IT, BFSI and industrial sectors continue to attract demand across Gulf hiring market: Naukrigulf Hiring Index
Hiring demand across the UAE, Qatar and Oman softened in April and May 2026 compared with the same period last year, although several sectors continued to show resilience, according to the inaugural Naukrigulf Hiring Index.
The index, released by Naukrigulf, tracks more than 220,000 hiring mandates annually across 7,000+ employers in the three Gulf markets, providing a broad measure of employer hiring activity over time.
The report said regional tensions affected overall hiring momentum, with the UAE recording the largest decline, as hiring intent during April and May was 23% lower year-on-year. Despite the slowdown, technology-related recruitment remained comparatively strong. IT & Digital recorded the smallest decline among major industries, while demand for technology roles was down only 3% year-on-year. Hiring remained strongest in areas such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, cybersecurity and data analytics.
In Qatar, hiring intent was more stable, easing only 10% year-on-year. The strongest growth came from Banking, Financial Services and Insurance (BFSI), which increased 28%, followed by Real Estate & Construction at 11% and Manufacturing & Industrial at 9%. Demand for technology, engineering and finance professionals remained largely unchanged.
Oman saw hiring intent decline 17% year-on-year, with the sharpest pullback in real estate, BFSI and technology hiring. However, Manufacturing & Industrial grew 36%, while Retail, FMCG & Consumer increased 23%. Hiring in Oil, Gas & Energy remained stable, reflecting continued activity across key sectors of the Omani economy.
Commenting on the findings, Sharad Sindhwani, Executive Vice President and Business Head at Naukrigulf, said hiring activity is moving at different speeds across markets, sectors and job functions.
He noted that while overall demand softened compared with last year, several segments continued to attract employers, particularly technology roles in the UAE, financial services and construction in Qatar, and industrial and consumer-facing sectors in Oman.
Sindhwani added that combining employer searches and job postings provides a more complete picture of hiring demand and will help employers, professionals and policymakers track how recruitment trends evolve across the region.
The Naukrigulf Hiring Index measures employer hiring intent using two indicators: new job postings and applicant review activity, along with employer searches of the platform's candidate database. The index has been calculated monthly since January 2024, with quarterly findings now being published regularly.
