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Migration to the Gulf: Policies in Sending and Receiving Countries

Type: Book - 2018

edited by Philippe Fargues, Nasra M. Shah

Skilful Survival: Irregular Migration to the Gulf

Type: Book - 2017

edited by Philippe Fargues, Nasra M. Shah

The Regulation of Platform Work and Labour Hire Companies for Migrant Workers in the Gulf Council Cooperation Countries – a New Challenge or an Old Problem?

Type: Explanatory Note - GLMM - EN - No. 4 / 2024

by Sophia Kagan and Ryszard Cholewinski

What is the Nature of the Employment Challenge in the GCC Countries?

Type: Explanatory Note - GLMM - EN - No. 3 / 2024

by Wasseem Mina

Reforms without Rights: The GCC states’ blinkered view of labour reforms

Type: Explanatory Note - GLMM - EN - No. 2 / 2024

by Rima Kalush and Vani Saraswathi

Aspirations and Strategies to Remain in Saudi Arabia: the Case of Middle-Class South Asians

Type: Explanatory Note - GLMM - EN - No. 1/2023

by Areej Jamal

Numbers Increasing, Dependency Decreasing: The GCC Changing Labor Immigration Emphasis

Type: Explanatory Note - GLMM - EN - No. 1/2024

by Onn Winckler

Layers of Segmentation in GCCs Labour Markets: How Well do Migrant Women Fare?

Type: Explanatory Note -

by Usamah F. Alfarhan

Reforming the sponsorship system in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries: Opportunities and challenges as a result of COVID-19 and the fiscal crisis

Type: Explanatory Note - GLMM - EN - No. 1/2022

Keywords: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sponsorship, UAE

by Sophia Kagan and Ryszard Cholewinski*

The Legal Framework of the Sponsorship Systems of the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries: A Comparative Examination

Type: Explanatory Note - GLMM - EN - No. 4/2019

Keywords: Bahrain, Foreign Labour, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sponsorship, UAE

by Maysa Zahra

Demography, Migration, and the Labour Market in Kuwait

Type: Explanatory Note - GLMM - EN - No. 3/2019

Keywords: Amnesty, Deportation, Egypt, Ethiopia, Foreign Labour, Foreign Population, India, Irregular Migration, Kuwait, Kuwaitisation, Migration Policy, National Population, Refugees, Statelessness, Statistics, Syria

by Françoise De Bel-Air

Oman’s Legal Framework of Migration

Type: Explanatory Note - GLMM - EN - No. 2/2019

Keywords: Citizenship, Irregularity, Labour Rights, Laws and Regulations, Migration, Oman, Sponsorship, Trafficking

by Maysa Zahra

Demography, Migration, and the Labour Market in Bahrain

Type: Explanatory Note - GLMM - EN - No. 1/2019

Keywords: Bahrain, Foreign and National Populations, Foreign Population, Labour Market, National and Foreign Labour, Naturalisation, Policy, Politics, Sponsorship

by Françoise De Bel-Air

Demography, Migration, and the Labour Market in Oman

Type: Explanatory Note - GLMM - EN - No. 7/2018

Keywords: Citizenship, Irregularity, Kuwait, Labour Rights, Laws and Regulations, Migration, Sponsorship, Trafficking

by Françoise De Bel-Air

Kuwait’s Legal Framework of Migration

Type: Explanatory Note - GLMM - EN - No. 6/2018

Keywords: Citizenship, Irregularity, Kuwait, Labour Rights, Laws and Regulations, Migration, Sponsorship, Trafficking

by Maysa Zahra

Demography, Migration and Labour Market in Saudi Arabia

Type: Explanatory Note - GLMM - EN - No. 5/2018

Keywords: Amnesty, Citizenship, Deportation, Foreign Population, Irregularity, Migration Policy, National Population, Nationals and Foreign Labour, Saudi Arabia, Saudisation, Statistics

by Françoise De Bel-Air

Qatar’s Legal Framework of Migration

Type: Explanatory Note - GLMM - EN - No. 4/2018

Keywords: Citizenship, Irregularity, Labour Rights, Laws and Regulations, Migration, Qatar, Sponsorship, Trafficking

by Maysa Zahra

Saudi Arabia’s Legal Framework of Migration

Type: Explanatory Note - GLMM - EN - No. 3/2018

Keywords: Citizenship, Irregularity, Labour Rights, Laws and Regulations, Migration, Saudi Arabia, Sponsorship, Trafficking

by Maysa Zahra

Bahrain’s Legal Framework of Migration

Type: Explanatory Note - GLMM - EN - No. 2/2018

Keywords: Bahrain, Citizenship, Irregularity, Labour Rights, Laws and Regulations, Migration, Sponsorship, Trafficking

by Maysa Zahra

Demography, Migration, and the Labour Market in the UAE

Type: Explanatory Note - GLMM - EN - No. 1/2018

Keywords: Family Reuni cation, Foreign Population, Human Rights, Identity, Migration Policy, National Population, Nationals and Foreign Labour, Second Generation, Statistics, United Arab Emirates, Work Conditions

by Françoise De Bel-Air

Possible Impact of Saudi Women Driving on Female Employment and Reliance on Foreign Workers

