The changing status of Arab migrant workers in the GCC

Abstract EN

The oil-generated economies of the Gulf countries have necessitated the influx of guest workers, which is now a permanent part of the infrastructure of society.

The early waves of immigrant workers from the nearby Arab countries, who were initially sought as a good cultural and religious fit to the societies of the Gulf region, have been outweighed by workers now sought from South Asia.

This study analyses both the political and economic reasons for the shift in policy in seeking South Asians over foreign Arabs as guest workers.