In the current shaky but recovering Middle East job market, freelancing can open up a host of opportunities for professionals to earn supplementary income, or even as a primary source of income. But how lucrative is this option perceived to be for professionals in the Middle East and North Africa?

Bayt.com’s latest infographic is created from data obtained on the Bayt.com “State of the Freelance Market in the MENA Region” poll. The poll survey was collected online from May 2 – May 28, with 7,795 respondents covering the UAE, KSA, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, and Tunisia.

Highlights:

• Seven in 10 professionals in the Middle East and North Africa think that freelancing is a good option for those working in the region. [Tweet this]
• 69% of respondents say they would consider freelancing on a full-time basis
• 44% of respondents are connected to five or more professionals who work as freelancers
• 53% of respondents say their company outsources work to freelancers
• 30.4% of respondents say companies hire freelancers because it is considered to be a cheaper option than hiring a full-time employee

You can click on the image for a larger view.