UAE Online Job Postings Fall 31% Annually – Monster

Online job postings in the UAE declined 31 per cent in the last 12 months, the latest figures from the Monster Employment Index in the Middle East revealed.

The index, which is a monthly measure of online job activity, found that the chemicals industry was hardest hit with employment growth plunging almost 14 per cent, while the IT and telecoms industry recorded a 13 per cent fall. On a brighter note, jobs in the healthcare industry were up by eight per cent, recording the largest growth in the country.

Overall, the Monster Employment Index Middle East declined 15 per cent on an annual basis. Education saw the highest rise in employment opportunities with an annual growth of 18 per cent, while the healthcare industry saw an annual growth rate of nine per cent.

Manufacturing, automotive and ancillary sectors recorded the steepest decline of employment opportunities at 34 per cent.

Geographically, Egypt recorded the highest rise in online opportunities with 17 per cent year-on-year growth, closely followed by Qatar, which recorded 11 per cent growth.

Online recruitment in Saudi Arabia has risen three per cent over the last year, with the oil and gas industry recording 34 per cent growth in online job opportunities.

“Owing to the global business scenario, employers in the Middle east continue to adopt a cautious approach in hiring. This is reflective in the double digit drop in the Monster Employment Index,” said Sanjay Modi, managing director, Monster.com for India/ Middle East South East Asia.

The Monster index is based on a review of employer job opportunities culled from a large representative selection of career web sites and online job listings.