The
UAE has one of the lowest unemployment levels in the
world, standing at only 2.4 per cent at the end of 2001
as a result of high growth in the non-oil economy and
a government drive to find jobs for citizens, according
to official estimates.
The
country's workforce was estimated at around 2.079
million last year, of which nearly 2.029 million were
employed, the Ministry of Planning said in its 2002
annual report.
This
means around 50,000 people were jobless, accounting
for about 2.4 per cent of the total labour force and
just 1.4 per cent of the 3.48 million population.
The
ministry said it had revised its figures for the workforce
which it earlier estimated at around 1.85 million
at the end of 2001.
Experts
said the revision was apparently prompted by drastic
changes in the labour market as thousands of expatriates
had to leave because of new labour policies while
a large number of nationals are taking up jobs after
reaching the legal job age.

"Compared
to other developing or even developed countries, the
UAE's unemployment rate is one of the lowest in the
world," said a UAE banker.
But
experts noted official estimates do not include thousands
of illegal expatriate residents who are not registered
with the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs. Although
some of them have part time jobs in violation of labour
laws, many of them are unemployed.
More
than 200,000 illegal migrants, mostly Asians, left
the UAE five years ago to benefit from a general amnesty
ordered by President His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin
Sultan Al Nahyan to clean up the country from immigration
violations and restore discipline in the job market.
Another spardon is expected to be announced in the
next few weeks.
Although
actual unemployment rates might be higher, the UAE
does not have a real joblessness given its strong
economy and a serious government campaign to employ
nationals through the creation of new jobs in the
public and private sectors and replacement of expatriate
workers.
Economists
said they saw no hurdles for such a campaign as the
non-oil economy is growing by at least four per cent,
which is faster than the population growth.
"This
means the UAE can cope with the population growth
and at the same time maintain its high per capita
income which has eroded sharply in other countries
in the region," an expert said.
A
breakdown by the Ministry of Planning showed the UAE
has never suffered from a severe unemployment problem,
with the rate standing at only 1.9 per cent in 1975.
It
fluctuated in the following years but remained in
the range of one to three per cent.
The
level is expected to be maintained in the following
years as the government's new labour policies focus
on employment of nationals and deportation of unnecessary
and unqualified foreign workers.
The
private sector will likely play a major role in the
employment of citizens given its massive potential
and the fact that the public sector is saturated and
is not growing enough to accommodate large numbers
of new jobs.
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