A decade ago, it would have been rare to hear about an Irish person moving to the Gulf States. But over the past few years, the Irish population in the region has soared. In the United Arab Emirates, the number of Irish people living there has increased from 4,000 to 7,000 in the past three years alone. Another 3,000 are based in Saudi Arabia, and 1,500 in Qatar, with over 1,100 more scattered between Bahrain, Oman and Kuwait.
The downturn in Ireland has coincided with a construction boom in the Gulf countries, providing lucrative job opportunities for thousands of unemployed Irish construction professionals whose Celtic Tiger experience is highly sought after.
Rapidly expanding expat populations in these regions have created a need for workers across a range of other industries, from finance to education and healthcare. Tax-free salaries are no doubt the biggest incentive for Irish workers, with most employers offering packages which also include an accommodation allowance, health insurance, school fees, and a return flight home every year.
And it has never been easier to get there from Ireland; Emirates and Etihad now operate 28 direct flights a week between Dublin and the two main cities in the UAE.
