Recruiter and talent acquisition jobs in the UAE

About the role: Recruiter and talent acquisition

Recruiters and talent acquisition specialists find, assess and hire the people organisations need. They work with hiring managers to define roles, source candidates, run interviews and manage offers until the new employee starts.

The UAE's largely international workforce makes recruitment a busy field. In-house talent acquisition teams operate in hotel groups, airlines, healthcare providers, retailers, construction and engineering firms, technology companies and government entities, while recruitment agencies handle hiring for clients across sectors. Volume hiring for hospitality, retail and contact centres coexists with executive search for senior roles.

Recruiters in the UAE also need to understand the local framework: work permits issued by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE), visa and onboarding steps, and Emiratisation targets that require private companies with 50 or more employees to increase the share of UAE nationals in skilled roles by 2% a year. Experience hiring UAE nationals and working with the Nafis programme is increasingly sought after.

Main responsibilities

• Agree job requirements with hiring managers
• Source candidates through job posts, networks and referrals
• Screen CVs and conduct interviews
• Coordinate offers, onboarding and visa steps
• Track hiring metrics and Emiratisation progress

Skills employers look for

• Sourcing and Boolean search techniques
• Applicant tracking systems
• Competency-based interviewing
• Knowledge of UAE labour and visa procedures
• Negotiation and relationship skills

Good practice

Private recruitment agencies in the UAE must be licensed by MOHRE, and job seekers should not be charged recruitment fees. Candidate data should be handled in line with the Personal Data Protection Law, Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021.