The demand for foreign workers remains high in the Gulf region, despite regional political turmoil and the continuing global economic slowdown, said a study sponsored by Western Union.
“Despite the political uprisings and civil unrest in some parts of the Middle East and North Africa (Mena), the region is witnessing moderate growth, and in the Gulf countries there is an even stronger imperative to sustain economic growth and meet social needs,” said Jean-Claude Farah, Western Union’s senior vice-president for Mena. “We expect opportunities for international workers to remain strong and with that, remittance flows from host to home countries,”.
Drina Yue, managing director and senior vice-president, Asia-Pacific (Apac), explained the region has been a source of labour for Gulf countries, led by India, the Philippines, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Thailand and Nepal. “This study should instill greater confidence for global workers seeking employment,” said Yue.
The study also said economic forecasts for Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries were much better than those for the Mena as a whole.
