People & Lifestyle Almost all unemployed Saudis ready to join private sector Almost 95 percent of unemployed Saudi nationals are open to taking up jobs in the private sector, according to the latest survey by the kingdom’s statistical authority. Unemployment among citizens of the kingdom state declined marginally to 8.3 percent in the second quarter from 8.5 percent in the first quarter of 2023. The overall unemployment […] September 28, 2023
Employment Expats in UAE get ready to leave ‘golden goodbye’ behind The “golden goodbye” has long been a staple of UAE office life. Expat staff are handed a lump sum by their employer when they leave, based on a percentage of their salary and length of service. But the practice is starting to change. More companies are looking to set up workplace pension and saving plans instead. […] September 25, 2023
Construction Saudi construction workers spoilt for choice Saudi Arabia’s trillion-dollar construction industry is providing rich pickings for professionals as companies increasingly struggle to retain talent. The kingdom has projects worth over $1.3 trillion underway and a further $64 billion in contracts forecast to be awarded this year. But while that places pressure on companies to recruit the necessary talent, employees are enjoying […] September 18, 2023
Education UAE refocuses education to be fit for modern demands The UAE is expanding its school curriculum beyond academic subjects and setting up vocational colleges to match the education demands of the modern labour market. In one sign of its willingness to reform entrenched practices to boost outcomes, the Emirates has made its “Salama” Arabic language, Islamic studies and ethics curriculum for fourth-graders optional. For […] September 6, 2023
Analysis Education Inside Saudi Arabia’s plans to raise the bar on education Saudi Arabia has launched a series of initiatives to address deep-seated issues in the quality of its education. Last month the giga-project Neom unveiled plans to roll out a “comprehensive” early-childhood-to age-18 education programme. The scheme includes a career-oriented talent academy, an education, research and innovation foundation and the Neom U university. Elsewhere, the kingdom’s […] September 6, 2023
Employment Dubai named top city for ‘executive nomads’ Dubai has risen to the top of a new index that ranks the world’s most desirable destinations for executive nomads. New entry Abu Dhabi is also emerging as a hotspot for senior professional remote workers, placing fourth. Malaga and Miami took second and third places. According to the latest Savills Executive Nomad Index, Dubai has […] August 22, 2023
Opinion Employment The gulf between remote workers and office advocates A legacy of the pandemic is forcing governments to redesign working practices August 21, 2023
Construction Bahrain office rents fall as oversupply issues grow Office rents in Bahrain are expected to experience continued downward pressure with new supply set to hit the market. Rental rates increased by 1.6 percent in the second quarter of the year compared to the first three months of 2023, at an average value of BHD6.5 per sq m. And office vacancy rates hit their […] August 18, 2023
People & Lifestyle UAE decking out offices to promote worker wellbeing The UAE is increasingly adopting building standards that meet employee demand for office conditions that enhance wellbeing. The Middle East has witnessed a 24-fold increase in Well Building Standard adoption over the last 19 months, with a large majority coming from the UAE. The Well Building Standard is an international system that measures, monitors and […] August 17, 2023
Analysis Employment Saudi firms turn to experience for board hires When Saudi food major Halwani Bros Company was looking for a new board member, it turned to Jameel Abdullah al-Molhem, who counts CEO of Saudi Telecom Company among a number of his former leadership positions in the kingdom. The appointment of al-Molhem as a non-executive member of the board last week is an example of […] August 1, 2023
Banking & Finance DIFC adds 3,000 jobs as worldwide appeal grows Over 3,000 new jobs were created at Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) during the first half of 2023 as 661 companies joined. The total number of firms operating there rose from 4,031 to 4,949 at the end of June, a year-on-year increase of 23 percent. Its fintech and innovation sectors grew 35 percent from 599 […] August 1, 2023
Video length: 03:19 VIDEO Employment 60% of young Arabs want to emigrate, survey finds High unemployment rates, conflict and lack of strong government policies in North Africa and the Levant are making young Arabs want to emigrate, the latest edition of the Arab Youth Survey has found. At 26 percent, the region has the highest unemployment rate in the world. As a result, 60 percent of young Arabs want […] July 19, 2023
Analysis Employment New job rules to lure Emirati graduates to SMEs The UAE has expanded its rules on Emiratisation as it seeks to give Emirati graduates more opportunities to join small to medium-sized enterprises, which provide jobs for more than 86 percent of the private sector workforce. A government resolution widens the pool of private sector businesses subject to Emiratisation – an initiative to employ its […] July 18, 2023
Video length: 03:22 VIDEO Employment Only 7% of GCC board seats are held by women Only 7 percent of board seats in the GCC are held by women compared to 20 percent globally, a report by Bain & Company says. “There is an issue in retaining, mentoring and supporting women to make it all the way to CEO positions and the board,” said Karen Khalaf, partner at Bain & Company […] July 14, 2023
Employment Doha and Dubai most competitive cities for jobs Doha and Dubai are the top two most competitive cities in the world for applying for new jobs, according to a study from online resume builder Resume.io. The Gulf cities boasted the highest number of candidates per LinkedIn job posting in February this year. In Doha, the average listing received more applicants (399) within a […] June 26, 2023
Construction Construction workers on the up as Turkey rebuilds The number of construction workers in Turkey has risen 11 percent year-on-year to over 1.5 million in April, as the country rebuilds from the devastating earthquakes in February that killed 50,000 people. The disaster caused $34 billion worth of damage. Latest data from the Turkish Statistical Institute, reported this week, shows that the number of […] June 18, 2023
Employment UAE talent drive continues despite rising living costs The UAE’s talent drive continues to record strong growth despite the Gulf state’s rising cost of living. Industry executives say that the number of overseas companies and candidates looking to join the labour market is at a record high. “Dubai is becoming increasingly more attractive for people to move here, with record levels of new […] June 15, 2023
Video length: 04:29 Exclusive Employment Sharp rise in family disputes, says Emirati lawyer The UAE has seen a marked increase in disputes within family-run businesses which is likely to continue, according to a leading Emirati lawyer. Habib Al Mulla has been practising in the UAE for four decades and had until five years ago only seen one dispute case involving family members and shareholders of a company. However, […] June 8, 2023
Video length: 2:08 Video Employment UAE corporate tax arrival triggers recruitment fever UAE companies advertised for double the number of tax accountants in the first quarter of 2023 compared to the same period last year, ahead of the introduction of the Emirates’ corporate tax. The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) saw a 40 percent increase in tax roles last year compared to 2021. “Recruitment is big […] June 2, 2023
Employment ‘Saudisation’ creates 500,000 jobs for home nationals Saudi Arabia has created half a million new jobs in the last four years as part of its “Saudisation” policy of requiring companies to hire Saudi nationals, helping the kingdom’s unemployment rate fall to its lowest for six years. Ahmad Al-Rajhi, the minister of human resources and social development, speaking this week at an event […] May 19, 2023
Employment 280,000 jobs lost due to Moroccan drought Morocco’s economy lost 280,000 jobs in the past 12 months, as the farming industry continues to battle against the worst drought the North African country has seen in decades. A report from the Higher Commission for Planning (HCP) said 229,000 jobs were lost in rural parts of the country, where agriculture employs over 30 percent […] May 10, 2023
Analysis Manufacturing UAE and Saudi Arabia race to develop defence industries Saudi Arabia and the UAE are spending big to develop homegrown defence industries. The two governments aim to reduce their reliance on foreign arms and equipment manufacturers by partnering with some of their own top suppliers to nurture local expertise and capabilities. Relative to the size of their economies, Middle Eastern countries are among the […] May 1, 2023
