Expats in GCC Forced to Switch Jobs Due to COVID-19

  • Date: 17-Dec-2020
  • Source: Al Bawaba
  • Sector:Economy
  • Country:GCC
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Expats in GCC Forced to Switch Jobs Due to COVID-19

 

Residents across the UAE and GCC are becoming more comfortable with the idea of changing careers to find positions that meet their needs, new research has shown.

 

Online recruitment firm, GulfTalent's latest findings showed that many professionals in the GCC are switching careers, mainly due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Among job categories, the impact of the pandemic was most severe on the education, aviation, and hospitality sectors; while the healthcare and logistics sectors saw employment demand increase.

The findings of the research showed that the economic squeeze brought about by the pandemic has resulted in job losses, pay cuts, salary delays, and career stagnation for many expatriates in the Gulf. While many have left the region as a result, some have sought to retain their residence and earnings by switching to alternative careers within the region. Many cabin crew who lost their jobs have transitioned to real estate brokerage roles. Among teachers facing job losses or unpaid leave, admin and secretarial roles have been common destinations. Meanwhile, many catering professionals who were made redundant have taken up employment in customer service roles.

The latest edition of PwC's Middle East Economy Watch, also showed that economic activity picked up in Q3, with leading economic