Employers in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region are planning to start recruiting members of staff in the wake of the downturn.

This is according to a study by YouGov Siraj, which found that 54 per cent of bosses polled said that they would "probably" or "definitely" hire people during the fourth quarter of 2010.

Among the nations surveyed, managers in Oman were most likely to be planning to expand their workforce, with the lowest levels of those expecting to boost employment in the next three months in Jordan and Egypt.

Graduates most in demand among employers in the Mena region included those with qualifications in business management, commerce and administration.

YouGov Siraj chief operating officer Sundip Chahal noted the Gulf region in particular "is growing as a global finance and commerce hub, and as such, graduates in these fields are likely to find it easier than others to find employment".

According to the World Bank, the Mena region covers around 20 countries with a total population of around 355 million individuals.

Posted by Kate Griffin