The economy of gulf countries is expected to rise steadily at a pace considered stable in 2015 a midst the backdrop of the declining oil prices experienced in 2014 and neighboring countries caught up in conflicts that led to reduced expectations of growth in the economy. The oil prices seem to have mostly impacted the oil sector and some projects linked to the government in countries whose cash reserves are small like Oman and Bahrain. Despite these setbacks, the economy of gulf countries is rising at a pace that is faster as compared to the rest of the world with the only exceptions being the markets growing fast as those of China and India. Employment levels in 2015 for companies in the region is at an all time high even with the downsizing experienced in the oil sector.
The region is known to attract foreign professionals from all over the world and a lot of pressure is being exerted on employers in the region to stop relying on imported talent and offer the locals employment opportunities especially in Saudi Arabia and Oman. Salaries are also set to rise from 6.7% in 2014 to 6.9% in 2015. In this article we will narrow our focus to the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
UAE Gulf Jobs Bank
UAE has a stable economy and with numerous investments being injected into different sectors of its economy, the country remains the most preferred in the gulf region for foreign professionals seeking employment opportunities in the region. According to a survey conducted 60% of foreign professionals chose the UAE as the country they preferred to work in. Adding to that 88% of those already living in the UAE said that they would love to remain working in the country making the UAE have the highest rate of retention in the gulf region.
The country’s well developed infrastructure, openness to new behavior or opinions, and employment opportunities that are appealing is what attracts foreigners seeking jobs to flock in the country. The sectors expected to experience job openings include the banking sector standing at 38%, construction expecting a 34% increase followed closely by oil and tourism standing at 31% and 30% respectively. Employers in the UAE are looking for graduates and postgraduates but apart from academic credentials those fluent in English and Arabic and team players have an advantage to the competition. To those with experience, employers will mostly assess one based on their ability manage people effectively and being a team leader.
Saudi Arabia Job Market
Saudi Arabia companies topped the list of companies that increased their workforce in 2014 with expansion reported in up to 72% of the companies. This is according to a survey done by the gulf talent survey of HR managers. This survey proves that employment opportunities in the Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia are in plenty with satisfaction levels in jobs all through the country being reported as stable.
Professionals in the country are satisfied with the rate of career growth in the country and are more hopeful and positive about the economy. Saudi Arabia is one of the countries in the gulf region that despite the oil crisis of 2014 they haven’t felt an impact on their economy, this is due to their huge reserves of cash which enable the country to control spending and maintain investment. With the government and the private sector offering numerous employment opportunities, the country has attracted expatriates into the country seeking employment and most of the qualified ones mostly end up working in the private sector jobs where the salaries being offered are high. Some of the sectors set to grow in the country include Education sector, Banking & Finance, Information Technology and Healthcare Services which has experienced tremendous growth in the region.
Qatar Job Market by Gulf Jobs Bank
Qatar in 2014 experienced notable decrease in employment opportunities due to the country being uncertain whether it will be allowed to host the world cup and the declining oil prices. With these issues handled 2015 has seen the country’s economy grow and the mega project to host the world cup in 2022 will greatly impact the economy positively attracting professional and skilled workforce from all over the world.
According to a survey by Bayt.com and yougov, employment opportunities in 2015 are set to be at an all time high with the bulk of the job openings coming from the private sector. Qualifications being sought after by the employers in the country include graduates and post graduates being considered first with those with good communication abilities being at an advantage. For experienced professionals just as in the UAE, the employers in Qatar are looking for those with managerial skills and those that can act as exemplary team leaders.Sectors that have been predicted to offer employment opportunities in 2015 include banking,oil and construction. Qatar’s has been the second most preferred country to work in according to foreigners after the UAE but with its high living costs and the banning of foreigners to switch jobs has made the country experience a mass exodus of expatriates from the country.