THE HOT STORY

Digital Dubai launches annual Labour Force Survey 2025

The Dubai Data and Statistics Establishment (DDSE) has launched the Annual Labour Force Survey 2025 to assess the labour market in Dubai. The survey aims to gather data on employment, unemployment, and demographic trends, focusing on the economically active population. Younus Al Nasser, chief executive of DDSE, said: "The survey provides a clear picture of labour market realities." The survey will run from October 1 to November 3, 2025, and involve 3,300 households. It will ensure privacy and security while delivering insights into employment status and market dynamics.

Zawya EN

WORKFORCE

Experts unite to shape work future

The SHRM MENA Annual Conference & Expo 2025 took place in Dubai last week, gathering over 1,000 participants, including government officials and HR professionals. The event, under the theme 'Shape the Future of Work!', focused on redefining HR and business leadership amid digital transformation. Ohood Al Roumi, Minister of State for Government Development & the Future, said: "The SHRM MENA Annual Conference serves as a vital platform to explore the future of work." The conference featured discussions on AI-driven workforce strategies and aimed to foster collaboration among leaders.

Saudi Gazette

Saudi unemployment rate rises to 3.2%

The General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) has reported that the overall unemployment rate in Saudi Arabia reached 3.2% in Q2 2025, up by 0.4 percentage points from Q1 2025. The unemployment rate for Saudi citizens rose to 6.8%, with a labour force participation rate of 49.2%. Notably, Saudi women faced a higher unemployment rate of 11.3%, while Saudi men saw an increase to 4.3%. The report highlighted that direct applications to employers were the most common job search method, used by 72.4% of job seekers.

Saudi Gazette

Zawya EN

HIRING

Moawen platform aims to streamline domestic worker recruitment

Qatar has launched the Moawen Platform to modernise its domestic recruitment sector. Her Excellency Sheikha Najwa bint Abdulrahman Al Thani, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Labour, introduced the digital system to enhance transparency and protect stakeholder rights. The platform allows recruitment offices to manage applications through a unified portal, enabling employers to select workers based on service quality. “Moawen represents a transformative step for Qatar's domestic recruitment sector,” said Sheikha Najwa. The pilot phase will test the platform's effectiveness and help recruitment offices adapt to its features.

The Peninsula

UAE introduces new visa categories

The UAE's Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) announced new entry visa regulations on September 29. These include four new visit visa categories for specialists in various fields, a humanitarian residence permit valid for one year, and a residence permit for foreign widows or divorcees. Additionally, a visit visa for friends or relatives and a business exploration visa have been introduced. The truck driver visa requires sponsorship and guarantees. The regulations also specify the duration of stay and conditions for each visa type.

Gulfnews.com

INTERNATIONAL

Senators question tech companies about H-1B visas, layoffs

Republican Senator Chuck Grassley and Senator Dick Durbin, a Democrat, have asked 10 major US employers including Amazon, Apple, Cognizant, Google, Meta and Microsoft, as well as Deloitte, JPMorgan Chase, Tata Consultancy Services and Walmart, to explain why they are hiring thousands of foreign workers on H-1B visas while cutting other jobs. The lawmakers asked the companies for detailed information on the number of H-1B workers they employ, the wages they are paid, and whether American workers have been displaced in the process. "With all of the homegrown American talent relegated to the sidelines, we find it hard to believe that Amazon cannot find qualified American tech workers to fill these positions," the senators wrote to Amazon chief executive Andy Jassy.

Wall Street Journal

General strike in Greece over 13-hour workday plans

Greece will experience a 24-hour general strike on Wednesday, as workers oppose the government's proposal for a 13-hour workday. Transport services in Athens will be disrupted, and there will be participation among teachers, hospital staff, and civil servants. The main private sector union, GSEE, argues that the reform threatens workers' health and personal life balance. The pro-communist union PAME labelled the proposal as "modern slavery." Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis defended the plan, saying it offers freedom of choice for employers and employees. Labour Minister Niki Kerameus said the measure is "exceptional" and will in no way be generalised. "It is a provision . . . valid for up to 37 days per year . . . only with the employee's consent and with a 40 percent increased pay," she told Mega TV.

France 24

French employers tracked to root out sick leave fraud

In France, private detectives are being hired to tail workers who are suspected of abusing their sick leave. Experts say fraudulent absenteeism has been rising alongside a 60% increase in sick leave since 2012 that now costs over €10bn annually. Reuters has spoken with five private detectives, who all say their fraudulent sick leave business is booming. Some have ditched their traditional pursuits, including the investigation of extra-marital affairs, to focus solely on employees suspected of skipping work.

Reuters

Bosch to cut 13,000 jobs in Germany

German industrial giant Bosch has announced it will cut 13,000 jobs, primarily in its automotive division, representing 10% of its workforce in Germany. The decision aims to achieve annual savings of €2.5bn in the car unit. Stefan Grosch, head of industrial relations at Bosch, said: "Demand for our products is shifting significantly to regions outside Europe." Workers' representatives condemned the cuts as "unprecedented." The local automotive sector faces challenges from fierce competition in China and a slow transition to electric vehicles.

France 24

The Local Germany

OTHER

Robot programmed to act like a seven-year-old girl

Robin is a therapeutic robot programmed to act like a seven-year-old girl as it travels around nursing homes and hospitals’ paediatric units providing emotional support while helping to combat staffing shortages. Five years after launching in the United States, Robin has become a familiar sight in 30 health care facilities in California, Massachusetts, New York and Indiana. “Nurses and medical staff are really overworked, under a lot of pressure, and unfortunately, a lot of times they don’t have capacity to provide engagement and connection to patients,” said Karen Khachikyan, chief executive of Expper Technologies, the company which developed the robot. “Robin helps to alleviate that part from them.”

ABC News

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