Type: Explanatory Note - GLMM - EN - No. 4/2017

Keywords: Domestic Workers, Female Employment, Laws & Regulations, National & Foreign Labour, Policy, Recruitment, Saudi Arabia

by Françoise De Bel-Air,Nasra M. Shah,Philippe Fargues,Usamah Alfarhan

Demography, Migration, and the Labour Market in Qatar

Type: Explanatory Note - GLMM - EN - No. 3/2017

Keywords: Family Reunification, Foreign Population, Human Rights, labour camp, Migration Policy, National Population, Nationals and Foreign Labour, Qatar, Second Generation, Sponsorship, Statistics

by Françoise De Bel-Air

United Arab Emirates’ Legal Framework of Migration

Type: Explanatory Note - GLMM - EN - No. 2/2017

Keywords: Citizenship, Irregularity, Labour Rights, Laws and Regulations, Migration, Sponsorship, Trafficking, UAE

by Maysa Zahra

Dangers of Using Aggregated Data for Understanding Socio-Demographic Realities of the Gulf Region

Type: Explanatory Note - GLMM - EN - No. 1/2017

Keywords: Bahrain, Foreign Labour, Foreign Population, Kuwait, National Labour, National Population, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Statistics, Total Fertility Rate, United Arab Emirates

by Nasra M. Shah

Qatar’s Legal Framework of Migration

Type: Explanatory Note - GLMM - EN - No. 2/2016

Keywords: Citizenship, Irregularity, Labour Rights, Laws and Regulations, Migration, Qatar, Sponsorship, Trafficking

by Maysa Zahra

Taxing Remittances: Consequences for Migrant Labour Populations in the GCC Countries

Type: Explanatory Note - GLMM - EN - No. 1/2016

Keywords: Bahrain, Foreign Labour, Kuwait, Oman, Policy, Qatar, Remittances, Saudi Arabia, Taxation, United Arab Emirates

by Froilan Malit, Jr. and George Naufal

A Note on Syrian Refugees in the Gulf: Attempting to Assess Data and Policies

Type: Explanatory Note - GLMM - EN - No. 11/2015

Keywords: Bahrain, Deportation, Family Reunification, Kuwait, Laws & Regulations, Oman, Politics, Qatar, Refugees, Saudi Arabia, Syria, United Arab Emirates

by Françoise De Bel-Air

The Legal Framework of the Sponsorship Systems of the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries: a Comparative Examination

Type: Explanatory Note - GLMM - EN - No. 10/2015

Keywords: Bahrain, Foreign Labour, Kuwait; Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sponsorship, United Arab Emirates

by Maysa Zahra

Demography, Migration, and the Labour Market in Oman

Type: Explanatory Note - GLMM - EN - No. 9/2015

Keywords: Amnesty, Deportation, Foreign & National Populations, Foreign Population, Irregular Migration, Labour Market, National & Foreign Labour, Oman, Omanisation, Statistics

by Françoise De Bel-Air

Oman’s Legal Framework of Migration

Type: Explanatory Note - GLMM - EN - No. 8/2015

Keywords: Citizenship, Irregular Migration, Labour Rights, Laws & Regulations, Oman, Sponsorship, Trafficking

by Maysa Zahra

Demography, Migration, and the Labour Market in the UAE

Type: Explanatory Note - GLMM - EN - No. 7/2015

Keywords: Family Reunification, Foreign Population, Human Rights, Migration Policy, National & Foreign Labour, National Population, Second Generation, Statistics, United Arab Emirates

by Françoise De Bel-Air

Demography, Migration, and the Labour Market in Bahrain

Type: Explanatory Note - GLMM - EN - No. 6/2015

Keywords: Bahrain, Foreign & National Populations, Foreign Population, Labour Market, National & Foreign Labour, Naturalisation, Policy, Politics, Sponsorship

by Françoise De Bel-Air

United Arab Emirates’ Legal Framework of Migration

Type: Explanatory Note - GLMM - EN - No. 5/2015

Keywords: Citizenship, Irregular Migration, Labour Rights, Laws & Regulations, Sponsorship, Trafficking

by Maysa Zahra

Evaluating Financial Literacy training for Migrant Workers in the Gulf

Type: Explanatory Note - GLMM - EN - No. 4/2015

Keywords: Asia, Education, Gulf Cooperation Council, India, Low-skilled Labour, Qatar, Remittances

by Ganesh K. Seshan

The Socio- political Background and Stakes of ‘Saudizing’ the Workforce in Saudi arabia: the Nitaqat policy

