Middle East a preferred relocation destination: GETI report

The Middle East shares the top spot with Europe as a preferred destination for energy professionals to relocate to, according to the 2026 Global Energy Talent Index (GETI) report, produced by Airswift and supported by Energy Jobline

While the report indicates a decline in global mobility, the Middle East and Europe are seen as the most attractive destinations with 25% each, while Asia has remained steady at 16%.

Jayden Wallis, president ASPAC & Airswift Resourcing at Airswift commented, “The Middle East is investing trillions of dollars to diversify their economies and are lowering barriers to entry so that organisations can secure the talent they need to deliver an ambitious pipeline of projects.”

The 2026 GETI findings show that the oil and gas sector is facing mounting pressure on its talent pipeline, as an ageing workforce, slowing salary growth and a declining willingness to relocate makes it difficult for hiring managers to retain existing talent and attract professionals.

Key findings

Key insights include:
• Nearly half of the workforce (48%) is now aged over 45, while just 19% is aged 25–34, highlighting the challenge of attracting younger talent.
• Salary optimism remains high with 67% of professionals expecting a pay rise next year, but this is down from 71% in 2025, signalling a slowdown in growth.
• Global mobility continues to decline, with only 75% of professionals willing to relocate for work, down from 80% last year and 89% in 2022.
• AI adoption is accelerating, with 45% of traditional energy professionals now using AI in their roles. This is a 187% increase since 2024, yet 30% still do not use AI to support career development.

Despite concerns about automation, hiring managers say engineering and technical roles remain the hardest to fill, with nearly half investing in learning and development and 45% using AI and automation to close skills gaps.

Over the last three years, AI has had a significant impact on the energy industry. While AI adoption remains slower than other sectors, AI is being used to support career development.
Despite concerns that AI could replace some engineering and technical operations roles, 50% of the hiring managers say that these are the roles they struggle the most to recruit for. To address these hiring challenges, hiring managers are changing recruitment processes and revising role requirements.

“As a highly physical and safety-critical industry, heads in hard hats will always be central to the industry’s success,” the report comments.

However, retaining existing talent and attracting new professionals remain key hiring challenges for 2026 and beyond.

The report shows that 50% of professionals and 60% of hiring managers say that pay has increased in 2025. However, while salary optimism remains strong, growth has slowed compared to previous years.

James Allen, CEO at Airswift said, “The ageing workforce challenge is becoming increasingly urgent to address as traditional energy organisations are struggling to make hires with the right technical expertise and experience. With only a third of hiring managers actively recruiting graduates to build their talent pipeline, there is an opportunity for the sector to do much more to secure the people it needs.”

Wallis said, “Hiring managers are increasingly struggling to recruit experienced professionals, while a smaller percentage of younger talent is entering the workforce. With the cost of boomerang professionals - those returning post-retirement on a contractual basis - rising, companies need to be proactive in addressing the talent gap. Investing in retention and attracting younger generations will be essential for closing the gap and securing the talent needed for the future.”