Restrictive labour immigration policies in the oil-rich gulf: Effectiveness and implications for sending Asian countries

The Gulf Cooperation Countries (GCC) are now pursuing more restrictive migration policies in order to increase the amount of nationals in the labor force, who, in some countries, make up as little as 24% of workers. These policies not only impact the receiving countries which create and implement them but also the countries of origin of migrants. The new policies in the gulf have had limited success as migrants are now choosing illegal, and more dangerous, means of entering the country, such as entering by boat or going through human traffickers. These migrants continue to risk the move because of the poverty and lack of economic opportunities in their home countries. Migrants are responsible for sending home remittances to their countries of origin in Asia, which are often the primary source of income in the country and are seen as a pivotal tool in poverty reduction.