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Dubai: The emiratisation of professions is aimed at breaking the labour market segmentation which is the main cause of unemployment in the UAE, said a Tanmia official. According to a study by the National Human Resources Development and Employment Authority, Tanmia, the main cause of unemployment in GCC countries is labour market segmentation. The paper highlights the concentration of nationals in the public sector and an abundance of foreign workers in low-paid jobs in the private sector. Ayesh Al Barghouthi, Director, Employment and Skills Development Centre at Tanmia, said the study confirmed the importance of emiratisation policies set by the authority.
The paper suggested measures to reduce segmentation in the labour market, lift restrictions on the mobility of both foreign and national workers, enhance the productivity of nationals and strengthen links between education systems and the labour market. "We're trying to create a wide variety of jobs for UAE nationals by training and developing their skills." Al Barghouthi added measures taken by Tanmia had encouraged companies to restructure to accommodate the needs of nationals. The paper also proposes abandoning previous policies set to overcome unemployment as they encouraged "paper emiratisation." Another finding showed unemployment was five times higher in low-income households than wealthier ones, which Tanmia says contradicts the belief that unemployment among nationals is voluntary. The paper concludes efforts to overcome unemployment in the GCC must include an assessment of its causes.
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