An article by Ali Haider, the regional director of Nomadic

In the face of heightened global competition for skilled professionals, immigration and mobility play a valuable role in economic prosperity. Governments around the world looking to compete on the world stage use immigration policies to combat skills and labour shortages, demographic challenges, and ongoing economic hardships, while corporations use policies to maximise their workforce opportunities while minimising risk.

Through deep data-driven analysis, Fragomen's 2024 Worldwide Immigration Trends Report has highlighted the key factors impacting today’s global workforce and economies. The report reveals how adaptive immigration trends can stimulate economic expansion and facilitate the discovery of the globe's most skilled professionals in 2024.

The rise of open immigration policies

While some nations continue to uphold immigration policies from the pandemic era, many are easing restrictions to rejuvenate their economies. Middle Eastern governments, recognising their strategic location and abundant resources, are creating attractive destinations for global companies seeking fresh prospects. For instance, the UAE was one of the first countries to open its borders to the world in 2020, even offering a Digital Nomad visa to attract skilled freelance talent. Moreover, the Golden Visa initiative, with over 151,600 enrolments from 2019 to 2022, symbolises the country's commitment to fostering a thriving global talent pool in a business-friendly environment.

Skills mismatch invites skilled talent

Studies show that by 2030, unresolved talent shortages could result in 85 million job vacancies and $8.5 trillion in lost revenue. This has given rise to workforce upskilling and reskilling, which is reshaping immigration patterns and potentially drawing individuals to countries that actively invest in talent. The UAE, recognised for its economic potential, has become an attractive destination for individuals looking to advance their skill set and thrive in globally competitive sectors like digital transformation and project management. Ultimately, countries that foster competitive skills are likely to bolster their economic and technological growth.

Governments innovate and embrace digitalisation

Digital transformation continues to pick up pace around the world as more governments invest in sophisticated systems like AI and prioritise online system interoperability for efficiency and compliance. The UAE and KSA are leading the charge in the region, with AI-powered services extending to the border control process. To effectively manage the rising use of AI in immigration, governments must tackle critical issues such as algorithmic bias, potential hacking, and judgement errors due to limited human oversight. It's crucial to implement stringent policies that guarantee AI's transparency, accountability, and fairness. Safeguarding citizens' data privacy and security, along with prioritising ethical standards in AI's development and application, is essential for its responsible use on a wide scale.

Partnerships between governments and universities

Despite a healthy post-pandemic bounceback in many labour markets, four out of five employers globally are reporting difficulty finding the skilled talent they need. To combat these shortages, educational institutions must collaborate with governments on strategies to attract and retain talent. The youthful MENA population, with over half under 30, can help diversify the economy with skilled labour, fostering entrepreneurship, technology adoption, and global competitiveness. Institutions that take an active role in helping employers and governments fill the talent gaps will likely also benefit by being seen as an attractive choice for international students. For instance, KSA has recently approved executive regulation to open foreign university branches in the country, which can help bring in potential fresh talent to the regional workforce.

Nearshoring boosts: immigration must adapt

Several countries already serve as major nearshoring destinations, and as more companies look to this option to secure their supply chains in a volatile business landscape, governments have to contend with many immigration implications and look to new initiatives to meet demand. The Middle East is ahead of the curve on this front - KSA’s Regional Headquarters Initiative has licenced over 160 centres, attracting global companies since 2021. Simultaneously, Dubai's D33 Agenda aims to double its economy in a decade, reinforcing its global city status. These efforts position both nations as attractive destinations for business and talent.

Proactive immigration policies and strategic initiatives by governments, particularly in the Middle East, will be crucial in attracting diverse international talent, fostering economic growth, and enhancing their competitive edge, ultimately paving the way for the region to have an exceptionally open and inviting business landscape in 2024.