Type: Explanatory Note - GLMM - EN - No. 03/2015

Keywords: Amnesty, Citizenship, Deportation, Foreign Population, Irregular Migration, National & Foreign Labour, National Population, Policy, Saudi Arabia, Saudisation, Statistics, Unemployment

by Françoise De Bel-Air

Current progress in the Nationalisation programmes in Saudi arabia

Type: Explanatory Note - GLMM - EN - No. 02/2015

Keywords: National & Foreign Labour, National Labour, Nationalisation Work Force, Saudisation, Unemployment

by Hend M. Alsheikh

Bahrain’s Legal Framework of Migration

Type: Explanatory Note - GLMM - EN - No. 01/2015

Keywords: Bahrain, Citizenship, Irregular Migration, Labour Rights, Laws & Regulations, Sponsorship, Trafficking

by Maysa Zahra

Ethnography, Anthropology and Migration to the Arabian Peninsula: Themes from an Ethnographic Research Trajectory

Type: Explanatory Note - GLMM - EN - No. 10/2014

Keywords: Arab countries, Foreign Labour, Low-skilled Labour, Sponsorship, Trafficking

by Andrew M. Gardner

Recent Amnesty Programmes for Irregular Migrants in Kuwait and Saudi arabia: Some Successes and Failures

Type: Explanatory Note - GLMM - EN - No. 9/2014

Keywords: Amnesty, Irregular Migration, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia

by Nasra M. Shah

Demography, Migration, and Labour Market in Qatar

Type: Explanatory Note - GLMM - EN - No. 8/2014

Keywords: Family Reunification, Foreign Population, Human Rights, Labour Gathering, National & Foreign Labour, National Population, Qatar, Second Generation, Sponsorship, Statistics

by Françoise De Bel-Air

The Legal Framework of the Sponsorship Systems of Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait: a Comparative Examination

Type: Explanatory Note - GLMM - EN - No. 7/2014

Keywords: Foreign Labour, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sponsorship

by Maysa Zahra

Saudi Arabian Investor Class Visas: An Overview

Type: Explanatory Note - GLMM - EN - No. 6/2014

Keywords: Employer, Highly-Skilled Labour, Laws & Regulations, National & Foreign Labour, Saudi Arabia

by Arwa Aulaqi

The Story of Remittance Flows from the GCC Countries

Type: Explanatory Note - GLMM - EN - No. 5/2014

Keywords: Foreign Population, Gulf Cooperation Council, Labour Market, National & Foreign Labour, Nationalisation Work Force, Publications, Remittances, Statistics

by George S. Naufal, Ismail H. Genc

Essential yet Invisible: Migrant Domestic Workers in the GCC

Type: Explanatory Note - GLMM - EN - No.4/2014

Keywords: Domestic Workers, Female Employment, Laws & Regulations, Policy, Recruitment, Work Conditions

by Bina Fernandez

Arab Gulf States: Recruitment of Asian Workers

Type: Explanatory Note - GLMM - EN - No.3/2014

Keywords: Foreign Labour, Human Rights, Labour Market, Labour Rights, Laws & Regulations, Low-skilled Labour, Qatar, Recruitment, Trafficking, Visas & Fees

by Ray Jureidini

Data Discrepancies between the Census and Civil Registration Systems in Kuwait: Reasons, Implications and Solutions

