All Gulf Overview
Online hiring across the Gulf rose 36% year-on-year in May 2026, with the index climbing from 156 to 212. A 3% MoM dip is a seasonal recalibration — the broader picture remains constructive, with hiring up 1% over three months and 3% over six.
The annual gain reflects broad-based economic activation across the GCC: Vision 2030 execution in Saudi Arabia, infrastructure and tourism investment in the UAE, and accelerating digitalisation across both markets. IT and Telecom leads with a 56% YoY surge, while Manufacturing and BFSI also delivered strong double-digit gains.
Industry Trends (YoY)
In demand
- IT and Telecom/ISP (+56%) saw growth driven by investment in digital infrastructure, cloud services, AI adoption, and cybersecurity across both public and private sectors. Demand spans engineering, architecture, and product functions.
- Production/Manufacturing (+56%) Saudi industrial diversification and UAE free-zone activity are generating robust demand for operational and technical roles across the manufacturing base.
- BFSI (+29%) Fintech expansion, compliance hiring, and the growing scope of Islamic finance and wealth management are sustaining strong demand.
- Health Care (+13%) Consistent demand across clinical and allied health roles, sustained by population growth and GCC healthcare infrastructure investment.
- Engineering, Construction & Real Estate (+15%) Positive at the Gulf-wide level, reflecting sustained infrastructure execution, though the index has softened MoM as megaproject pipelines consolidate.
- Advertising, MR, PR & Media (+15%) Rising corporate marketing spend and a growing regional media ecosystem support steady hiring across creative and digital functions.
- Hospitality (+7%) Tourism expansion and event-driven demand continue to generate net hiring, particularly in Saudi Arabia.
Facing challenges
- Retail/Trade & Logistics (−3%) E-commerce consolidation and cautious consumer spending in some markets limit frontline hiring growth.
- Education (−4%) Institutional budgets are tightly managed as the post-pandemic expansion in edtech and private education normalises.
- Petrochemicals (−6%) Subdued margins and a cautious capex environment are limiting hiring across chemical and refining roles.
Functional Trends (YoY)
In demand
- Software, Hardware, Telecom (+31%) The top functional performer, consistent with the IT sector surge. Technical hiring — developers, engineers, infrastructure, and product roles — remains at elevated activity.
- Finance & Accounts (+21%) Fintech growth, compliance requirements, and treasury complexity across GCC organisations are driving strong demand.
- Marketing & Communications (+19%) Brands are investing in digital marketing, content, and performance media, sustaining demand across agency and in-house roles.
- Hospitality & Travel (+19%) Functional demand tracks the sector, expanding alongside the GCC’s tourism pipeline.
- Legal (+13%) Regulatory complexity and cross-border transaction volumes are driving steady demand for legal professionals.
- HR & Admin (+11%) Broad workforce expansion sustains consistent demand for people management and administrative functions.
- Customer Service (+9%) Solid uptick as digital service adoption expands across the region.
- Sales & Business Development (+6%) Selective expansion in commercial roles as organisations consolidate growth pipelines.
- Purchase / Logistics / Supply Chain (+5%) Positive but measured — networks are maturing and the focus has shifted from expansion to optimisation.
Saudi Arabia (KSA)
Overview
Saudi Arabia’s hiring market delivered a broadly flat +1% YoY in May 2026 — the index at 200 versus 198 a year earlier. MoM hiring fell 4%, and the three- and six-month trends are flat to slightly negative (0% and −4% respectively).
Saudi Arabia was already hiring at a high pace a year ago, so even sustained activity today registers as modest growth. Beneath the surface, the market is moving in two directions — tech, manufacturing, and hospitality are expanding, while engineering and education are pulling back after an unusually active prior year
Industry Trends (YoY)
In demand
- Production/Manufacturing (+28%) The standout gainer. Saudi industrial diversification — spanning NEOM-adjacent supply chains, the Red Sea corridor, and Vision 2030 industrial cities — is driving substantial demand formanufacturing and quality engineering roles.
- BFSI (+18%) Saudi banks are expanding retail and digital banking, Islamic finance products are deepening, and the capital markets ecosystem is maturing.
- IT & Telecom/ISP (+15%) Sustained demand as Saudi organisations invest in digital infrastructure and AI enablement. Saudization requirements are also driving demand for Saudi nationals in technical roles.
- Hospitality (+11%) Developments like Riyadh Season, Red Sea projects, and NEOM-linked hospitality development sustain active recruitment for hotel, F&B, and guest services roles.
- Advertising, MR, PR & Media (+7%) Growing corporate spend on digital marketing and entertainment content is supporting creative and commercial hiring.
Facing challenges
- Petrochemicals (−12%) Margin compression and capex caution continue to suppress net hiring across chemicals and refining.
- Engineering, Construction & Real Estate (−21%) The sharpest sectoral decline. Megaproject hiring has moved from mobilisation to execution and stabilisation — a base effect, not a structural reversal.
- Education (−23%) The steepest contraction in KSA. A surge in staffing linked to new institution launches and curriculum reform in the prior year has receded. The sector is recalibrating to a sustainable pace.
Functional Trends (YoY)
In demand
- Hospitality & Travel (+9%) Consistent with the sector story — growing alongside Saudi Arabia’s tourism infrastructure build-out.
- Marketing & Communications (+5%) Growing investment in brand and performance marketing sustains demand for creative and commercial professionals.
- Software, Hardware, Telecom (+2%) Tech talent demand holds positive even as the overall market is flat. Demand for Saudi nationals in technical roles continues to build.
