{"id":50227,"date":"2026-03-05T12:35:23","date_gmt":"2026-03-05T07:05:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.founditgulf.com\/career-advice\/?p=50227"},"modified":"2026-03-05T12:35:23","modified_gmt":"2026-03-05T07:05:23","slug":"foundit-insights-tracker-gulf-jan-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.founditgulf.com\/career-advice\/foundit-insights-tracker-gulf-jan-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Middle East Hiring Trends: January 2026\u00a0Sees 53% YoY Growth: Insights from the\u00a0foundit\u00a0Tracker\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Key Highlights of the Month<\/strong>&nbsp;<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The&nbsp;foundit&nbsp;Insights Tracker (FIT) in the Middle East recorded a strong 53% annual increase in online recruitment activity in January 2026. Month-on-month, the index grew 5%, reflecting a positive start to the year across the region.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Over the past three months, e-recruitment activity&nbsp;expanded&nbsp;26%, with the six-month view showing a sustained 38% rise. Growth was broad-based, led by IT &amp; Telecom, Production\/Manufacturing, and HR &amp; Admin, reinforcing the region&rsquo;s continued momentum on economic diversification and digital transformation.&nbsp;<\/p><div data-wp-interactive=\"core\/file\" class=\"wp-block-file aligncenter\"><object data-wp-bind--hidden=\"!state.hasPdfPreview\" hidden class=\"wp-block-file__embed\" data=\"https:\/\/www.founditgulf.com\/career-advice\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/07_fit_Gulf_Jan_26.pdf\" type=\"application\/pdf\" style=\"width:100%;height:600px\" aria-label=\"Embed of &lt;strong&gt;Gulf Hiring Trends in&nbsp;Jan 2026     &lt;\/strong&gt;.\"><\/object><a id=\"wp-block-file--media-07d48fe6-3655-4131-8e5c-19211d483745\" href=\"https:\/\/www.founditgulf.com\/career-advice\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/07_fit_Gulf_Jan_26.pdf\"><strong>Gulf Hiring Trends in&nbsp;Jan 2026     <\/strong><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.founditgulf.com\/career-advice\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/07_fit_Gulf_Jan_26.pdf\" class=\"wp-block-file__button wp-element-button\" download aria-describedby=\"wp-block-file--media-07d48fe6-3655-4131-8e5c-19211d483745\">Download<\/a><\/div><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Month-on-Month (MoM) Hiring Trends<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Industry Trends<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h3><h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Growth<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h4><ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>BFSI (+9%):<\/strong>&nbsp;Led monthly gains, reflecting renewed activity in financial services and continued fintech expansion.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul><ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Oil &amp; Gas (+6%):<\/strong>&nbsp;Rebounded with solid month-on-month growth despite a marginal annual dip.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul><ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Retail\/Trade &amp; Logistics (+4%)<\/strong>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<strong>Hospitality (+4%):<\/strong>&nbsp;Maintained&nbsp;steady upward movement heading into the new year.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul><h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Declines<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h4><ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Education (-15%):<\/strong>&nbsp;Registered&nbsp;the sharpest monthly contraction,&nbsp;likely reflecting&nbsp;post-January-enrolment cycle adjustments.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Petrochemicals (-2%):<\/strong>&nbsp;Continued its modest downward trend month-on-month.<\/li>\n<\/ul><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Annual (YoY) Industry Standouts<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2><ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.founditgulf.com\/search\/it-jobs\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">IT&nbsp;<\/a><\/strong> &amp;<strong>&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.founditgulf.com\/search\/and-telecom-jobs\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Telecom<\/a><\/strong> (+57%):<\/strong>&nbsp;Continued to dominate annual growth, driven by accelerating digital adoption across the Gulf.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul><ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Production\/Manufacturing (+50%):<\/strong>&nbsp;Sustained exceptional growth, underpinned by Gulf-wide&nbsp;industrialisation&nbsp;programmes.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul><ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Engineering, Construction &amp; Real Estate (+21%)<\/strong>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<strong>Hospitality (+21%):<\/strong>&nbsp;Maintained&nbsp;strong year-on-year expansion.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul><ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.founditgulf.com\/search\/oil-and-gas-jobs\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Oil&nbsp;<\/a><\/strong> &amp; <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.founditgulf.com\/search\/oil-and-gas-jobs\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Gas<\/a><\/strong> (-2%)<\/strong>,&nbsp;<strong>Healthcare (-2%)<\/strong>, and&nbsp;<strong>Consumer Goods\/FMCG (-7%):<\/strong>&nbsp;Were the sectors to record annual contractions, reflecting sector-specific&nbsp;recalibrations.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Hiring Trends &ndash; Regional<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2><ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>UAE (+48%):<\/strong>&nbsp;Led annual growth across the Gulf, continuing its strong hiring momentum across multiple sectors.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul><ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Kuwait (+22%):<\/strong>&nbsp;Posted notable annual gains, supported by diversified sectoral activity.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul><ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Oman (+19%):<\/strong>&nbsp;Maintained&nbsp;its upward trajectory, backed by infrastructure and manufacturing projects.