The Emirati diaspora () comprises Emirati citizens who have emigrated from the

United Arab Emirates The United Arab Emirates (UAE), or simply the Emirates, is a country in West Asia, in the Middle East, at the eastern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is a Federal monarchy, federal elective monarchy made up of Emirates of the United Arab E ...

(UAE) to other countries, and people of Emirati descent born or residing in other countries.

Background

A part of the worldwide Arab diaspora, the Emirati diaspora is very small, mainly because of the adequate opportunities provided to citizens in the UAE, removing the need for many to live and work in other countries. Many UAE locals also prefer not to work in menial jobs, opting for well paid government jobs instead. However, some skilled Emirati nationals move abroad to avail better work opportunities or gain valuable experience. According to one report, two out of three UAE nationals who moved abroad tended to have skilled credentials. In response to this, and with the growing number of positions in both the public and private sectors in the UAE over the past few years, the UAE government has promoted Emiratisation and started an initiative called "Return2Home" as part of a reverse brain drain, encouraging job opportunities for expatriate Emiratis returning home. In addition, many Emiratis go abroad for purposes such as pursuing education in foreign universities, tourism, medical treatment or conducting business. For many Emirati students, studying abroad is an experience of broadening their horizons, international experience and work opportunities, while also reinforcing and keeping most their cultural values. Most of the small Emirati diaspora is concentrated in the

Middle East The Middle East (term originally coined in English language) is a geopolitical region encompassing the Arabian Peninsula, the Levant, Turkey, Egypt, Iran, and Iraq. The term came into widespread usage by the United Kingdom and western Eur ...

(mainly the GCC),

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...

, parts of

Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...

and

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

. The UAE maintains an extensive diplomatic presence and network of embassies throughout the world. Emirati nationality law does not offer dual citizenship, hence those who become citizens of other countries have to give up their UAE nationality. The giving up of UAE citizenship is generally frowned upon in Emirati society. Government figures show that around 250 Emiratis became British citizens between 1990 and 2012, while a few others also gained American and Western citizenships over the years. Most such cases are typically of those who have been settled in their resident countries for long periods, or have married foreign spouses.

Population distribution

Middle East

Many UAE nationals live, study or work in the Arab states of the Arabian Gulf which form the GCC. This is made easier by the fact that citizens of GCC states enjoy freedom of movement throughout all the GCC member countries, including the right to reside and work, with almost no restrictions.

South Asia

A small number of UAE nationals, including students, are also present in South Asia, mainly in

Pakistan Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...

and

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

Southeast Asia

Around 200 Emirati students were studying in

Malaysia Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. Featuring the Tanjung Piai, southernmost point of continental Eurasia, it is a federation, federal constitutional monarchy consisting of States and federal territories of Malaysia, 13 states and thre ...

as of 2012. As of 2009, there were about a hundred UAE citizens in

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania, between the Indian Ocean, Indian and Pacific Ocean, Pacific oceans. Comprising over List of islands of Indonesia, 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, ...

North America

The population of Emirati-Americans is estimated at a few thousand. Most UAE nationals in the US are international students. There is also a small Emirati population in

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

, which includes students.

Europe

There are over 5,400 Emiratis in the United Kingdom. The UK is the most popular destination for Emirati students. About 3,400 students from the UAE were studying in various UK universities.

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

has the most significant concentration of the Emirati population in the UK. In addition, there are Emiratis in other various countries throughout Europe, mainly students.

Oceania

, there were over 1,700 Emirati students as of 2010. There are also a small number of UAE students in

New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...

References

{{Foreign relations of the United Arab Emirates