Type: Explanatory Note - GLMM - EN - No.2/2014

Keywords: Foreign Population, Kuwait, National Population, Statelessness, Statistics

by Nasra M. Shah

Demography, Migration and Labour Market in Saudi Arabia

Type: Explanatory Note - GLMM - EN - No.1/2014

Keywords: Amnesty, Citizenship, Deportation, Foreign Population, Irregular Migration, National & Foreign Labour, National Population, Saudi Arabia, Saudisation, Statistics

by Françoise De Bel-Air

Saudi Arabia’s Legal Framework of Migration

Type: Explanatory Note - GLMM - EN - No.4/2013

Keywords: Citizenship, Irregular Migration, Labour Rights, Laws & Regulations, Saudi Arabia, Sponsorship, Trafficking

by Maysa Zahra

Kuwait’s Legal Framework of Migration

Type: Explanatory Note - GLMM - EN - No.3/2013

Keywords: Citizenship, Irregular Migration, Kuwait, Labour Rights, Laws & Regulations, Sponsorship, Trafficking

by Maysa Zahra

Qatar’s Legal Framework of Migration

Type: Explanatory Note - GLMM - EN - No.2/2013

Keywords: Citizenship, Irregular Migration, Labour Rights, Laws & Regulations, Qatar, Sponsorship, Trafficking

by Maysa Zahra

The Demographic and Economic Framework of Migration in Kuwait

Type: Explanatory Note - GLMM - EN - No.1/2013

Keywords: Foreign Labour, Foreign Population, Kuwait, National Population, Policy, Statelessness, Statistics

by Françoise De Bel-Air

National and Foreign Populations in GCC Countries

Type: Factsheets - GLMM - EN - No. 13 / 2025

by Françoise De Bel-Air

Towards a Knowledge-based Labour Market in Saudi Arabia?

Type: Factsheets - GLMM - EN - No. 10/2024

by Françoise De Bel-Air

International Science Faculty in Saudi Arabia Research Experiences and Challenges

Type: Policy Brief - GLMM - PB - No. 22/2025

by Anju Mary Paul, Kurt W. Kuehne, Kareem El-Rafei and Bedoor AlShebli

The Global Competition for Talent How does Saudi Arabia Compare with Gulf and Global Peers?

Type: Policy Brief - GLMM - PB - No. 21/2025

by Justin Alexander

A View from South Asia Countries of Origin Changing Contexts, Perceptions, and Policies Towards Migrating to Saudi Arabia

Type: Policy Brief - GLMM - PB - No. 23/2025

by Bilesha Weeraratne

High-Skilled Employment and Vision 2030: How Education and Training for Saudi Youth Align with Saudi Labour Market Demands

Type: Policy Brief - GLMM - PB - No. 20/2025

by Moneerah AlMahmoud

Adapting to Change The Potential Impact of Technology and Demography on the Saudi Labour Market

Type: Policy Brief - GLMM - PB - No. 19/2025

by Sylvain Cote

Future Skills Needed and Profiles of Workers Ways to Maximise Productivity of Labour

Type: Policy Brief - GLMM - PB - No. 18/2025

by Mehmet A. Soytas

India as A Prime Country of Origin for Highly Skilled Migration to the Gulf. Perspectives of a Paradigm Shift in Indian Immigration of Talent to UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar

Type: Policy Brief - GLMM - PB - No. 17/2025

by Binod Khadria

Qatar’s Policy Landscape and its Impact on Highly Skilled Migration

Type: Policy Brief - GLMM - PB - No. 10 / 2025

by Ameena Almeer, Misba Bhatti, Zahra Babar

Assets on the Move: Highly Skilled Migration from the Philippines to the Gulf

Type: Policy Brief - Policy Brief - GLMM - PB - No. 16/2025

by Jorge Tigno and Geoffrey M. Ducanes

Trends, Patterns, and Policies Regarding Highly Skilled Migrant Workers from Pakistan to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE

Type: Policy Brief - Policy Brief - GLMM - PB - No. 15/2025

by Nasra M. Shah and Memoona Qazi

Highly Skilled Migration from Egypt to the Gulf States

Type: Policy Brief - Policy Brief - GLMM - PB - No. 14/2025

by Dina Abdel Fattah

Highly Skilled Migration from Tunisia to Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar. Trends, Drivers and Policies

Type: Policy Brief - GLMM - PB - No. 13/2025

by Ali Belhaj

From Laissez-Faire to A Centralised State Approach? A Critical Policy Analysis of the UAE’s Attraction and Retention Approach Towards High-Skilled Migration in the Post-COVID-19 Era

Type: Policy Brief - GLMM - PB - No. 11/2025

by Froilan Malit, Jr

Attracting and Retaining Highly Skilled Migrants in Saudi Arabia’s Transformation Journey

Type: Policy Brief - GLMM - PB - No. 12/2025

by Yusra Al Shanqityi

GCC Remittance Flows: Resiliency During Rough Seas

Type: Policy Brief - GLMM - PB - No. 9/2024

by Georges Naufal

Long-Term Residence: GCC Countries Making a Shift Toward Inclusive Social Policies

Type: Policy Brief - GLMM - PB - No. 8/2024

by Magdalena Karolak

Interregional Consultative Migration Dialogues and the Abu Dhabi Dialogue in the GCC-Asia Migration Corridor

