Expat flow to Persian Gulf unlikely to grow in next 2 years

September 29, 2010 - 0:0
Migrants flow to Persian Gulf countries is unlikely to grow over the next two years but ongoing projects will help maintain employment for the existing expatriates in the region. Although a recovery in oil prices and a fiscal stimulus implemented by (P)GCC governments are likely to help maintain employment levels for existing migrants, new migration flows are unlikely to grow over the next two years. Therefore, remittances from the (P)GCC countries may remain stable, but they are unlikely to grow rapidly for a year or two, according to the latest World Bank report. The report also projected that substantial financial resources and long-term infrastructure development plans of the Persian Gulf countries imply that they will continue to demand migrant workers in the longer-term. It said deceleration in construction activities in the Persian Gulf countries may affect migrant-sending countries in East Asia and South Asia. The report said that risk to the Mena outlook is that weak job markets and persistently high rates of unemployment in the destination countries may lead to further tightening of immigration controls, especially for low-skilled migrants. Even with projections of economic recovery in the advanced economies, unemployment rates are projected to remain high during 2010 and 2011, with a “jobless” global recovery. (Source:emirates247.com)