HireRight’s Middle East Sales Director, James Randall, shares his predictions outlining the key workforce and hiring trends GCC organisations should expect to see shaping the year ahead.
As 2026 begins, the Middle East is entering a transformative era for the world of work. National growth agendas, accelerated digitisation, and increasingly mobile talent pools are reshaping how organisations hire, verify, and retain employees. In this evolving environment, trust will be the defining strategic asset. Looking at the year ahead, here is a brief look into trends we can expect to see as organisations hire:
Trust Moves to the Boardroom
Workforce integrity will become a core governance issue. With maturing data protection frameworks in the UAE and labour reforms under Vision 2030 in Saudi Arabia, screening will shift from a transactional HR process to a board-level priority. In visibility-sensitive sectors such as aviation, financial services, energy, and healthcare, the cost of a single poor hire could be significant, from operational disruption to regulatory censure.
The financial services sector illustrates this shift clearly. As banks and fintech providers across the region adopt AI-enabled credit scoring, automated Know Your Customer processes, and embedded finance models, the demand for risk, compliance, cybersecurity, and digital banking talent is rising rapidly. As Gulf regulators strengthen anti-money laundering, Know Your Customer, and fintech frameworks, screening expectations will intensify, including more detailed criminal checks, credit reviews, sanctions screening, and verification of professional certifications. As innovation accelerates, trust will be the foundation that protects institutions and customers alike.
AI Will Be Indispensable — and Must Be Explainable
AI continues to reshape recruitment, but its responsible use will be critical. The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025 predicts it will create 78 million net new jobs globally by 2030, driven heavily by technological change. Technology-related skills, including AI, cybersecurity, and data literacy, will dominate growth, while human skills such as analytical thinking and collaboration remain essential. AI will streamline verification and risk assessment, but employers will need human oversight, transparent algorithms, and dedicated AI governance roles to ensure fairness and compliance.
Continuous Screening Will Replace One-Off Checks
The region’s international workforce brings diversity but also evolving risk. McKinsey estimates that up to 45% of work activities in Middle Eastern economies could be automated by 2030, shortening skills cycles and increasing job mobility. Employers may therefore shift towards continuous or event-based screening, especially for high-trust positions or regulated functions, enabling organisations to detect discrepancies in real time.
Data Protection Will Drive Screening Choices
As data protection laws in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and other markets mature, compliance will become a decisive factor when selecting screening partners. Employers will need regionally compliant models for digital identity, data storage, consent, and verification, while also aligning with broader standards such as the GDPR for multinational operations.
As regulatory scrutiny increases, screening requirements will expand to include deeper criminal checks, enhanced credit assessments, sanctions screening, and verification of professional qualifications. With financial systems becoming more digital and cross-border, the ability to meet strict compliance standards will be crucial for protecting both regulatory alignment and customer trust.
Conclusion
The Middle East’s future of work will be shaped by speed, innovation, mobility, and above all, trust. Employers that combine advanced hiring technologies with strong governance, ethical oversight, and transparent human-centred processes will be the most resilient.
