The UAE has climbed to second place globally as a top destination for digital nomads in 2025, according to new rankings by Immigrant Invest and the VisaGuide Digital Nomad Visa Index.
This marks a major leap from fourth place in 2023 and places the UAE just behind Spain, ahead of global competitors such as the Bahamas, Montenegro, and Hungary.
The rankings were based on key indicators including internet quality, tax policy, cost of living, healthcare, safety, and long-term stability — all areas where the UAE continues to perform strongly.
UAE digital nomads
With remote work now powering $800bn in the global economy, governments worldwide are competing to attract this fast-growing segment of talent — and the UAE has emerged as a global leader.
Mohammad Alard, digital nomad and founder of the Arab Digital Nomads platform and community, highlighted the UAE’s regional leadership. He said: “The UAE is not only participating in this race but leading it. I visited the UAE multiple times and lived in Sharjah, where I personally witnessed the advanced digital infrastructure, widespread high-speed internet, availability of co-working spaces, and a culturally diverse society.”
Alard highlighted how cities like Dubai and Abu Dhabi are now competing with the world’s top remote work hubs, citing Dubai’s top global ranking and Abu Dhabi’s fourth-place spot in RemoteWork360’s latest report.
Alard said: “Dubai can be classified as a global digital business hub competing with cities like Bangkok, Barcelona or Cape Town.”
Why the UAE is a top digital nomad destination
The UAE has strategically positioned itself as a magnet for remote professionals by investing in infrastructure, policy, and lifestyle offerings. Its advantages include:
- A renewable one-year remote work visa, first introduced in March 2021
- Dubai’s Remote Work Visa and Abu Dhabi’s Virtual Working Programme, tailored for global professionals
- High-speed 5G networks, widespread digital infrastructure, and modern co-working spaces
- Zero income tax, competitive cost of living, and access to world-class healthcare and safety
- A welcoming environment for tech founders and entrepreneurs, with clear legal frameworks
- Strong global visibility, with Dubai ranked No. 1 and Abu Dhabi ranked No. 4 for remote work cities
These efforts are aligned with the UAE’s broader strategy to build a future-ready, diversified economy and attract high-value talent from around the world.
Digital nomads work around the world
There are currently 40 million digital nomads worldwide, a number projected to soar to 1bn by 2035 — equivalent to nearly one-third of the global workforce.
This trend, accelerated by the Covid-10 pandemic and powered by 5G, IoT, and hybrid work, has transformed digital nomadism from a fringe lifestyle into a mainstream global movement.
As the digital nomad economy continues to grow, the early-mover advantage in the United Arab Emirates, progressive visa policies, and high quality of life are making it one of the most attractive places on earth for remote work.
Top 10 countries for digital nomads
- Spain
- UAE
- Montenegro
- Bahamas
- Hungary
- Canada
- Romania
- Portugal
- Brazil
- Curaçao
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