Article at a glance:

Getting labor policy to work in the Gulf

• Job opportunities in the nonoil private sector of the six states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) are abundant, at least for low-skilled workers.
• Although the region has a rapidly expanding workforce of able-bodied nationals, foreign workers hold a large majority of the private-sector jobs in the GCC.
• The private sector's dependence on foreign labor has led to high unemployment among nationals, declining productivity, and a growing social malaise. The GCC's future economic prospects depend on the rapid reform of its labor market.