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Employment

Employment news from the Middle East and beyond. All the important stories, exclusive interviews, plus authoritative opinion and analysis

Saudi Arabia's new long-term residency visa programme follows its HQ Programme for international companies

New Saudi visas aim to lure ‘high-wealth investors’

Saudi Arabia’s new long-term residency visas is at attracting “high-wealth investors” to the kingdom, though it may hinder the nurturing of local talent, some analysts have warned. The updated “premium residency” options are designed to lure top global talent to Saudi Arabia as it continues its billion-dollar transformation from a hydrocarbon-based economy. The visas cover […]

Office workers in a meeting. 'Many advisers are still developing the experience and expertise' at the same time as ESG guidelines are introduced, says one expert

Gulf’s ESG uptake hindered by lack of expertise

The Gulf has seen a rise in green bonds and funds, but awareness of environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) reporting and the infrastructure to carry it out is lagging the rest of the world, a leading industry expert says. A survey from the consultancy PwC Middle East revealed that 64 percent of respondents in […]

Employment growth in Saudi Arabia's non-oil private sector eased further after hitting a nine-year record in October

Demand fuels price rises in Saudi Arabia’s non-oil sector

A surge in demand towards the end of the year saw non-oil companies in Saudi Arabia increase prices for the second month in a row in December. Manufacturing was the standout industry. “A number of firms signalled that increased demand momentum gave them greater confidence to pass on higher input costs to customers,” according to […]

A Saudi woman leaves her office. Foreign companies are setting up HQs in the kingdom to gain access to government contracts

‘No loopholes for companies’ to be found in Saudi HQ rules

Multinational companies looking for loopholes in Saudi Arabia’s regional headquarters rules will not find them, although the exceptions set out in the small print could affect negotiations, business relocation experts have told AGBI. As of Monday, foreign companies looking to gain access to billions of dollars worth of government contracts must have their regional headquarters […]

Employment growth in Saudi Arabia's non-oil private sector eased further after hitting a nine-year record in October

Unemployment rate among Saudis climbs to 8.6%

The unemployment rate among Saudi citizens rose marginally to 8.6 percent in the third quarter of 2023 from 8.3 percent in the previous quarter, according to data from the General Authority for Statistics. The rate was down from 9.9 percent in the third quarter of 2022. The overall unemployment rate, including Saudis and non-Saudis, reached […]

JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA - DECEMBER 02: Greg Silverman, Charlene Deleon-Jones and Jessika Borsiczky pose in the portrait studio during the Red Sea International Film Festival 2023 on December 02, 2023 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Tristan Fewings/Getty Images for The Red Sea International Film Festival)

Coming to a movie theatre near you … AlUla

It would make the perfect setting for Star Wars or Indiana Jones, but AlUla is developing production facilities that will expand its reach beyond sci-fi and desert adventure movies, making it one of the region’s prime locations for international shoots.  The tourist location in northwest Saudi Arabia is fast developing into a mini-city with an […]

A fireworks display and light show celebrates Saudi Arabia's successful bid to host Expo 2030 in Riyadh

Expo 2030 to create 250,000 jobs, Saudi minister says

Saudi Arabia will generate 250,000 jobs during its hosting of Expo 2030 in Riyadh, tourism minister Ahmed Al Khateeb said. The kingdom will add 1,000 hotel rooms for the mega event, the state-run Saudi Press Agency reported, citing the minister’s speech at the Global Labor Market Conference in Riyadh. Riyadh beat off bids from Busan […]

Turkey's overall unemployment rate stands at 8.5%, although for women it is 11.3%

Turkey’s unemployment rate at lowest level in 11 years

The unemployment rate in Turkey fell to 8.5 percent in October, down 0.5 percentage points month on month, its lowest level since November 2012. The number of unemployed persons (15 years old and over) decreased by 163,000 to 2.96 million month on month. The rate was estimated at seven percent for men and 11.3 percent […]

The King Abdullah Financial District in Riyadh. The kingdom has now licensed over 200 companies under its RHQ programme

Saudi offers 30-year tax breaks under regional HQ scheme

Saudi Arabia will offer a 30-year corporate income tax exemption to foreign companies that locate their regional headquarters to the kingdom. In 2021, the government set a target of January 1, 2024, for companies to set up in the kingdom, the world’s top oil exporter, to gain access to government contracts worth SAR1 million ($266,000) […]

City, Metropolis, Urban

Brevan Howard to double Abu Dhabi headcount

Brevan Howard, one of the world’s biggest hedge funds with assets exceeding $33 billion, is to double its workforce in Abu Dhabi next year. The UK company initiated its Middle East expansion by opening an office in Abu Dhabi Global Market in February, joining an increasing number of hedge funds drawn to the region’s substantial […]

Saudi profiessional women having a conversation and laughing

Saudisation push leads to half a million jobs since launch

Saudi Arabia has found work for 176,000 nationals over the past 12 months, through a programme set up two years ago to promote Saudisation – requiring companies to hire Saudi nationals for jobs in the private sector. This figure is likely to increase following a government announcement this week that Saudi nationals can now hold […]

Businesses will benefit 'when their female directors have the numbers to build influence,' says Maliha Jilani

More women join UAE boards, but progress ‘still slow’

When Maha Abdul Majeed Ismail Ali Al Fahim joined the board of Islamic Arab Insurance Company this year, she became part of a growing trend. Women made up 23 percent of appointments to UAE boards in 2022, from just 12 percent in 2020, according to executive search company Heidrick & Struggles. But campaigners in the Gulf […]

Majid Al Futtaim and IWG will add 7,000 sq m of office space across the Middle East and Africa network

Majid Al Futtaim to expand flexible workspace locations

Dubai-headquartered Majid Al Futtaim and IWG, a Swiss-based flexible workspace provider, will open five Regus and Spaces locations in the UAE, Oman and Egypt. The sites will open in the Mall of Egypt, City Centre Qurum, City Centre Sohar, City Centre Me’aisem and City Centre Deira.  The new workspaces will add almost 7,000 sq m […]

Istanbul's Grand Bazaar. The number of unemployed aged 15 and over declined by 161,000 to 3.2 million

Turkey’s unemployment rate falls for third straight quarter

The unemployment rate in Turkey has continued to fall in the third quarter of 2023 to 9.2 percent, down 0.5 percentage points quarter on quarter, the country’s statistical authority said. The unemployment rate stood at 10 percent in the same quarter last year, Daily Sabah newspaper reported, citing Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) data. The number […]