Workforce on the rise in Qatar

The number of workers rose to 1.265mn from 1.172mn in Qatar in 2008

The number of economically-active people in Qatar continued to rise in 2009 by more than 5% to 1.265mn, although the pace had slowed down slightly compared to 2008, according to fresh data released by the Qatar Statistics Authority (QSA) yesterday.

Qatar’s total workforce (calculated on the basis of people aged 15 years and above) in 2008 was 1.172mn, a figure that shot up from a distant 832,000 in 2007.

“The result of the Labour Force Sample Survey 2009 has no surprises, considering the continued growth Qatar has been witnessing,”

QSA acting chairman Sheikh Hamad bin Jabor bin Jassim al-Thani told Gulf Times. According to him, 2009 witnessed a rapid change in population, size and quality of the labour force as economic and social development projects moved forward unhindered.

The figure of 1.265mn workers in Qatar made the ratio of economically-active population to the total population as 87.7% (1.44mn).

Unemployment rate for those of work age was 0.3% (males 0.1%, females 1.9%, Qataris 2.3%, Qatari males 1.6% and Qatari females 3.4%). Industry-wise, a whopping 44% were employed in construction, while the “mining & manufacturing” category followed with 14%.

The rest of the employees’ distribution was 11% (trade), 8% (other activities), 6% (education, health and community services and domestic services, each), 5% (transportation, storage and communications, and public administration, each) and 1% (financial intermediaries). Sector-wise, 70.8% Qataris worked in government departments (in addition to 3.4% non-Qataris), 15.9% in semi-government institutions and authorities (4% non-Qataris), 8.6% in “mixed” category (2.8% non-Qataris) and 4.7% in the private sector, largely employing non-Qataris at 82.9%.

Municipality-wise, the economic and trade hub Doha had 52% of the workforce, followed by Rayyan with 22%.

Qatar has a total of seven municipalities.

The others (in descending order) were Al Khor hosting 14% of workforce, Wakrah 7%, Umm Salal and Da’ayan 2% each and Shammal 1%.

Women’s participation rate in labour force (15years+) in 2009 was 49.1% of total female residents in the country, while the rate among Qatari women was 36.1%.

The age group of 25 to 34 had the highest participation rate in total labour force of Qatar, reaching 93.6%.

Employers made up 0.3% of the total labour force with employees making up 99.6% and businessmen totalling 0.1%.

Among those employed, 30.1% worked as “craft and related trade workers” while 20.8% were categorised as “elementary workers”.

“Plant and machine operators and assemblers” made up 13.2%, as professionals totalled 9.4%, service workers and sales force 8.9%, clerks 7.3%, technicians and associate professionals 6.3%, legislators and associate professionals 3.1% and skilled agricultural/ fishery workers 0.9%.