ABU DHABI - Positive macroeconomic developments during the first and the second quarters of 2019 reflected on the UAE labor market as employment in the private sector increased by 1.0 percent in Q2 to 5.1 million compared to a rise of 0.1 percent in the previous quarter, according to figures released by the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates.

Data provided by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation show that employees in the private sector represented about 81.5 pc of total registered employees at the Ministry at the end of 2018 compared to 80.7 pc at the end of 2017.

Accordingly, the total private sector employment in the UAE at the end of Q2 of 2019 reached 5.1 million, of whom 26.9 pc are based in Abu Dhabi, 51.6 pc are in Dubai and around 21.5 pc in the Northern Regions.

On a Q-o-Q basis, employment grew by 0.5 pc in 2019 Q2 compared to a 1.2 pc increase in the previous quarter.

The rise in employment rate during Q2 was the result of the increase in the real estate sector and in other business platforms, which include the agricultural, mining, hotels and restaurants, financial intermediation, education and health.

The real estate sector and other platforms grew Y-o-Y in 2019 Q2 by 5.0 pc and 8.2 pc compared to a similar rise of 4.4 pc and 4.9 pc in the previous quarter, respectively.

Copyright Emirates News Agency (WAM) 2019.