Dubai, UAE — Emirates Group has announced a sweeping global recruitment campaign that will create more than 17,300 new jobs during the current financial year, as the company scales up operations across its airline (Emirates) and travel services arm (dnata).
What This Means
- The expansion underscores Emirates Group’s confidence in global aviation demand, following years of growth and recovery after challenges posed by the pandemic
- Roles are being opened in more than 350 distinct functions, spanning cabin crew, pilots, engineers, ground handling, customer service, catering, commercial/sales teams, IT, finance, human resources, and more.
- dnata alone plans to hire over 4,000 specialists in cargo, catering, and ground operations to support its global footprint.
Recruitment Strategy & Reach
- To find the right talent, Emirates Group will host over 2,100 open days and recruitment / talent-acquisition events in roughly 150 cities worldwide
- There will also be events in Dubai to specifically engage UAE national students and graduates, part of the group’s local workforce development efforts
Context & Background
- Since 2022, Emirates Group has already onboarded more than 41,000 new employees, including nearly 27,000 in operational roles. The total workforce has grown to about 121,000 people.
- Emirates posted a record post-tax profit for the year ending March, reflecting strong long-haul travel demand despite global economic headwinds. Revenue also rose, partly benefitting from lower fuel costs and high passenger count.
What’s in It for Applicants
- Competitive and attractive compensation and benefit packages are being offered. These include tax-free salaries (for many positions), comprehensive medical and insurances, travel perks, and other lifestyle benefits.
- Many roles have entry requirements such as certain levels of experience, educational qualifications, or specific technical skills (especially for pilots, engineers, IT, and ground operations).
Impacts and Significance
- The move is expected to have a significant impact on employment in the UAE, especially among nationals and graduates, reinforcing the country’s strategy of building human capital in aviation and related services.
- For Emirates and dnata, the hiring push helps support their ambitious expansion plans — more routes, more services, more handling capacity — and helps ensure that quality and safety standards can be maintained amid growth.
- It also signals to the global aviation industry that Emirates sees long-term stability and opportunity, even as airlines worldwide face cost pressures and changing travel patterns.
