Dubai and Abu Dhabi Named Top Expats’ Cities for Entry

Dubai and Abu Dhabi have tied for the top spot globally for ease of entry, according to a recent study by Kearney. This recognition underscores the cities’ commitment to attracting and retaining foreign talent, showcasing their appeal as key destinations for expatriates.

Dubai’s Ongoing Leadership

In the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, Dubai has once again secured its position as the leader, ranking 24th globally. This marks the fourth consecutive year that Dubai has placed in the top 25, highlighting its consistent appeal as a global hub. The new “ease of entry” metric, part of the human capital dimension, reflects Dubai’s successful immigration policies that prioritize the influx of skilled workers.

Resilience in Challenging Times

The Kearney report highlights the adaptability of Middle Eastern cities like Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, and Dammam amidst global economic and geopolitical challenges. Dammam, for instance, saw a remarkable 19-rank increase in business activity, largely driven by a 71% rise in its services sector. The establishment of five top global services firms in Dammam has played a crucial role in this growth.

According to the report, the GCC region is increasingly focused on economic diversification. “This underscores the growing importance of services, particularly in the GCC region, where economic diversification is a key priority,” the statement noted. Open immigration policies in both Abu Dhabi and Dubai have been instrumental in attracting talent, while Riyadh has experienced a boost in rankings due to an increase in unicorn companies.

Understanding Kearney’s Global Cities Index

Kearney’s annual Global Cities Report, which includes the Global Cities Index (GCI) and Global Cities Outlook (GCO), aims to analyze the connectivity and global influence of major metropolitan areas. The GCI assesses a city's ability to attract and retain capital, people, and ideas, evaluating it across five key dimensions: human capital, information exchange, cultural experience, political engagement, and business activity.

In this year’s report, Middle Eastern cities showed stability in their scores, especially in attracting global services firms. This trend reflects the region’s ongoing efforts toward economic diversification.

Opportunities Amid Global Uncertainty

The findings reveal a new form of globalization that is more distributed and networked. “As patterns of global trade and capital flows shift, cities in the Middle East have enormous opportunities to leverage their strategic location, robust economies, attractive immigration policies, and underlying digital infrastructure,” said Rudolph Lohmeyer, a Kearney partner.

The Global Cities Outlook aims to identify cities likely to achieve global prominence in the future. Those focusing on security, stability, health, and environmental factors will be better positioned to weather economic shocks.

Innovation and Investment Adaptability

Despite global trade tensions and a decline in foreign direct investment (FDI), cities like Dubai, Makkah, and Muscat continue to sustain innovation. Dubai saw a 10-rank increase in innovation, while Makkah and Muscat improved by eight and eleven ranks, respectively. This progress is largely attributed to private investment gains and the maintenance of low real interest rates, allowing these cities to drive economic growth amid global uncertainty.

Addressing Environmental Challenges

As cities adapt to geopolitical pressures, they also face mounting environmental challenges intensified by climate change. “Climate disasters have caused significant financial losses, and cities — being major consumers of energy and producers of greenhouse gas emissions — are both victims of and contributors to these issues,” the report states.

Sascha Treppte, a Kearney partner, emphasized the need for cities to adopt a more systems-oriented and proactive approach to sustainability. This “regenerative approach” focuses on building institutional capabilities to address today’s challenges comprehensively.