Currently, nationals comprise only between 20 and 25 percent of the population and even less of the labor market.   The IT labor market is composed primarily of expatriates.  Over the last decade, the UAE has become the hub for telecommunications and information technology in the Middle East and is therefore attracting IT professionals from around the globe.  The primary problem that the UAE will face in subsequent years will probably be a lack of Emirians in the work force.  Attracting foreign investment and IT professionals into the domestic labor market will continue as long as the UAE maintains a relatively liberalized economy

Facts and Figures:
 

Immigration:
The UAE is very receptive to inflows of educated business people (both men and women).  The expatriate community is one of the largest in the world.  However, the government is concerned about foreigners taking over the labor market in some instances.  Specifically, the UAE seems concerned about the unskilled labor force in the nation.  In 1999, the government placed a ban on issuing new visas to unskilled workers from Pakistan and India.  However, for the most part the process for obtaining a visa is very simple and most applications are accepted. 

Labor Market:
The Government of the UAE is concerned about the lack of Emirians in the work force and has such made emiratization a national objective.  In regards to IT consulting and internetworking services, Emirian companies compose about 50 percent of the market, or $5 million.  U.S. companies hold approximately 30 percent of the market and third party countries have approximately 20 percent of the market share (13). (Author's note: Although these figures were confirmed from multiple sources the author does not believe they reflect the geographic distribution of companies.  Foreign firms probably comprise a much higher percentage of total businesses in the Free Trade Zones while domestic firms are more prevalent everywhere else.  Furthermore, foreign investment in the lesser developed, non-oil producing Emirates of Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Umm al Qaywayn, and Ras Al Khaimah is probably minimal comparatively.) 

An exact estimate of the number of local IT professionals entering the market each year is unknown; however, there is not a significant risk of “brain drain”.   Considering the UAE is the hub of information technology in the Middle East the opposite is true.  More college graduates shun the private sector and prefer to join family businesses or seek work in the public sector.  Nationals make up almost 70 percent of the government labor force while expatriates primarily populate the private sector (5).
 

Almost 15,000 students attend the United Arab Emirates University.  The Department of Mathematics and Computer Science offers a Bachelors of Science in Computer Science, which focuses on the elucidation of computer functioning, computer languages, networks and the utilization of computers in graphics, artificial intelligence and database systems. The program appears to have only two full-time professors and nine lecturers.  In 1998, the University website revealed there were 2,482 students in the Science Department, 83 percent of which were female. The University also has one of the premier Scientific and Educational Resource Centers in the Emirates.  There are no graduate level information technology courses currently offered.

The colleges all offer training programs in Telecommunications and Computer Science.  In addition to the nine colleges, there is the Center for Applied Research and Training (CERT) which is well-renowned for providing programs in Telecommunications and Computer Science.  CERT was established in coordination with AT&T.   The following colleges comprise the Higher Colleges of Technology consortium:

The Abu Dhabi Men’s College, The Abu Dhabi Women’s College, Al-Ain Men’s College, Al-Ain Women’s College, Dubai Men’s College, Dubai Women’s College, Sharjah Men’s College, Sharjah Women’s College, Fujairah Women’s College, Ras Al-Khaimah’s Men’s College, and Ras Al-Khaimah’s Women’s College