THE HOT STORY

UAE employees are among the most optimistic about job market

According to Gallup's State of the Global Workplace: 2026 Report, 76% of employees in the UAE believe it is a good time to find a job. This optimism is among the highest globally, with 55% of workers feeling they are thriving. Abdullah Bader, regional director for MENA at Gallup, noted that this positive sentiment stems from ongoing economic diversification and active hiring across sectors. Despite regional conflicts, the UAE's job market remains strong, with employee engagement at 27%, nearly double the MENA average of 14%.

Khaleej Times Online

HIRING

Private capital activity accelerates across the Middle East

Private capital activity is booming in the Middle East, particularly in Abu Dhabi and Riyadh, as global investors seek opportunities. According to Heidrick & Struggles, 73% of professionals anticipate improved market conditions in the next 18 months. This optimism is driving hiring demand, with senior roles seeing significant pay increases. Managing partners earned an average of $750,000 in 2025, up from $624,000 the previous year. Shadi El Farr, regional managing partner at Heidrick & Struggles, observed: "The upward trend in compensation reflects strong fund performance and intensified competition for senior talent."

Gulfnews.com

UAE job demand to rise by one million by 2030

The UAE is projected to require around 1m new workers by 2030, driven by economic growth, digital transformation, and AI adoption, according to a report by ServiceNow and Pearson. Hamza Dweik, head of trading for the Middle East and North Africa at Saxo Bank, noted that this represents a 12.1% increase in employment, surpassing growth rates in major markets. Key sectors including manufacturing, education, and healthcare will see significant job creation. Dweik emphasised the need for investment in reskilling and technology to meet the demand for skilled talent, particularly in technology roles, which are expected to rise by 54%.

Gulfnews.com

TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT

FSA concludes ‘Jisr' Initiative to develop Omani talent

Oman's Financial Services Authority (FSA) has completed the final phase of its Jisr initiative, training and placing 20 Omani nationals with insurance sector firms across Oman.

Oman Observer

LEGAL

Oman youth committee discusses labour-related crimes with Public Prosecution

The Youth and Human Resources Committee of the Shura Council convened with Nasr Khamis Al-Sowaei, the Public Prosecutor, this week to discuss labour law crimes and disputes. Younis Ali Al-Mandhari, the committee's head, emphasised the meeting's role in fostering cooperation and enhancing justice for workers and employers. The Public Prosecutor presented statistics on labour-related cases from 2020 to 2025, highlighting trends and challenges. Discussions focused on improving mechanisms for handling disputes and the importance of legal awareness to prevent escalation into litigation. The meeting also reviewed performance evaluation systems and employment opportunities.

TimesofOman

CYBERSECURITY

Anthropic says its new AI model is a cybersecurity ‘reckoning’

AI company Anthropic has built a new model that it claims is too powerful to be released to the public. Anthropic will instead make the Claude Mythos Preview available to a select 40 or so technology companies, including Apple, Amazon and Microsoft, which will use it to find and patch security vulnerabilities in critical software programs. Anthropic - which has recently been in dispute with the Pentagon over the use of its technology - said it had no plans to roll out its new technology more widely. The company said it was announcing the new model’s capabilities in the particular area of identifying security vulnerabilities in software in a bid to highlight what it believes will be a new, scarier era of AI threats, the New York Times reports. Anthropic's Logan Graham described the new model as “the starting point for what we think will be an industry change point, or reckoning, with what needs to happen now.”

INTERNATIONAL

Lufthansa cabin crew union calls one-day strike in Germany

Lufthansa cabin crew union UFO is calling on staff at the core brand and its ‌subsidiary airline Cityline to hold a one-day strike tomorrow. The union said the airline had shown no flexibility in talks over working conditions for the 19,000 cabin crew members or the redundancy package for roughly 800 employees of Cityline, ‌which ⁠is set to wind down. “This situation could have been avoided – the responsibility lies with Lufthansa, which has so far not even managed to put forward a proposal suitable for negotiation,” UFO chief Joachim Vázquez Bürger said.

Reuters

Australia is squandering the talent of migrants on an 'industrial scale'

Australia has 620,000 permanent migrants not working in their trained professions, despite critical labour shortages. Experts, including former Treasury secretary Martin Parkinson, argue for an overhaul of the skills recognition system to enable these workers to fill gaps in the economy. "When Australia invites someone here because of their skills, there is an implicit bargain: we will let you use [your skills] to your benefit but, more so, to ours," Dr Parkinson said. "Right now, we are not keeping our end of that bargain . . . Not only is it not the fair go that we pride ourselves on, but we are wasting human capital on an industrial scale, in an economy that cannot afford to." The Activate Australia's Skills campaign aims to reform the system, and has proposed a national governance structure and support services to streamline the recognition process for skilled migrants. Currently, 44% of qualified migrants work below their skill level.

ABC Online

Sony Pictures Entertainment to cut hundreds of film and TV jobs

Sony Pictures Entertainment has announced a shift in business strategy, precipitating job cuts across its film, TV and corporate divisions. “As we lean into those priorities, we need to operate with greater focus, speed, and alignment to strengthen our differentiated capabilities,” chief executive Ravi Ahuja wrote in a note to staff. “To support our growth, we are aligning our organization with where the business is going — not where it has been. That requires changes to how we are structured and where we invest.” The company declined to specify how many would lose their jobs.

Bloomberg

Los Angeles Times

India's massive population count begins

India has begun its once-in-a-decade population census after delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Over 3m officials will conduct the survey, which includes online registration and two phases of door-to-door data collection. Census Commissioner Mritunjay Kumar Narayan said that the census will gather information on housing, inhabitants, and castes. With a population exceeding 1.4bn, India has overtaken China as the world's most populous nation, and the government views its young demographic as a potential asset for economic growth. The census is expected to conclude in March 2027.

U.S. News

OTHER

Dhofar University to hold sustainability week

Dhofar University will host Sustainability Week 2026 on April 13–14, under the theme "Bridging Culture and Innovation: Empowering Youth for Sustainability." The event, supported by OQBI, OQEP, and United Securities, aims to raise sustainability awareness among youth. It will feature a Sustainable Business Exhibition and a Sustainability Projects Competition for students. Dr Mariam Anil, assistant professor at the College of Commerce and Business Administration, leads the organising team. The event reflects the university's commitment to fostering sustainability aligned with Oman Vision 2040, encouraging community participation in addressing environmental challenges.

Oman Observer

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