Type: Policy Brief - GLMM - PB - No. 7/2024

by Froilan Malit

UAE as a Center of Innovation: Towards Attracting Global Talent

Type: Policy Brief - GLMM - PB - No. 5/2023

by Magdalena Karolak

The Power of Micro-Level Data: Improving Precision in GCC Policy Design

Type: Policy Brief - GLMM - PB - No. 6/2023

by Georges Naufal

Indians in the Gulf: The Migration Question and the Way Forward

Type: Policy Brief - GLMM - PB - No. 4/2023

by Irudaya S. Rajan & Divya Balan

Major Innovations in the Saudi Census 2022

Type: Policy Brief - GLMM - PB - No. 3/2023

by Françoise De Bel-Air

Migration and Climate Change: The Case of the GCC Countries

Type: Policy Brief - GLMM - PB - No. 2/2023

by Georges Naufal

Migratory Flows of Russian-speaking Populations to the UAE

Type: Policy Brief - GLMM - PB - No.1/2023

by Magdalena Karolak

Empowering Women and Fostering Fertility: Two Conflicting Policy Goals in Qatar?

Type: Policy Brief - GLMM - PB - No. 1/2019

by Philippe Fargues

Addressing Irregular Migration in the Gulf States

Type: Policy Brief - GLMM Policy Brief - No. 1/2015

Keywords: Amnesty, Deportation, Foreign Population, Irregular Migration, Kuwait

by Philippe Fargues, Françoise De Bel-Air, Nasra M. Shah

Measuring the impact of Covid-19 on migrant workers in the GCC and Jordan

Type: Research Paper - No. 1 - 2023

Keywords: Africa, Arab countries, Asia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Cameroon, Deportation, Domestic Workers, Egypt, Employment, Ethiopia, Foreign & National Populations, India, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Laws & Regulations, Living Conditions, Low-skilled Labour, Migration Policy, National & Foreign Labour, Nationalisation Work Force, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, Qatar, Residence Conditions, Return to Country of Origin, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Statistics, Syria, Tanzania, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Work Conditions

by Françoise De Bel-Air

Fertility Levels, Trends, and Differentials Among Kuwaiti Nationals

Type: Research Paper -

Keywords: Fertility, Kuwait, National Population

by Nasra M. Shah and Philippe Fargues

Fertility of Nationals in Qatar – Its Levels, Trends and Differentials in the Early 21st Century

Type: Research Paper -

by Philippe Fargues,Noof Abdulhadi Al-Rakeb

Literature Survey and Bibliography on Fertility in Qatar and the GCC

Type: Research Paper -

by Jihan Safar

Fertility in Qatar and in Other GCC States: Some Elements of Comparison

Type: Research Paper -

by Françoise De Bel-Air

Working and Living Conditions of Low-Income Migrant Workers in the Hospitality and Construction Sectors in the United Arab Emirates

Type: Research Paper - GLMM - RR - No. 2/2019

by Philippe Fargues, Nasra M. Shah, Imco Brouwer

Working and Living conditions of Low-Income Migrant Workers in the hospitality and construction Sectors in Qatar

Type: Research Paper - GLMM - RR - No. 1/2019

by Philippe Fargues, Nasra M. Shah, Imco Brouwer

Wage Protection Systems and Programmes in the GCC

Type: Research Paper - GLMM - RR - No. 1/2017

Keywords: Foreign Labour, Labour Rights, Law and Regulations, Policy, Work Conditions

by Ray Jureidini

Arab Gulf States: An Assessment of Nationalisation Policies

Type: Research Paper - GLMM - RP - No. 1/2014

Keywords: Bahrain, Employment, Foreign & National Populations, Foreign Labour, Gulf Cooperation Council, Irregular Migration, Kuwait, Labour Market, Labour Rights, National Labour, Nationalisation Work Force, Policy, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sponsorship, Unemployment, United Arab Emirates, Visas & Fees, Work Conditions

by Steffen Hertog

Highly Skilled Migration to Saudi Arabia: Labour Policy Reforms and the Global Competition for Talents

Type: Webinar Summaries - Webinar - No. 2 / 2025

by

Aging in the Gulf Countries and Implications for Migration to the Region Webinar Summary and Key Outcomes

Type: Webinar Summaries - Webinar 5 - 9 December 2024

by

Gulf Research Center’s Meeting Investigates the Future of Labour and Migration to Saudi Arabia and the Gulf

Type: Workshop Summaries - Workshop Riyadh - 1-2 December 2024

by