UAE Ranks Fourth in 2026 Expat Survey, Leading in Career Prospects

The United Arab Emirates placed fourth overall in the 2026 Expat Insider survey conducted by InterNations, according to an analysis published by Quartz. The study evaluated 31 destinations across five core metrics: daily quality of life, ease of settling in, career opportunities, personal finances, and practical essentials such as housing, paperwork, and digital administration.

Among all destinations surveyed, the UAE achieved the highest scores globally in both Career Prospects and Expat Essentials, the latter encompassing visas, government administration, and language accessibility. Quartz reported that this profile makes the country one of the fastest jurisdictions for foreign professionals to arrive, obtain documentation, and begin working.

The report highlighted that the UAE has sustained an open posture toward foreign skilled labor even as multiple Western nations tighten immigration frameworks. Survey fieldwork took place during February and March 2026. Panama ranked first overall in the study for a third consecutive year, followed by Mexico in second, Thailand in third, and Brazil rounding out the top five.