The construction sector is the biggest employer in the UAE, with 1.5 million labourers accounting for about 34% of the country’s total employment, according to new government figures.

The other two biggest employers are the business and industrial sectors, with 1.05 million and 500,000 workers respectively, according to state news agency WAM.

Combined, the three sectors make up 70% of total employment in private-sector establishments registered with the Ministry of Labour.

Meanwhile, the health sector was found to be the fastest growing in terms of employment.

The UAE’s overall labour market has seen a 10% increase in the employment rate last year compared to 2013, a pace not seen in the UAE in 44 years, with the number of workers reaching a record high in 2014.

The Ministry of Labour issued about 1.2 million work permits last year, when the total number of labourers reached 4,417,000. Last year also saw the termination of jobs for about 821,000 workers, WAM reported.