Opinion Employment Choosing the right consultant is more important than you think The Big4 offer brand-name credibility but choose a master craftsman for bespoke service July 25, 2024
Employment Aviation workforce in Morocco to double by 2030 Morocco has announced plans to provide employment for young people by doubling the number of people employed in the country’s aviation sector by 2030. The aerospace industry in Morocco currently includes some 142 companies, employing a workforce of 17,000, and has an annual turnover in the region of $2 billion in exports. Ryad Mezzour, the […] July 24, 2024
Analysis Aviation Middle East airlines in race to recruit as pilot shortage bites A shortage of pilots is threatening the ambitions of the Middle East’s growing aviation industry, analysts have warned, forcing airlines to bolster their recruitment efforts. The global industry will be short nearly 80,000 pilots by 2032, according to management consultancy Oliver Wyman. The Middle East is projected to account for up to 18,000 of that […] July 4, 2024
Employment Companies in Kuwait hiring staff at record rate Companies in Kuwait are expected to embark on a staff hiring spree, after a rapid rise in new orders in June. New business increased for the 17th month in a row, the latest business sentiment survey from S&P Global shows, with a particular emphasis on orders from overseas. “The expansion was the fastest since the […] July 3, 2024
Economy UAE businesses increase prices to protect margins Companies in the UAE were forced to hike prices for a second month in succession in June, according to the latest business sentiment survey from ratings agency S&P Global. S&P attributed the sharp rise in input prices to material costs, shipping fees and overheads. Wages also grew marginally throughout the month, leading to the fastest […] July 3, 2024
Analysis Employment Abu Dhabi court rulings strengthen UAE arbitration Recent court rulings in Abu Dhabi further tighten the UAE’s embrace of arbitration as the go-to mechanism to resolve commercial disputes, according to industry attorneys. Arbitration in the emirates has gone through a “groundbreaking” evolution ever since the Dubai ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, issued Decree number 34 in September 2021, closing the […] July 2, 2024
People & Lifestyle World Bank to support Jordan’s social sectors The World Bank has approved $700 million programmes to support Jordan’s health, education and social assistance sectors. The $300 million Jordan human capital programme aims to improve the governance and effectiveness of social sectors, as well as safeguard households from the adverse effects of climate change. In addition, the $400 million Masar programme will equip […] July 2, 2024
Employment Saudi unemployment rate falls to 7.6% The unemployment rate among Saudi nationals fell to 7.6 percent in the first quarter of 2024 from 8.7 percent a year ago, official data showed. The quarterly unemployment rate was down from 7.8 percent in the fourth quarter of 2023, according to the General Authority for Statistics labour force survey. The employment-to-population ratio rose to […] July 1, 2024
EXCLUSIVE Tech Aramco adopts heat-sensing construction helmets Saudi Aramco is deploying advanced safety helmets equipped with heat stress sensors to protect workers on some of its construction sites, a critical concern in the Gulf region’s scorching climate. The helmets, developed by Dubai and Saudi Arabia-based construction tech startup WakeCap, utilise internet-of-things (IoT) technology that monitors worker attendance, location, and safety incidents in […] June 23, 2024
Employment Unemployment rate falls in Turkey but warnings persist Turkish unemployment levels fell to their lowest rate in more than 11 years in April, helped by strong first-quarter growth. However, troubling longer-term prospects could mean job queues lengthen again. Turkey’s headline unemployment rate, covering those aged 15 and over, fell to 8.5 percent in April, the lowest since November 2012 and down from 10 […] June 11, 2024
Opinion Employment Private sector may not solve Oman’s rise in unemployment Less pay and longer working hours are not something young graduates are very keen on June 11, 2024
Analysis Real Estate Flexibility and amenities key to UAE office sector’s future As workers globally grow resistant to spending all week at their desks, even the UAE’s strong-performing office sector must rethink its offering to meet shifting demand, industry professionals have told AGBI. “Since the pandemic, people have realised that the workplace has changed for ever. We are not going back to working in the office 80 […] May 27, 2024
Analysis Real Estate UAE offices in demand – in contrast to the West Offices in the UAE are outperforming Western equivalents, with a steady influx of foreign businesses and local developers’ preference for residential projects. “The need for more Grade A office space is becoming increasingly urgent,” Behnam Bargh, managing director at real estate agency CRC, told AGBI. “Addressing this issue will be crucial for maintaining the country’s […] May 24, 2024
Analysis Employment UAE leads GCC on board gender mix but region still lags More than 10 percent of board seats at listed companies in the UAE are filled by women, well ahead of its Gulf neighbours, but still lagging the global average. At the 168 companies listed on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange and Dubai Financial Market, just 133 out of 1,231 board seats, or 10.8 percent, are […] May 3, 2024
Employment Remittances from UAE to Bangladesh surge 48% Remittances from the UAE to Bangladesh surged 48 percent year on year to $3.3 billion in the first nine months of fiscal year 2023-24, according to data from the country’s central bank. Dhaka receives remittances between $250 million to $300 million per month from the UAE, The Business Standard, a financial newspaper, reported. However, remittances […] April 23, 2024
Banking & Finance Saudi fund agrees $67m deal to support Omani SMEs The Saudi Fund for Development in Oman has signed an OR 25 million ($67 million) deal with the Oman Development Bank to finance startups and create more jobs for the sultanate’s youth. The agreement is part of a wider $150 million package of support provided by the Saudi government through the fund, which offers loans […] April 22, 2024
Employment Jobless rate in Turkey edges back towards 10-year low Turkey’s unemployment rate fell 0.3 percentage points month on month in February, to 8.7 percent, according to official data released on Monday. The seasonally adjusted figure is edging back down towards the 8.6 percent recorded in October last year, the lowest for a decade. The unemployment rate for women was 11.3 percent in February, down […] April 15, 2024
Employment Saudi Arabia will pay costs of normalising migrants’ status Saudi Arabia said this week it will take on the costs of normalising the status of displaced individuals from neighbouring countries in what could amount to amnesty for thousands of illegal migrants and refugees. “The state assumes the costs on behalf of individuals permitted to stay and rectify their status among the displaced from neighbouring […] April 3, 2024
Employment Saudi Arabia steps up Saudisation job drive Saudi Arabia’s government said this week that jobs in human resources (HR) in the kingdom are now restricted to Saudi nationals only. It is another step in the country’s plan to localise skilled jobs and reduce unemployment. The ministry of human resources made the statement on social media site X, formerly Twitter, in response to […] March 29, 2024
Employment Saudi Arabia unemployment fell in Q4 2023 Unemployment among Saudi Arabian nationals fell to 7.7 percent in the fourth quarter of 2023, from 8 percent during the same period in 2022, the government said this week, reflecting the growth of the non-oil sector despite an economic contraction. Unemployment among Saudi males was 4.6 percent, which was up from 4.2 percent the year […] March 28, 2024
Employment Bahrain launches minimum wage fund to bolster youth Lawmakers in Bahrain are to spend over BD200 million ($500 million) to lift the minimum wage of the kingdom’s citizens. The government hopes it will encourage more youth into the working world and stimulate the country’s economy. The initiative, run by Bahrain’s Labour Fund, which is also known as Tamkeen, received unanimous approval from the […] March 28, 2024
Economy Qatar woos foreign talent with 5-year residency permit Qatar has launched a residency permit aimed at attracting talented individuals and entrepreneurs. The permit programme, which is expected to open in the next few months, offers five-year renewable residencies to people with expertise in specific fields including the arts and scientific research. Applicants must either have a job offer in Qatar or demonstrate financial […] March 27, 2024
