Dubai Compliance Salaries Surge to Double London Levels Amid Financial Sector Boom

Compliance professionals in Dubai are earning up to twice as much as their counterparts in London, with total take-home pay potentially rising to four times higher due to the UAE’s tax-free environment and lucrative relocation incentives, according to recent reports.

Financial News London has highlighted the ongoing boom in the United Arab Emirates’ finance sector, which has driven a significant demand for skilled compliance and regulatory professionals. The publication, citing sources “familiar with the market,” reported that “headline compliance salaries in the UAE are around 1.5 times to two times UK levels, both at regulators and in corporate roles.”

The report noted that these elevated base salaries, when paired with the UAE’s 0% personal income tax rate and comprehensive relocation benefits, could result in professionals enjoying “4 times more free cash.” The relocation packages often include financial support for private school fees, domestic staff such as cleaners and nannies, and transport allowances.

Rabya Anwar, managing partner of the legal firm AG UA, confirmed the dramatic rise in pay. “Dubai is offering eye-wateringly attractive salaries to regulatory professionals from London’s financial services industry and it is, in some cases, able to double remuneration packages,” she said.

The surge in demand for compliance expertise comes as the UAE seeks to bolster its international reputation in financial regulation. The nation was placed on the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list in 2022 due to shortcomings in its anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorism financing (CFT) systems. Being on the FATF grey list subjects jurisdictions to increased monitoring and can significantly deter international investment.

However, in February this year, the FATF removed the UAE from the grey list after concluding that the country had made “significant improvements” to its money laundering controls. Since then, the UAE has ramped up efforts to strengthen its compliance infrastructure.

Key initiatives have included the formation of new state-backed AML agencies and a commitment to closer collaboration with international partners such as the EU and the UK to combat money laundering and financial crime.

The rising compensation packages in Dubai signal not just a growing market but also a strategic shift by the UAE to position itself as a serious player in global financial compliance, leveraging top-tier talent from traditional financial hubs like London.

By fLEXI tEAM