Facing challenges
- HR & Admin (−21%) Sharp decline following elevated prior-year hiring during rapid workforce expansion. Organisations are consolidating support functions.
- Purchase / Logistics / Supply Chain (−9%) Pullback after prior-year supply chain build-out.
- Engineering & Production (−1%) Marginal but consistent with the construction sector correction — engineering functions have moved to steady-state execution.
United Arab Emirates (UAE)
Overview
The UAE posted a +12% YoY gain in May 2026, with the index at 65 versus 58 a year ago. Near-term signals are softer: MoM fell 7%, and the three- and six-month trends are both negative (−11% and −13% respectively).
This deceleration follows strong momentum through H2 2025, when the UAE index peaked at 77 in January 2026 before unwinding. The pullback reflects recalibration in tech and financial sector hiring, post-expansion consolidation in healthcare and manufacturing, and summer-seasonal effects. Construction remains a clear outlier, posting a 55% YoY gain on the back of sustained megaproject execution. The structural 12% annual gain confirms the UAE market’s durability — but the directional trend over the next two months will be telling.
Industry Trends (YoY)
In demand
- Engineering, Construction & Real Estate (+55%) This is the dominant story in the UAE, with growth driven by Dubai’s urban expansion, Abu Dhabi’s infrastructure programme, and free zone commercial development. Demand spans civil, structural, MEP, and project management.
- BFSI (+4%) Modest positive as Dubai’s financial hub continues attracting international institutions. Fintech licensing, digital banking, and compliance build-out are supporting selective hiring.
Facing challenges
- Petrochemicals (−23%) The sharpest sectoral decline in the UAE. Margin compression, process automation, and a high prior-year base all contribute.
- Production/Manufacturing (−11%) Free zone industrial activity remains present, but the hiring pace has moderated as firms absorb recent headcount additions.
- Health Care (−11%) UAE healthcare institutions are managing capacity carefully after several years of expansion-driven hiring.
- Retail/Trade & Logistics (−10%) E-commerce maturation and logistics network optimisation are limiting net hiring additions.
- Hospitality (−8%) Despite strong tourism inflows, hiring has dipped as operators focus on efficiency and selective replacement over net expansion.
- Oil and Gas (−8%) Adnoc and downstream operators continue managing capital programmes conservatively.
- Advertising, MR, PR & Media (−9%) Digital marketing functions are being consolidated as agencies manage headcount tightly.
- IT and Telecom/ISP (−1%) A marginal decline at sector level — notable given the Gulf-wide IT surge. The UAE tech market is recalibrating after aggressive hiring, shifting emphasis from growth to operational efficiency.
Functional Trends (YoY)
In demand
- Software, Hardware, Telecom (+38%) The top functional performer in the UAE, and a counterpoint to the sector-level IT dip. Firms are prioritising deep technical talent — engineers, developers, infrastructure specialists — over broad headcount growth.
- Sales & Business Development (+22%) Commercial expansion and new market entry are sustaining demand for frontline sales and business development roles.
- Health Care functions (+3%) Marginal positive — clinical roles growing modestly even as the sector overall contracts.
Facing challenges
- Engineering & Production (−18%) Sharp functional decline contrasts with the strong Construction sector figure, suggesting physical build activity is growing while broader production engineering contracts.
- Customer Service (−18%) Automation and self-service digitisation are reducing demand for frontline customer service roles.
- Purchase / Logistics / Supply Chain (−18%) Significant pullback as supply chain networks stabilise and firms reduce procurement headcount growth.
- HR & Admin (−14%) Organisations are managing leaner support structures.
- Finance & Accounts (−9%) Shared service consolidation and finance automation are moderating net hiring in accounting functions.
- Hospitality & Travel (−11%) Despite strong tourism, functional hiring is under pressure as operators focus on efficiency.
- Marketing & Communications (−5%) Marketing teams are operating leaner as digital functions are increasingly consolidated.
Regional Highlights
- Kuwait (+24% YoY, +2% MoM): The Gulf’s fastest-growing market, with hiring picking up further in May — the only country to post a month-on-month gain. Demand is broad-based and building.
- UAE (+12% YoY, −7% MoM): Strong annual growth, but hiring has been softening over the past few months. Construction is holding things up, with major project activity across Dubai and Abu Dhabi keeping demand elevated.
- Oman (+14% YoY, flat MoM): A solid year of growth, with hiring holding steady in May. The market isn’t accelerating further but remains at a healthier level than a year ago.
- Qatar (flat YoY, flat MoM): Hiring has largely plateaued — no meaningful growth or decline year-on-year, and little movement in May. The market appears to have settled into a holding pattern.
- KSA (+1% YoY, −4% MoM): Essentially flat against a busy prior year. Hiring eased in May but Manufacturing and BFSI are still active, keeping the underlying market from softening further.
- Bahrain (−2% YoY, −1% MoM): Marginally below last year’s levels, with a slow but gradual drift downward over recent months. No sharp decline, but no recovery either.
- Egypt (−12% YoY, flat MoM): The weakest market in the region. Hiring has been consistently lower than a year ago, though May was flat month-on-month — a tentative pause in the decline.
About the foundit Insights Tracker
The foundit Insights Tracker (FIT), formerly the Monster Employment Index, provides a comprehensive view of online recruitment trends in the Middle East. By analysing millions of job postings across key industries and functional areas, FIT offers invaluable insights for job seekers and recruiters alike. For more details, visit founditgulf.com.
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