The number of UAE online job ads have decreased for the first time in half a year. The latest Monster Employment Index Middle East revealed that in October job advertisements posted online in the United Arab Emirates have declined by 2%. The last time the country registered a fall in online job postings was in April this year. Moreover, the UAE is the only country featured on the index that has registered a year-on-year fall in the number of online job offers posted last month.
Despite this decrease, the research reveals that both the consumer and the employment market in the country continue to be strong and to show high confidence. In addition, the study does not predict any significant tremors on UAE’s job market for the year ahead. Also, the index reminds that the International Monetary Fund has recently presented a more positive forecast for the Gulf country.
Nevertheless, the United Arab Emirates leads in terms of the number of job advertisements posted on the web. In October alone, they reached 125, which is the highest among all other countries in the Middle East.
On a more general level, in October 2014, online job ads in the region have increased by a 3%. Egypt witnessed the most impressive jump – 23%. It is followed by Saudi Arabia, where online job posting have increased by 11% last month. Also, on the plus side were Bahrain (7%), Oman (5%), Kuwait (3%) and Qatar (1%).
Still, there was a decrease in the online job advertisements in two key sectors in the Middle East region in the last few weeks. Tourism and hospitality positions and opening for legal professionals have seen a fall across all countries included in the index.
On other hand, a 50% growth was seen in sectors like paints, chemicals/plastic/rubber and fertilizer/pesticides. Online job ads in the health and education sector also saw an increase by 21% and 33%, respectively.
