Over One-Third Of European Tech Talent To Change Jobs And Move To The Middle East. Know Why
Europe has emerged as a significant source of IT talent for companies in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, especially in data, infrastructure, and cybersecurity. A new study by Hays, titled The Tech Talent Explorer, surveyed over 5,000 IT specialists across 20 EMEA countries. It reveals that many European IT professionals plan to leave their current jobs by the end of the year.
According to the report, 34% of European tech professionals intend to change jobs this year. The main reasons cited include low salaries, lack of development opportunities, limited career progression, insufficient long-term prospects, and unchallenging roles. Data & Analytics professionals are the most likely to leave (36%), followed by Software Development experts (34%). Cloud Computing specialists are the least likely to move (28%).
Salary Disparities Between Regions
In the Middle East, 22% of tech specialists expect a salary increase of 20% or more this year. In contrast, less than 10% of their European counterparts anticipate such an increase. For instance, a Network Engineer earns an average salary of 74,900EU in the Middle East but only 31,000EU in Czechia and 33,000EU in Spain.
The average salary for a Data Engineer is significantly higher in the Middle East at 90,000EU compared to Italy's 45,750EU and Portugal's 48,000EU. Similarly, Security Engineers earn an average of 105,000EU in the GCC (excluding KSA) and 90,000EU in KSA. In Hungary and Spain, they earn just 39,000EU and 44,200EU respectively.
Attracting Tech Talent
The report highlights that Middle Eastern companies can attract European tech talent by offering competitive salaries and other benefits. For example, DevOps Engineers (Cloud Infrastructure) earn an average of 90,000EU in KSA and 100,500EU in the GCC excluding KSA. In Hungary and Italy, their salaries are much lower at just 45,000EU and 47,000EU respectively.
A Software Architect earns an average salary of 105,000EU in KSA and 120,000EU in the GCC excluding KSA. In contrast, they earn only 62,500EU in Czechia and around 64,000EU in Italy and France. These disparities make the Middle East an attractive destination for tech professionals seeking better compensation.
Work Environment Preferences
Across EMEA regions, tech professionals value a good work atmosphere highly. Other top factors include remote work options and challenging roles or projects. These preferences are crucial for companies aiming to attract top talent from Europe.
The report also notes that AI is a significant area of interest for tech specialists. In the Middle East alone, 56% of tech professionals use AI more than any European country. Moreover, AI training is desired by a substantial majority—82%—of all EMEA tech professionals.
Eamonn Hart from Hays Middle East commented on these findings: "This new data offers lots of encouragement for companies in the Middle East looking for tech talent and shows that the second half of 2024 will be a key time for hiring from Europe as so many professionals will be open to new opportunities."
"It is well known that salaries tend to be higher in the UAE and KSA," Hart continued. "This is obviously an attraction for tech specialists in lower-paying European countries. However," he added,"this report offers new insights as to other ways that Middle Eastern companies can attract this talent—for example by highlighting AI initiatives and progression plans."
The full Tech Talent Explorer report is available online: https://salary-guides.haysplc.com/tech-talent-explorer
Sign in with Google