Labor

Blog Post content-type in which the post is published

Cracking the Glass Ceiling: Gulf Women in the Police

Saudi Arabia has recently announced decisions allowing women to apply for jobs in air traffic control, the traffic police, and the military, and to positions as investigators at the public prosecutor’s office. These decisions are made in line with Saudi Vision 2030, to increase women’s participation in the workforce from 22 to 30 percent.

Blog Post content-type in which the post is published

Saudi Economic Reform Update: Saudization and Expat Exodus

Saudization, or the reservation of certain jobs and sectors for Saudi nationals, is part of the government’s effort to transform its private sector.

Blog Post content-type in which the post is published

Easing Labor Market Restrictions in the Gulf

Labor markets in the Gulf Cooperation Council states are notoriously rigid: in their protection of nationals in public sector employment, in the preferential treatment of nationals in ownership structures of private firms, and in the tight regulation of foreign workers’ mobility.

Publications content-type in which the post is published

Women’s Labor Force Participation Across the GCC

This paper examines women’s integration in the labor force in the Gulf Arab states, paying special attention to differences in public and private sector employment, and national and migrant female labor participation.

Commentary content-type in which the post is published

UAE Labour Mobility Reforms Create Winners and Losers

In 2011, the UAE dramatically reformed its kafala system by allowing migrant workers with expiring contracts to change employers without the initial sponsor’s permission.

Blog Post content-type in which the post is published

Failing Gulf Megafirms Leave Workers Broke and Stranded

In August, reports of workers, many of them construction laborers from India and the Philippines, laid off from their jobs without pay and without access to food or a way home, shocked citizens and residents of the Gulf and outsiders alike.

Can the Middle East Help Make America Great Again?

As President-elect Trump returns to the White House, he will find a transformed Gulf region, brimming with confidence and initiative; the best way to tap this energy is to consult the region and take on board the regional perspectives.

Learn More

Support Us

Through its careful examination of the forces shaping the evolution of Gulf societies and the new generation of emerging leaders, AGSIW facilitates a richer understanding of the role the countries in this key geostrategic region can be expected to play in the 21st century.

Learn More