Hiring in the UAE rebounds in third quarter despite uncertainty fuelled by Middle East conflict
Hiring in the UAE rebounded in the third quarter of the year to 4 per cent, the highest across the Gulf , as business demand recovers, a report has found. After hiring in the country dropped by 4 per cent in the second quarter, demand recovered from the mid-year slowdown and by September new export business was growing at its fastest pace in almost two years, Cooper Fitch said its third quarter…
Business recruitment in the United Arab Emirates surged 4 percent in the third quarter, marking the highest growth among Gulf nations, according to a report. Following a 4 percent decline in the previous quarter, demand rebounded, with new export business surging to its fastest pace in nearly two years by September, as noted by Cooper Fitch's third quarter employment index. However, companies expressed caution about the year ahead.
Across the Gulf, hiring increased by 2 percent in the third quarter, up from a 3 percent decline in the prior period. Saudi Arabia saw a 1.5 percent rise, while Oman recorded a 0.5 percent growth. Conversely, hiring dwindled by 1 percent in Qatar, 2 percent in Kuwait, and 2 percent in Bahrain.
Tensions stemming from the Iran conflict, which commenced on February 28, have significantly impacted regional economies. The Strait of Hormuz, a critical oil shipping route, was effectively closed, disrupting oil-exporting countries. The International Monetary Fund projected a 3.9 percent contraction for the UAE economy this year, followed by a 7.7 percent growth rate in 2027, contingent upon normalised shipping routes and the reopening of the strait.
The IMF also anticipated Saudi Arabia's economy to contract by 3.3 percent in 2026, while Bahrain, Kuwait, and Qatar faced double-digit contractions of 11.3 percent, 16.7 percent, and 15.6 percent, respectively, in 2026. Oman was the sole Gulf state expected to see positive growth at 4.1 percent in 2026, with all six nations projected to experience growth in 2027, as per the IMF's report.
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