The
UAE
has
one
of
the
lowest
unemployment
levels
in
the
world,
standing
at
only
2.4
per
cent
at
the
end
of
2001
as
a
result
of
high
growth
in
the
non-oil
economy
and
a
government
drive
to
find
jobs
for
citizens,
according
to
official
estimates.
The
country's
workforce
was
estimated
at
around
2.079
million
last
year,
of
which
nearly
2.029
million
were
employed,
the
Ministry
of
Planning
said
in
its
2002
annual
report.
This
means
around
50,000
people
were
jobless,
accounting
for
about
2.4
per
cent
of
the
total
labour
force
and
just
1.4
per
cent
of
the
3.48
million
population.
The
ministry
said
it
had
revised
its
figures
for
the
workforce
which
it
earlier
estimated
at
around
1.85
million
at
the
end
of
2001.
Experts
said
the
revision
was
apparently
prompted
by
drastic
changes
in
the
labour
market
as
thousands
of
expatriates
had
to
leave
because
of
new
labour
policies
while
a
large
number
of
nationals
are
taking
up
jobs
after
reaching
the
legal
job
age.
"Compared
to
other
developing
or
even
developed
countries,
the
UAE's
unemployment
rate
is
one
of
the
lowest
in
the
world,"
said
a
UAE
banker.
But
experts
noted
official
estimates
do
not
include
thousands
of
illegal
expatriate
residents
who
are
not
registered
with
the
Ministry
of
Labour
and
Social
Affairs.
Although
some
of
them
have
part
time
jobs
in
violation
of
labour
laws,
many
of
them
are
unemployed.
More
than
200,000
illegal
migrants,
mostly
Asians,
left
the
UAE
five
years
ago
to
benefit
from
a
general
amnesty
ordered
by
President
His
Highness
Sheikh
Zayed
bin
Sultan
Al
Nahyan
to
clean
up
the
country
from
immigration
violations
and
restore
discipline
in
the
job
market.
Another
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