How Freelancers are Fuelling the UAE's Future Economy The UAE is now home to more than 100,000 licensed freelancers, spanning industries as diverse as technology, media, education, healthcare and sustainability.
By Walid Kahoor
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Once seen as a stopgap or side hustle, freelancing is now a cornerstone of economic resilience. Globally, the gig economy has been valued at approximately US$455 billion (AED 1.67 trillion) in 2023, more than double its value in 2018 – a clear signal that the way we work is undergoing a lasting transformation – and a 2024 Investopia report highlighted the Middle East and North Africa region as having one of the fastest growing freelance economies. The UAE, with its forward-looking policies and infrastructure, is positioning itself at the forefront of this shift.
The UAE is now home to more than 100,000 licensed freelancers, spanning industries as diverse as technology, media, education, healthcare and sustainability. Government reforms – from flexible visa categories to simplified licensing pathways – have created an enabling environment that empowers people to turn their skills into businesses. This growing ecosystem is also helping to advance generational opportunity, with two thirds of freelancers, globally, aged under 35.
Offering flexibility, independence and the potential for lucrative returns, and with digital transformation initiatives making it easier to work remotely, it's understandable why the sector is gaining appeal.
And what's good for freelancers, is also good for the UAE economy as it seeks to diversity and become nimbler in adapting to a dynamic economic environment.
Freelancers, with their diverse and often niche skills, are crucial in filling gaps that traditional employment models may not always address, particularly in industries seen as essential to the UAE's economic development plans, such as technology, AI and the creative sectors. And for smaller businesses, hiring freelancers is an efficient, cost-effective way to access specialised expertise on a project-by-project basis, enabling them to scale their workforce as required and remain competitive and responsive to changing business needs.
At Expo City Dubai, we recognise that the future of work is agile, borderless and deeply connected to purpose. Our free zone services – with flexible options ranging from a one-year standalone permit to comprehensive two-year packages including additional visa options – are designed with this in mind, offering freelancers a streamlined, supportive environment in which to thrive.
And it's not just the business infrastructure that makes a difference. Expo City-based freelancers will establish themselves at the heart of Dubai's future growth, a growing business community that connects Dubai Exhibition Centre (DEC), Jebel Ali Port and Al Maktoum International Airport.
Easily accessible via major highways and with its own dedicated metro station, the city is surrounded by green open spaces, incredible architecture, wellness facilities and vibrant events – a connecting hub where work, life and creativity come together.
Freelancers enjoy access to our Future Forward Hub and other inspiring coworking spaces across the city, but the benefits stretch far beyond a place to work. Our freelancers are part of a dynamic ecosystem designed for collaboration, growth and visibility.
We've created a platform that makes it easy to launch and grow, from fast, transparent licensing to access to global events, corporate networks and community-driven programming.
We're encouraging a culture of independence, collaboration and imagination, where people succeed on their own terms while being embedded in a future-ready business community and staying connected to a larger ecosystem.
We recognize that, as the UAE continues to evolve into a global hub for talent and enterprise, freelancers are powering fresh thinking and playing an increasingly vital role in driving economic diversification.
At Expo City Dubai, we are proud to support this momentum, helping shape a future of work that is inclusive, resilient and full of possibility. Because working for yourself should never mean working alone.
