It's true that the worldwide economic crisis has affected numerous industries, including construction, where companies in various countries have had to cut down on the number of employees they are hiring and retaining. However, certain areas of the world, particularly the Middle East, remain viable options for those who are looking for construction jobs abroad.
According to research undertaken by the Kuwait National Bank, ongoing and planned development projects in GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries -- i.e., the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia -- indicate that jobs will continue to be generated in the years to come. And while the recession has had a big impact on the construction, financial, and information technology industries in the UAE, the job market remains vibrant due to the value of those planned or ongoing projects.
In fact, according to the Kuwait National Bank's study, the aggregate value of those projects is approximately USD 2.1 trillion at the close of the second quarter of 2009. Moreover, the growth of development projects has been promising, at the rate of about 50 percent per annum.
Another promising study, this time conducted by Mercer, showed that approximately 73 percent of companies in the GCC region plan to increase their growth in 2009. One of the ways they aim to do this is by adding to their employee numbers. This "future" trend certainly seems to be true even now. Just browse through the web sites of international recruitment agencies and you will see plenty of job vacancies in the UAE and elsewhere in the GCC.
The region is a popular destination among top-notch expatriate workers in the building industry and other industries for many reasons: no income tax, the progressive yet culturally-rich environment, the diversity of people, etc. It can be an excellent career move for those seeking to work in construction jobs abroad
