Understanding British migration to the UAE

The Arabian/Persian Gulf has become one of the most sought-after destinations for many people to move to, due to it being a region with economic stability and growth. Of the 10 million or so population of the UAE around 90 per cent are expatriates. It is the Gulf’s jewel in the crown, with Dubai the most glamourous destination of choice for expats.

The UAE has had links with the UK since the 19th century. The UK played a major role in helping the UAE become a nation in 1971 and has kept strong ties ever since, often collaborating on defence and other issues. Trade ties between the two have also grown, worth more than $12 billion in 2016. The UAE is a major investor in the UK, investment targets include London Gatwick Airport as well as Manchester City Football Club.

A minister noted in 2010 that around 100,000 British citizens lived in the UAE, and around a million visited every year. By 2024, this number of permanent residents had more than doubled to 240,000. Social media sites such as LinkedIn, Instagram and TikTok are used by so-called influencers to help and guide British citizens to move to and live in the UAE. One such influencer claims up to 2,000 enquiries a week.

Several factors play a role in pushing people from Britain to move to the UAE, one of which is the parlous state of the UK economy over the past decade or so. The austerity measures imposed by successive Conservative Party governments have decimated public services. The much-vaunted National Health Service (NHS), for example, now has lengthy waiting lists for treatment, including essential surgery and suchlike, and is struggling to cope. Low salaries are seeing qualified and experienced medical staff seeking better-paid jobs overseas. Staff in other key sectors such as the railways and higher education have been striking over the past two years over low pay.

On top of this, the general cost of living in the UK has risen in the wake of Brexit, the Covid-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war, which have led to an increase in oil prices and most food items. Housing, too, has become a major concern in the UK with many people unable to afford to buy or rent homes. Homelessness is a major problem.

Increasingly, British citizens are looking elsewhere to escape such issues, to which can be added crime levels. The weather also plays a part, with depression or Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) affecting many people, especially during the winter months.

In addition to the factors mentioned above, Muslims are also grappling with rising Islamophobia which some argue has been encouraged by the (until very recently) ruling Conservative Party. Moreover, many Muslims are outraged by the fact that both of the main political parties, Conservative and Labour, have supported Israel’s brutal actions in Palestine, which are now under review by the International Court of Justice for alleged genocide.

Even as community groups come to grips with trying to get better political representation for Muslims, many are looking to leave the UK.

This is not only due to the shift to the far right in politics across Europe, but also the more widespread acceptance of what were once particularly left-wing issues, such as the promotion of LGBTQ-related content in schools. Many view this as state infringement of parental rights over the education of their children, especially on matters relating to relationships and sexuality.

READ: UAE court issues life sentences to 43 it says operated local Muslim Brotherhood group

In stark contrast to the economic and ideological challenges of living in the UK, the UAE represents a glamourous and stable presence as a nation with significant potential for economic growth underpinned by its oil wealth. The UAE itself has long been trying to diversify its economy from one focused on oil and to a lesser amount tourism, to one deriving its income from multiple sectors including technology and health. As part of this push, it launched several new visas in 2022, in the wake of the pandemic, whereby it allowed foreigners to gain long term visas (up to 10 years) as long as they could invest significantly or contribute to UAE society with their skills or talent. Known as the golden visa, this has become one of the primary vehicles to attract a diverse group of foreigners who are either rich or are significantly talented to help boost its economy.

British citizens are among the most significant groups of investors trying to take advantage of the growing economy in the UAE. Apart from the overall stability, the fact that salaries are not taxed is an important factor. In the UK, personal income taxes can be almost 50 per cent despite the fact that most public sectors are failing and are unable to take care of citizens most in need of them.

The UAE, of course, has better weather than the UK, with year-round sunshine. It is also one of the safest countries in the world to live in. This is attractive for British citizens, not least Londoners, affected by homelessness, drugs and knife crimes.

For Muslims, the UAE also comes with the extra advantage of being a Muslim country with easy access to halal food and mosques. They are also attracted by the fact that Islamophobia is not a problem, and schools and society itself is much more conservative on many issues, including sexuality and gender.

Despite all of the advantages of life in the UAE, though, many British citizens still face challenges when living there.

The cost of living may be relatively cheaper and public services are far more efficient, the latter are not always free, as they are in the UK. Education, for example, has to be paid for, as do many medical services. Families thus face the burden of school fees, and many also miss their extended families, which means flying back to the UK to visit, which is costly.

Year-round sunshine is good for some, but others complain about the conditions being too harsh, especially in the summer. There are also cultural considerations to be taken into account; social activities that one might find in the UK are not always available — at least not with such a choice of options — in the UAE. The “shopping mall” lifestyle lends itself to greater consumerism, which has its own problems. Political and religious activism are both restricted in the UAE, which may be frustrating and, in some cases, potentially difficult, with prison sentences and deportations not unknown. 

READ: UAE deports student for ‘Free Palestine’ chant

Other Gulf states such as Qatar, Oman and even Saudi Arabia have become new migration options for people from the West, including the UK. Middle class migrants are now to be added to the earlier immigrants who were often from poorer South Asian, Arab and South-East Asian nations. Such a trend reflects not just the Gulf’s growing diversification of their immigrant expat population and talent pool, but also the decreasing economic worth of living in countries like the UK.

A few factors can dictate whether this trend will continue in the future. As much as the Gulf countries are moving forward in their economic pursuits, there are still regional security issues that they have to deal with. Missile attacks in Saudi Arabia and the UAE may be rare, but they have the potential to spook potential investors and migrants and reduce economic activity.

Moreover, while social media has played a big role in attracting British citizens to the Gulf and facilitating their move, many come to realise that life there does not match their expectation. Then there is the fact that the Labour Party has formed the new UK government after more than a decade in opposition, so it remains to be seen how its manages to change the country’s economy. If Labour’s policies are more beneficial for the public, then it could help dissuade British citizens from leaving.

It should also be borne in mind that the Gulf states will almost certainly restrict immigration again once their targets have been achieved. This may take some time, but anyone looking for a long-term future in, say, Dubai, will have to consider this.

READ: ‘Farcical mass trial’ sees UAE issue ‘unjust sentences’ against 84 detainees, rights group says

The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Monitor.