What Concepts Should Keep In Mind Before Moving To The Gulf Countries For Work?

The Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and others, are desirable destinations for multinationals and the global workforce. This region concentrates 22% of the world’s total oil reserves. It has also developed and modernized enormously during the past decades.

One of the most favorable aspects of the Gulf region is employment opportunities generated for people around the world. You can even find many recruitment agencies in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, for example, to get well-paid jobs there. So, before applying for a job, there are some factors you need to consider to convert this opportunity into a great success..

Concepts To Consider Before Moving To The Gulf Countries

Here are some key concepts related to the Gulf countries that should be considered before moving to those states for work.

Big Labor Market Filled With Majority Of The Expatriates

In recent years, the Gulf countries have implemented a system of education, transport, services, and superior technologies, attracting a workforce from other countries.

Qatar has invested in health research, and Saudi Arabia has developed an extensive hospital network. Saudi Arabia is currently focusing on its economy as a whole and wants to bring transformation to become the world leader.

Consequently, the Gulf economy is increasingly diversified, and the reality of these countries goes far beyond the stereotypes conveyed by the media. Growth has been so rapid that the Gulf States have had to rely heavily on expatriates, who constitute, on average, 70% of the working population. And around 95% of that population is in the United Arab Emirates.

Therefore, companies are necessarily multicultural. People from Pakistan, other Asian countries, Europe, and the USA, meet there. Indeed, the Gulf is one of the economic hubs of the world. So, the factor to consider is the high competition level for expatriates. You must have skills, knowledge, and experience to get well-paid employment.

Go Beyond Stereotypes To Fully Understand Culture

The tribal system, a form of “cheikhocracy”, permeates power relations in businesses throughout the Gulf. Families coming from ancient tribes run national companies. Multinationals are often forced to have a local representative or partner.

Furthermore, to dialogue with local actors, it is important to understand these countries' cultures, which also differ from one state to another. Cultural specificities are such that expatriates generally need to be accompanied by a local person during their exchanges with local partners.

Governments Seek To Promote Local Employment

States have made great efforts in education in the recent past. As a result, young people are now trained and educated. Despite the development, unemployment is hitting them hard.

For example, a third of those under 25 are unemployed in Saudi Arabia. Thus, governments are trying to contain the expatriates’ share to promote the employment of locals through quotas on crucial sectors and positions. The Saudi government has also implemented regulations to increase the proportion of locals in the private sector by 5% per year. The effects of these schemes are still limited, with many companies believing that locals are less qualified than foreigners like Pakistanis. So, this resistance would favor people from other countries.

The Diversity Issue Is Particularly Acute

Diversity needs to be managed one way or another. No business in the Gulf can do without it. Some organizations give rewards to expatriates who help their local colleagues develop their skills. In others, global agreements are signed to promote diversity.

The incredible diversity of these companies, which constitutes a considerable asset, also gives rise to many misunderstandings. Eliminating stereotypes and promoting communication and interaction between employees beyond nationalities is a crucial issue for companies in the Gulf.

And for the workforce, diversity also matters. You need to keep in mind that the Gulf is a region with great workforce diversity. So, you will have to work in this situation by accepting the diversity aspect of most companies.

Final Words

If you like this blog, we would like you to share it with your social circle to let others know about the Gulf and its labor environment.

Islamic Manpower Promoters, Pakistan’s leading manpower recruitment agency overseas, always strives to keep Pakistanis informed about the Gulf States. We often enlighten them about the Gulf if they have particular qualifications and skills and want jobs in the region. Contact us today!