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Middle East Edition
23rd June 2026
 
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THE HOT STORY

MoHRE warns UAE firms ahead of Emiratisation deadline

The UAE's Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) has reminded private companies with 50 or more employees to meet their Emiratisation targets by June 30, 2026. Non-compliant firms will face financial penalties starting July 1, with fines of Dh10,000 per month for each unfilled Emirati position. Companies must achieve a 1% increase in Emirati employment in skilled roles during the first half of the year. MoHRE emphasised the importance of Emiratisation for national economic development and urged firms to utilise the Nafis platform to connect with qualified Emirati jobseekers.
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WORKFORCE

Thai workers return to Israel

Despite ongoing conflict in the Middle East, the number of Thai workers in Israel has surged from 30,000 to around 50,000 since the October 2023 Hamas attack. Many are being drawn by better job opportunities in sectors including agriculture, construction, and services. The financial incentives, including salaries that are significantly higher than in Thailand, motivate many to endure the dangers of working in a conflict zone. A 43-year-old worker, "A", expressed her determination, saying: "I am not afraid of the current situation . . . I would rather come here and take the risk." 

Women's workforce participation gap persists in Egypt

Women in Egypt face a significant gap between education and employment, according to a new labour market analysis based on WUZZUF data from 2025. While women constitute 53% of university graduates, they represent only 33% of university-educated workers and 29% of the total workforce. The report observes that flexibility challenges and a lack of remote work options hinder women's employment choices. The analysis also highlights differences in career progression and salary expectations between genders.

Employers invested in returnships. Now they are ditching them

Returnships, which offer a route for professionals looking to re-enter the workforce after career breaks, are declining after a post-pandemic surge, with firms becoming more risk-averse amid increasing economic uncertainty.
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STRATEGY

New clothing factory for Ma'an's Udhruh district

The Jordanian Ministry of Labour has announced a new clothing factory in Al Manshiyah, Ma'an Governorate, that will create 400 jobs for locals. Minister Khaled Bakkar said that the facility's investor will receive JD1m in capital support and JD792,000 in operational support. The factory increases the total productive branches in Ma'an to eight and across Jordan to 39, employing a total of around 1,200 people. Bakkar highlighted the government's commitment to enhancing job opportunities and localising development, while Eric Yu Hung Tang, general manager of Jerash Garments, praised such collaboration with the government to support employment initiatives.
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TECHNOLOGY

Dubai forum to examine how AI is reshaping government jobs

The Dubai Government Human Resources Department will host DGHR Multaqa 2026, which will focus on the impact of Agentic AI on public sector jobs and governance. Senior officials will discuss how AI is transforming workforce structures, including job redesign and upskilling. Abdullah Ali bin Zayed Al Falasi, Director General of the department, notes that while technology can enhance work, human judgement must remain central to decision-making. The forum aims to prepare government entities for responsible AI adoption, aligning with the UAE's broader efforts to strengthen digital capabilities in the public sector.
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RISK

Hormuz transit security remains volatile, Chubb CEO says

US efforts to open shipping channels in the Strait of Hormuz will allow a gradual increase in vessel transit, but security continues to be volatile, Chubb chief executive Evan Greenberg has told Fox News. “It’s from day to day, hour to hour,” Greenberg said, adding: “Mines are the greatest uncertainty” in the strait. “We’re talking more about a war-zone environment,” he said. “Only a narrow channel is really being used to transit, and so it limits the number of ships that can actually go in and out. The Navy has been working to open up a broader set of channels, and as that happens, then shipping will increase.”
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INTERNATIONAL

Brexit still divides Britain 10 years on

Brexit became a reality on this day in 2016, when 52% - or more than 17m people in the UK - voted to leave the EU. Experts say the UK economy is between 4% and 8% smaller than it would have been had the country voted to remain in the bloc - although Brexiters argue that leaving the EU is not something that can be judged in the short-term. Polls from Ipsos suggest that more than half (52%) of people in the UK would now like to rejoin the EU while 33% are against it, and 48% would support another referendum today on Britain’s membership of the EU against 27% who would oppose one. CBI director-general Rain Newton-Smith has told the FT that 10 years after the 2016 vote the UK's business community does not want to rejoin the EU - despite acknowledging the economic pain.

Hanson calls for overhaul of Australia's industrial relations laws

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has called for an overhaul of Australia's industrial relations laws. During her National Press Club address, Hanson said that "Industrial relations, I can assure you, needs a complete overhaul, because it's not working. Businesses also tell me you can't sack people these days . . . [Workers are] on their phones, they don't work, they don't turn up, they actually are lazy, and businesses are tied to it." ABC notes that a HR representative for small business said Hanson's words did resonate, observing that many of her clients were "terrified to terminate people." But Anne Nalder, chief executive of the Small Business Association, said existing laws allow employers to dismiss staff, as long as a clear process is followed. "It's not true that you can't sack workers," Nalder said.

Most US families now have two parents working full-time

Both parents now work full-time in most US families, and mothers with bachelor’s or postgraduate degrees are driving the shift, according to a new report from the Pew Research Center which found that 52% of families now have two parents working full-time, up 6% from a decade ago. Pew observed that 83% of partners who were married or cohabitating and both employed full-time thought this situation was a clear financial positive, and almost half (49%) said it had a positive impact on the well-being of their children. A more equal split in parenting could be encouraging the trend - although 63% of mothers told Pew researchers that they were responsible for the majority of parenting tasks and household chores.

African lawmakers support push for tougher anti-LGBT laws

Lawmakers from over a dozen African nations have committed to advancing new bills that restrict LGBT rights. The African Inter-Parliamentary Conference on Family Values and Sovereignty, held in Accra from June 3-6, coincided with Ghana's passage of a stringent anti-LGBT bill. Ghana Parliament Speaker Alban Bagbin urged attendees to ensure resolutions lead to actionable legislation. The conference culminated in the approval of an "African Charter on Family, Sovereignty and Values," which calls for national laws that protect stated cultural values and reject foreign influence promoting LGBT rights. Reuters observes that for LGBT people in Ghana, the debate has further heightened their fears. "I constantly self-censor, hide, watch my back. That's not safety, that's survival," said an African photographer and longtime resident of Accra. "So yes, leaving has crossed my mind. That breaks my heart because Ghana is my home."
 
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