAE’s next major employment hub,” said Samuel Joy, Founder & CEO of Huntr. “The emirate’s booming industrial landscape, coupled with its competitive salary structure, presents an attractive opportunity for skilled Indian talent seeking long-term career prospects in the region.”

As Abu Dhabi cements itself as a global hub for infrastructure and industrial development, the demand for Indian workers is expected to continue its upward trajectory, providing sustainable employment and economic growth opportunities for both nations.About HuntrHuntr (Techstars '22) is a blue-collar worker marketplace that helps enterprises (companies with 2k+ employees) connect with service providers such as government and training partners to source, manage, and onboard a large volume of job-ready workforce (think rippling/lever/workday for the blue-collar workforce). Our platform saves enterprises millions of dollars in attrition costs by enabling candidates to be trained and onboarded in under 30 days (compared to legacy systems that take 2-3 months). Since launch, our marketplace has enabled our service providers, such as government and training partners, to recruit 3k+ candidates for companies such as Amazon, Dubai Airport, and Abu Dhabi Airport. Huntr has been featured in World Bank,  Wired, YourStory, and Gulf Business and was nominated as one of the best startups in Dubai for the GBTech Awards in October 2022.