THE HOT STORY

Oman's labour federation launches workplace outreach

The General Federation of Workers of the Sultanate of Oman (GFOW) has initiated field visits to labour unions and private companies to boost union membership and enhance workplace dialogue. This programme, in collaboration with the Ministry of Labour and the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry, began in North Al Batinah Governorate. Ibrahim Al Ghuraibi, acting director of the federation's Union and Labour Services Department, said: "The goal is to engage workers on the ground and explain how labour unions protect rights." The initiative also aims to provide legal support for establishing unions and addressing labour-related queries.

Oman Observer

HIRING

Dubai's Emirates to hire 20,000 staff by 2030

Emirates plans to recruit nearly 20,000 operational staff by 2030 to support its fleet and network expansion. Adel Al Redha, deputy president and chief operations officer, announced the plan during a media roundtable, saying: "We continue to hire to meet our needs as we will receive more aircraft." The recruitment will cover various roles, including cabin crew, pilots, engineers, and airport staff. Additionally, special programmes will focus on hiring more Emirati nationals for different positions within the airline.

Gulfnews.com

Khaleej Times Online

WORKFORCE

Big drop in Emirati jobseekers in Dubai

Dubai's labour market has transformed significantly over the past five years, with Emirati jobseekers decreasing from 8,800 in 2021 to just 785 in 2025, a 91% decline. The shift is attributed to effective employment policies and a growing preference for private sector careers, where employment rose from 7,060 to 32,087. Abdullah Ali bin Zayed Al Falasi, director general of the Dubai Government Human Resources Department, noted that future job growth will focus on aviation, finance, and logistics. He said: "Dubai's labour market has grown significantly, and the major projects launched in recent years will create opportunities for everyone."

Gulfnews.com

General manager position restricted to only Saudis, Qiwa says

Saudi's Qiwa platform, part of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, has removed the general manager profession for expatriates, limiting the role to Saudi citizens only. The platform has also begun suspending the service of changing certain professions for expatriate workers. The most prominent of these professions include general manager, sales representative, marketing specialist, and purchase manager. The Ministry says it aims to increase Saudization rates, mandating a 60% localisation in marketing and sales positions by January 2026. This applies to companies with three or more employees in these roles, ensuring job opportunities for Saudi citizens.

Saudi Gazette

HEALTH & WELLBEING

UAE adopts integrated family policies to enhance quality of life

Sana bint Mohammed Suhail, the UAE's Minister of Family, has said that the family is crucial for societal stability and human capital development. During the “Mufakiru Al Emarat Forum 2026,” she highlighted that 2026 will be the Year of Family, reflecting a commitment to investing in people. She noted that effective family policies must be based on scientific data and cater to diverse family needs. The UAE is transitioning to an integrated system of family policies, underscoring the importance of family throughout various life stages.

Zawya EN

TECHNOLOGY

AI will not lead to mass layoffs, says head of India’s largest IT services company

Tata Consultancy Services boss K Krithivasan has dismissed fears that AI will upend the $300bn outsourcing industry and precipitate mass lay-offs, saying “AI is not going to create lay-offs by itself.”

Financial Times

INTERNATIONAL

EEOC plans major changes to pregnant-worker accommodation rules

Reuters reports on how US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) rules - such as the 2022 law which requires employers to reasonably accommodate pregnant workers - may dramatically change under Republican EEOC Chair Andrea Lucas, who said in 2024 the regulations were written too broadly. Now, as chair since November and with a Republican majority on the commission, Lucas has already begun an overhaul of the agency to reflect "a conservative view of civil rights." Democratic EEOC Commissioner Kalpana Kotagal observes: "Efforts to weaken the [Pregnant Worker Fairness Act's] meaningful worker protections, which have been shown to reduce miscarriage rates by nearly 10%, are misguided . . . We should be standing up for women and families, not weakening their civil rights."

U.S. News

Spain to grant legal status to immigrants without permission

Spain is to grant legal status to hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants, marking a shift from stricter immigration policies seen in the U.S. and Europe. Spanish Minister of Migration Elma Saiz said that eligible immigrants could receive up to one year of legal residency and work permission. The initiative could benefit around 500,000 to 800,000 individuals, primarily from Latin America and Africa. Saiz said the government is "dignifying and recognizing people who are already in our country."

Daily Sabah

Russia taps India for labour

Russia plans to recruit at least 40,000 Indian workers by 2026. The hiring initiative follows a labour mobility agreement signed by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin in December. Around 70,000 to 80,000 Indians are already employed in Russia. An Indian diplomat observed: "Russia needs workers, India needs to export unemployment." Russian economist Igor Lipsits has said that a big challenge for most Indian citizens in Russia is overcoming the language barrier. "You bring people into the country with whom you cannot communicate. This means that they can only be employed for the simplest jobs such as hauling, cleaning and shoveling snow," he said.

TimesofOman

Deutsche Welle (EN)

OTHER

Court tells Netherlands to help Caribbean island adapt to climate change risks

A court in the Netherlands has ruled that binding greenhouse gas emissions targets to reach net zero by 2050 must be set by the government to protect the Dutch-Caribbean island of Bonaire, and has ordered the state to develop a proper climate adaptation plan for the island. “This is an incredible victory for the people in Bonaire,” said Eefje de Kroon, a climate justice expert at Greenpeace Nederlands. “Not only has the court established that people from Bonaire are being discriminated against because of the climate crisis but also the Dutch government needs to do much more to protect them.” The court ruled that the Dutch government was breaching articles 8 and 14 of the European convention on human rights, which protect the right to respect for private and family life and prohibit discrimination.

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