Overview of Hiring Activity in the Middle East
Hiring activity in the Middle East continued its upward trajectory in October 2025, with the foundit Insights Tracker (fit) recording a 21% annual increase, reflecting a strong rebound in employer confidence across the region.
Month-on-month hiring also saw a healthy 12% rise, while the 3-month (+14%) and 6-month (+10%) trends point to sustained momentum in key growth clusters such as IT, manufacturing, education, and healthcare. Continued investment in infrastructure, digital transformation, and workforce nationalisation efforts remain major catalysts for the region’s hiring demand
Hiring Trends by Industry (YoY change)
Five of twelve tracked industries posted annual growth registered annual growth in October 2025. Technology, manufacturing, and construction led the momentum, supported by national transformation programmes and ongoing capital expenditure. On the other hand, consumer-facing sectors and marketing-related industries saw more muted activity.
In demand
- IT & Telecom (+34%)
Digital transformation, cloud adoption, and AI integration are driving robust hiring for developers, cybersecurity talent, cloud engineers, and tech project leads. - Production & Manufacturing (+26%)
Industrial expansion—especially under GCC economic diversification plans—is supporting strong demand for engineers, plant operations, supply-chain roles, and technicians. - Engineering, Construction & Real Estate (+14%)
Mega infrastructure projects, new township developments, and rapid urban expansion continue to fuel hiring across civil engineering, project management, architecture, and site operations. - Education (+10%)
Enrollment growth, private-school expansion, and rising demand for specialised curriculum expertise are driving steady hiring in teaching and academic support. - Hospitality & Travel (+3%)
Tourism inflows, upcoming large events, and renewed hotel expansion pipelines continue to support modest hiring gains.
Facing Challenges
- Consumer Goods & FMCG (−26%)
Hiring remains weak due to cautious spending, rising operational costs, and tighter margins across retail-oriented businesses. - Healthcare (−6%)
Despite essential demand, hiring is slowing due to cost optimisation, consolidation, and a shift to tech-enabled care models. - Oil & Gas (−8%)
Conservative exploration budgets and the shift toward renewable energy investments are moderating hiring in traditional upstream roles.
Hiring Trends by Functional Area (YoY change)
Five of eleven tracked occupational categories recorded annual growth, led by HR, engineering, and supply-chain functions.
In demand
- HR & Admin (+17%)
Nationalisation programmes, HR automation, compliance, and expanded corporate activity are boosting demand for HR business partners, talent acquisition, and L&D roles.
- Engineering/Production (+14%)
Industrial expansion and major construction projects continue to generate steady hiring for mechanical, civil, and production engineering roles. - Purchase/Logistics/Supply Chain (+9%)
Digitised supply chains, automation, and regional logistics expansion are driving steady demand across procurement, warehouse management, and SCM specialists.
Facing challenges
- Finance & Accounts (−17%)
Automation in reporting, ERP adoption, and tighter financial controls have led to reduced demand for traditional finance roles. - Software/Hardware/Telecom (−10%)
Despite overall tech growth, certain sub-functions are seeing consolidation as companies optimise their technology workforce. - Marketing & Communications (−2%)
Budget rationalisation and increased dependence on in-house digital tools are moderating hiring.
Country Highlights
Saudi Arabia (KSA)
Hiring in KSA recorded a 4% annual decline in Oct’25.
Top performer:
- Production/Manufacturing, Automotive & Ancillary (+96%) saw an uptick driven by Vision 2030 industrialisation and localisation efforts.
Lowest performer:
- Education (−58%), weakening demand due to skill mismatches and slower school expansion cycles.
- Healthcare (–2%) held steady overall, with the mild dip reflecting a cooldown after recent expansion and hiring spurts.
United Arab Emirates (UAE)
The UAE registered a strong 18% annual rise in hiring.
Top performer:
- Education (+6%) witnessed growth driven by expanding private schooling, K–12 growth, and multiple government education initiatives.
Lowest performer:
- BFSI (−28%) saw cautious hiring due to non-oil economic activity and selective hiring in financial services.
- HR roles (+32%) saw sharp growth due to Emiratisation policies and rising demand for HR tech and compliance functions.
Why the Mixed Signals?
- Structural Strength in Key Sectors
Manufacturing, technology, and logistics continue to gain from diversification agendas, increased capital investment, and digital adoption. - Consumer-Side Softness
FMCG, retail, and advertising lag due to weakened consumer spending and recalibrated marketing budgets. - Efficiency Over Expansion
Many Gulf employers remain cautious, prioritising productivity improvements and workforce optimisation over large-scale hiring.
About the foundit Insights Tracker
The foundit Insights Tracker (fit) Gulf—formerly the Monster Employment Index—is a leading indicator of online hiring activity across the nation. By analysing millions of job postings every month, fit provides timely and actionable intelligence on recruitment trends across industries, functions, and skill segments.
