Workers wanted with hiring spree under way in the Emirates

One in three companies across the Emirates is now in hiring mode, according to a top recruitment website, as the economy shows further signs of recovery.

Some 35 per cent of UAE firms said they were "definitely hiring" staff over the next three months, research published yesterday from Bayt.com and YouGov showed.

That compares with just 28 per cent of firms looking to recruit last September.

"The clear improvement in the number of jobs to be available in the coming three and 12 months is a positive sign for the UAE's economy," said Suhail Masri,the vice president of sales at Bayt.com.

"We have seen a regional increase in terms of the numbers of employment opportunities, and this is a good indicator of the region's growth and development."

An economic rebound is encouraging many employers to add staff as sectors such as aviation, retail, logistics and property show signs of renewed growth.

Robert Half, the recruitment specialist, said this month that salaries were expected to rise by about 5 per cent this year.

More than 4,300 firms across the Middle East took part in the Bayt survey, which found that a further 22 per cent of UAE firms questioned said they were "probably hiring" over the next three months.

Sixty-seven per cent of UAE companies surveyed said they expected to hire up to 10 new employees within a year.

Across the Middle East and North Africa region as a whole, the survey found 30 per cent of companies said they were "definitely hiring" and a further 27 per cent "probably hiring" staff over the next three months - an increase of 2 per cent for both categories when compared with September.

Furthermore, 69 per cent of the Middle Eastern companies surveyed from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Pakistan, said they expected to hire up to 10 new employees over the next 12 months.

Regionally, the most desirable qualifications for candidates are in business management, commerce, engineering and computer science.

lbarnard@thenational.ae