DOHA: There is a vast gap between the national average monthly salary of QR7, 401 ($2,027) and the pay packet of a working Qatari male — who on averages draws three times that sum (QR21,000, or $5,753).
Figures released by the banking regulator Qatar Central Bank (QCB) show that while the working hours in the government sector are just 39 a week, the average salary ranges between QR15,000 ($4,109) and QR18,000 ($4,931).
The government sector includes state departments as well state run companies and corporations, the QCB report said citing a Labor Force Sample Survey of the Qatar Statistics Authority (QSA) conducted in the month of November 2011.
The report titled Financial Stability Review 2011 suggests that working expatriate women earn much less — their average monthly wages being a meager QR3,600 ($986).
The report puts the joblessness rate in the country at a negligible 0.6 percent. In other words, some 7,200 people in the economically active population of 1.2 million were unemployed.
Citing the Labor Force Sample Survey of the QSA, the QCB said the economically active population (aged 15 to 64 years) totaled 1.28 million in 2011—and, of this 1.12 million were men, while a little less than 159,000 were women.
The economically active Qatari population totaled 77,410 in that year with a vast majority of them employed in the government and joint sectors. Barely 6,279 citizens were engaged in the private sector.
As against this, the number of expatriates employed by the private sector was enormous at 946,374. Domestic workers being 100 percent foreigners totaled 131,515, according to the survey.
The QCB for the first time gave the number of (foreign) diplomats in the country at 1,558. Qatari diplomats totaled 16 in that year (2011).
Professionals comprise nine percent of the overall labor force. Construction, trade and domestic workers comprise some 61 percent of the economically active population.
The share of the workforce in the finance and insurance sector is less than one percent. And, among the economically active citizens, a majority, or 60 percent, are employed in public administration and defense, the QCB report said.
Among expatriates, only 0.7 percent of them are engaged in the finance and insurance sector whereas the percentage for Qataris is 3.3, according to the report.
THE PENINSULA
