Economy Lay-offs in Egypt as economy continues to contract Businesses in Egypt cut staffing levels for the first time in three months as inflationary pressures hurt demand, although foreign exchange reserves rose slightly, according to the central bank. Egypt’s non-oil private sector contracted for the 35th consecutive month, according to the latest headline Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) survey from S&P Global. However net foreign […] November 6, 2023
Employment Zurich Middle East plots growth on needs of expats Zurich International Life, the Middle East division of Switzerland’s Zurich Insurance Group, is expanding its core business in response to rising demand from expatriates. With expats staying in the region for longer, there is a growing need for products and services such as life insurance, workplace savings plans and critical illness cover. There is also […] November 3, 2023
Video length: 03:47 Tech IT opportunities in UAE to leap 80% thanks to AI uptake Job opportunities in the UAE’s information technology sector will rise 80 percent as IT leaders plan to augment their teams in the next 12 months, according to a survey. The driving force behind this surge in demand for IT professionals is the advance of technology such as artificial intelligence (AI), generative AI and machine learning, […] November 2, 2023
Analysis Economy Oman labour reforms raise cost concerns for businesses Oman’s reforms to its labour laws run the risk of making the sultanate a less attractive place to invest and do business, experts have warned. New legislation – which aims to enhance worker protection and promote Omanisation – expressly permits the termination of expatriate employees in favour of appointing Omani nationals. Concerns have been raised […] October 23, 2023
Employment Saudi Arabia should raise retirement age, study shows Saudi Arabia should raise the retirement age to create a sustainable pension system and institute other much-needed improvements, according to a study released this week. The Global Pension Index by Mercer, a New York professional services company, ranked Saudi Arabia – the leading Arab economy and world’s biggest oil exporter – at 28 out of […] October 20, 2023
Renewable Energy Renewables workforce nearly doubles in a decade Employment in the renewable energy sector has almost doubled over the past decade, the International Renewable Energy Agency and International Labour Organization have found. There were 13.7 million jobs in the global industry in 2022, up from 7.3 million in 2012, the agencies said in the report Renewable Energy and Jobs: Annual Review. Employment growth […] October 3, 2023
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
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 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
