The UAE
has one of the lowest unemployment levels in the world,
standing at only 2.4 per cent at the end of 2001 as a result
of high growth in the non-oil economy and a government drive
to find jobs for citizens, according to official estimates.
The
country's workforce was estimated at around 2.079 million
last year, of which nearly 2.029 million were employed,
the Ministry of Planning said in its 2002 annual report.
This
means around 50,000 people were jobless, accounting for
about 2.4 per cent of the total labour force and just
1.4 per cent of the 3.48 million population.
The
ministry said it had revised its figures for the workforce
which it earlier estimated at around 1.85 million at the
end of 2001.
Experts
said the revision was apparently prompted by drastic changes
in the labour market as thousands of expatriates had to
leave because of new labour policies while a large number
of nationals are taking up jobs after reaching the legal
job age.
"Compared
to other developing or even developed countries, the UAE's
unemployment rate is one of the lowest in the world,"
said a UAE banker.
But
experts noted official estimates do not include thousands
of illegal expatriate residents who are not registered
with the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs. Although
some of them have part time jobs in violation of labour
laws, many of them are unemployed.
More
than 200,000 illegal migrants, mostly Asians, left the
UAE five years ago to benefit from a general amnesty ordered
by President His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan
to clean up the country from immigration violations and
restore discipline in the job market. Another spardon
is expected to be announced in the next few weeks.
Although
actual unemployment rates might be higher, the UAE does
not have a real joblessness given its strong economy and
a serious government campaign to employ nationals through
the creation of new jobs in the public and private sectors
and replacement of expatriate workers.
Economists
said they saw no hurdles for such a campaign as the non-oil
economy is growing by at least four per cent, which is
faster than the population growth.
"This
means the UAE can cope with the population growth and
at the same time maintain its high per capita income which
has eroded sharply in other countries in the region,"
an expert said.
A
breakdown by the Ministry of Planning showed the UAE has
never suffered from a severe unemployment problem, with
the rate standing at only 1.9 per cent in 1975.
It
fluctuated in the following years but remained in the
range of one to three per cent.
The
level is expected to be maintained in the following years
as the government's new labour policies focus on employment
of nationals and deportation of unnecessary and unqualified
foreign workers.
The
private sector will likely play a major role in the employment
of citizens given its massive potential and the fact that
the public sector is saturated and is not growing enough
to accommodate large numbers of new jobs.
|
