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Thu, 10 Sep 2026 20:37:04 -0700
whiteguyinchina from private IP, post #17327078
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'Putting down roots': Nearly half of high-net-worth residents now plan to retire in UAE, study finds
https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/uae/2026/09/10/putting-down-roots-nearly-half-of-uae-residents-now-plan-to-retire-in-country-new-research-shows/
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Justin Cooke and his family moved to Abu Dhabi in 2024 and have no plans to leave any time soon. Photo: Justin Cooke
Show caption: Justin Cooke and his family moved to Abu Dhabi in 2024 and h…
'Putting down roots': Nearly half of high-net-worth residents now plan to retire in UAE, study finds
Study finds 78 per cent expect to remain overseas for at least another eight years
Katy Gillett
Katy Gillett
September 10, 2026
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New research published this week reveals that nearly half of affluent residents in the UAE now expect to retire in the country.
The Money on the Move study by wealth management firm St James's Place, which surveyed 450 affluent and high-net-worth residents across the UAE in May 2026,
found that 44 per cent plan to retire here. More than half said they had already stayed longer than they originally intended, while 78 per cent expect to remain
overseas for at least another eight years.
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"The UAE has become somewhere people can genuinely see themselves building a life, rather than somewhere they come for a few years to advance their career,"
said Daniel George, head of business at St James's Place Middle East.
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"People come for the career opportunity, build wealth and a life here, and increasingly find there is less reason to leave."
Accelerated financial freedom
Daniel George, head of business at St James's Place Middle East. Photo: St James's Place
Show caption: Daniel George, head of business at St James's Place Middle E…
The financial incentives are substantial with 96 per cent of respondents saying they earn more in the UAE than they would in a comparable role at home, and 97
per cent save more each month. Almost half said they earn and save at least 25 per cent more. Two in three believe that living abroad has accelerated their path
to financial freedom by at least five years.
For Justin Cooke, a British entrepreneur who moved to Abu Dhabi with his family in 2024, the shift from temporary resident to long-term home happened faster
than he anticipated. He and his wife have since built businesses spanning travel and hospitality media, sport, education and technology, while their children
have embedded themselves in UAE schools and sporting life.
"I suspect the old idea that people come to the UAE for a few years, make some money and then leave is becoming increasingly outdated," Mr Cooke said. "People
are putting down roots. They are building businesses, educating their children here, buying homes and increasingly imagining the next 20 or 30 years of their
lives here too."
No place like 'home'
Mr Cooke, whose 75-year-old father lives in Dubai, says he can see himself retiring here. “A few years ago, I probably would not have imagined retiring in the
UAE, but now it feels entirely plausible,” he said.
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The decision has very little to do with tax, too, he added. “Of course it is part of the broader financial environment, but it was nowhere close to the top of
our list …" he said.
For affluent and high-net-worth individuals, the attraction is that the UAE offers the freedom, infrastructure and opportunity to keep building. For us, that is
far more important than simply preserving what we have already created."
Creating a new home
Australian entrepreneur Sarah Louise is among an increasing number of expatriates who plan to retire in the UAE. Antonie Robertson / The National
Show caption: Australian entrepreneur Sarah Louise is among an increasing …
For others, the decision to retire in the UAE has effectively already been made. Sarah Louise, an Australian entrepreneur who relocated to Dubai alongside her
French husband, says the concept of "going home" no longer applies to her family.
“Dubai sits at the centre of the world for us in terms of how we operate our businesses internationally, and that connectivity is something we have never
found before,” she said. "When your life and your network and your infrastructure are all in one place, retirement for us becomes more about the continuity of
our lives we have built, rather than escaping back to our 'home' towns.”
Retired but not stopping
The research found a notable divergence between wealth segments: mass affluent expats were 2.7 times more likely than their high-net-worth counterparts to view
the UAE as a permanent home, suggesting that those at the lower end of the affluence spectrum may feel more deeply embedded in the country and less inclined to
move on.
Joshua Oliver, who advises high-net-worth individuals and relocated to Dubai from London this year, says attitudes are shifting across his client base. "The
perception of retiring in the UAE is changing. Historically, many expats assumed they would eventually return to their home country, whereas now I hear more
conversations about remaining here permanently or at least making the UAE their primary base in retirement," he said.
“For affluent individuals in particular, retirement doesn't necessarily mean completely stopping work. Many remain involved in investments, businesses and
advisory roles, so they want somewhere that combines lifestyle with connectivity and opportunity. The UAE fits that increasingly
Thu, 10 Sep 2026 20:37:59 -0700
whiteguyinchina from private IP
Reply #17093100
U telling me expats are putting down roots? What kind of horse shit article os this
Didn't dubai get attacked with drones a few weeks ago
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