Doha: Employment opportunities and salaries in Qatar are expected to rise faster than last year, according to a survey released by online recruitment firm, GulfTalent yesterday.
According to the 2014 edition of ‘Employment and Salary Trends in the Gulf’, 75 percent of companies in Qatar will create jobs this year while average pay increase is expected to be 6.7 percent.
“The positive development is primarily due to the execution of major infrastructure projects gathering momentum, partly in preparation for the 2022 World Cup.
Next are companies in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, with 63 percent and 57 percent looking to create jobs, respectively,” said the survey.
Hospitality and retail will dominate job growth in 2014 as 61 percent of companies in the hospitality sector are planning to increase their headcount, because they expect 2014 to be a year of growth for the industry.
In the retail sector, 57 percent of firms will create jobs, driven by the region’s rapid population growth and increasing penetration of retail outlets in more remote locations.
In case of salaries, Oman leads the pack in the GCC while Qatar is at third position in terms of average pay increase.
The survey notes that while salary increases are higher than the previous year, they continue to be below the levels seen before the crisis.
“Oman, where employees are expected to enjoy an average pay increase of 8 percent, leads the field,” said the survey.
“Saudi Arabia has the second highest rate with a projected average increase of 6.8 percent, followed by Qatar at 6.7 percent and the UAE at 5.9 percent.
Kuwait and Bahrain are forecast to have the region’s lowest salary increases — projected at 5.8 percent and 3.9 percent, respectively,” added the survey.
The UAE has further strengthened its position as the prime destination for expatriates in the GCC.
Optimism about the country’s future has increased following Dubai’s economic recovery and successful bid for hosting the 2020 Expo.
Expatriates also continue to value the UAE’s stability, especially as parts of the wider region remain plagued by tensions.
Not surprisingly, Dubai and Abu Dhabi are the region’s most attractive cities, followed by Doha.
Bahrain remains the least attractive destination for expatriates.
The report is based on an online survey of 800 employers and 34,000 professionals, as well as 60 interviews with executives and HR professionals.
The Peninsula
