The hosting of various events in Dubai, including technology, real estate, and hotel exhibitions, has led to an upswing in the use of contract workers, reports emirates247.com. Companies in the UAE are also looking to hire staff to manage projects and keep up with seasonal spikes in demand.

According to staffing company TASC, contract staffing has witnessed a year-on-year increase in the UAE of between +15% and +20%.

The strongest growth in contract hiring has been in the government sector, telecommunications & IT, large retail companies, and the oil & gas sector.

According to TASC, these have been the first to embrace contract staffing and are amongst the most proactive sectors to embrace the trend: “The highest demand for contract staff is for IT personnel, call centre employees, retail promoters including short-term promoters during events or peak seasons, office admin staff, and experienced oil & gas project managers.”

“The verticals that are still lagging but could benefit from flexible staffing, include engineering, trading companies, and the SME sector,” the firm added.

Contract staffing is picking up in the country albeit at a slower rate because of misconceptions among employers that keep them wary of the legalities and illegalities of this kind of talent.

Mahesh Shahdadpuri, CEO and Managing Director of TASC, explained: “In some instances, there is a lack of awareness of the benefits, along with a misconception that it is illegal to hire external staff that are not on their visas. There are businesses that genuinely need this but they are not necessarily clear about the regulatory framework.”

Even part-time jobs are considered illegal by many in the country. However, this is not the case. Since 2010, the UAE’s Labour Law has provisions that allow workers to opt for a part-time job along with a full-time one.

If certain conditions are met, a person who is already employed by an entity may legally work for another employer.