Where do the migrant workers in the Gulf originate from, and what sort of jobs do they do?
Most migrant labourers come to the Gulf from other countries in the Middle East, Africa, South and Southeast Asia. Men primarily from South Asia (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Afghanistan) work in the construction sector, and have supplied the manpower that has been necessary for the Gulf States to rapidly build up major real estate and infrastructure projects, such as The Palm and the Burj Dubai in the UAE. Tens of thousands of women are from countries as diverse as Sri Lanka, India, the Philippines, Ethiopia and Indonesia work as housemaids for local families. Others work in low-paid jobs in factories and as cleaners. In Saudi Arabia, migrants are regularly employed as drivers, since women are not legally allowed to drive.