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul><ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Bahrain (+8%)<\/strong>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<strong>KSA (+7%):<\/strong>&nbsp;Recorded moderate annual growth.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul><ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Qatar (+5%)<\/strong>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<strong>Egypt (+3%):<\/strong>&nbsp;Maintained&nbsp;steady, if modest, recruitment activity.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Month-on-month<\/strong>, UAE (+7%) and Oman (+5%) led regional gains, while Bahrain (-9%) was the only country to register a meaningful monthly decline.&nbsp;<\/p><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Hiring Trends &ndash; Functional Area<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Recruitment activity&nbsp;demonstrated&nbsp;a broadly positive performance across functional areas:&nbsp;<\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>In Demand:<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h3><ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>HR &amp; Admin (+54% YoY):<\/strong>&nbsp;The top-performing functional area annually, reflecting sustained&nbsp;organisational&nbsp;expansion and workforce buildout across the region.&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul><ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Software, Hardware &amp; Telecom (+35% YoY):<\/strong>&nbsp;Driven by continued technology adoption and digital infrastructure investment.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul><ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Engineering &amp; Production (+25% YoY):<\/strong>&nbsp;Aligned with ongoing infrastructure and industrial projects.&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul><ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Customer Service (+19% YoY)<\/strong>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<strong>Purchase\/Logistics\/Supply Chain (+16% YoY):<\/strong>&nbsp;Benefited&nbsp;from expanding commercial and supply chain activity.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Facing Challenges:<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h3><ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Finance &amp; Accounting (+1% YoY):<\/strong>&nbsp;Barely flat annually, reflecting a continued shift toward automation and fintech in financial roles.&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul><ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>HR &amp; Admin (-3% MoM):<\/strong>&nbsp;Despite strong annual numbers, saw a marginal monthly pullback,&nbsp;likely a&nbsp;post-December correction.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Regional Highlights<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2><ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>UAE (+48% YoY):<\/strong>&nbsp;Demonstrated&nbsp;the strongest annual growth in the Gulf, with&nbsp;particular strength&nbsp;in Engineering, Construction &amp; Real Estate (+31%) and a robust performance in Sales &amp; Business Development (+24% YoY), reflecting expanding commercial and infrastructure activity.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul><ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Kuwait (+22% YoY):<\/strong>&nbsp;Emerged&nbsp;as a standout performer, with broad-based annual gains across sectors pointing to growing economic diversification.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul><ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>KSA:<\/strong>&nbsp;IT &amp; Telecom (+63% YoY) was the standout sector, while Production\/Manufacturing recorded an exceptional +87% YoY &mdash; underscoring the Kingdom&rsquo;s Vision 2030-driven push to build industrial capacity.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>About the&nbsp;foundit&nbsp;Insights Tracker<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The&nbsp;foundit&nbsp;Insights Tracker (FIT), formerly the Monster Employment Index,&nbsp;provides&nbsp;a comprehensive view of <strong>online recruitment trends in the Middle East (Gulf)<\/strong>. By&nbsp;analysing&nbsp;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.&nbsp;<\/p><\/h2>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Highlights of the Month&nbsp;The&nbsp;foundit&nbsp;Insights Tracker (FIT) in the Middle East recorded a strong 53% annual increase in online recruitment activity in January 2026. Month-on-month, the index grew 5%, reflecting a positive start to the year across the region.&nbsp;&nbsp;Over the past three months, e-recruitment activity&nbsp;expanded&nbsp;26%, with the six-month view showing a sustained 38% rise. Growth &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.founditgulf.com\/career-advice\/foundit-insights-tracker-gulf-jan-2026\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Middle East Hiring Trends: January 2026\u00a0Sees 53% YoY Growth: Insights from the\u00a0foundit\u00a0Tracker\u00a0<\/span> <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":48299,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-50227","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-insights-tracker"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.founditgulf.com\/career-advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50227","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.founditgulf.com\/career-advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.founditgulf.com\/career-advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.founditgulf.com\/career-advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.founditgulf.com\/career-advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=50227"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.founditgulf.com\/career-advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50227\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":50229,"href":"https:\/\/www.founditgulf.com\/career-advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50227\/revisions\/50229"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.founditgulf.com\/career-advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/48299"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.founditgulf.com\/career-advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=50227"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.founditgulf.com\/career-advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=50227"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.founditgulf.com\/career-advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=50227"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}