Today there was an article in Arab Times related to what I posted the other day on the fact that I heard expats will be limited to staying in Kuwait for only 6 years. I am glad the majority of people think this is a stupid idea. Here is the link to the Arab Times article or click on more to read it here.
GCC plan on limiting expats stay to 6 years surprises businessmen; ‘Private sector will be hit’
KUWAIT CITY: Businessmen and economists in GCC countries were taken by surprise when the GCC ministers of Social Affairs and Labor tabled a proposal to limit the maximum stay of expatriates in their countries to six years. Some businessmen said the recommendation is unstudied while others said the ministers were looking at the security of their countries at the expense of the economy. The first official reaction came from the CEO of the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry Ahmad Nijm who said this proposal, if approved, will amount to losses and will damage the private sector. One of the reasons the GCC Labor ministers have come up with the proposal according to Nijm, is because the GCC states fear international organizations and human rights organizations might pressurize the GCC states to grant citizenship to expatriates who have served their countries for a long time.
Nijm said Western countries employ foreigners for several years and nobody interferes in their affairs. As an example, he cited the case of Mohammad Al-Fayed, a prominent Egyptian businessman who has been running a business enterprise in the United Kingdom for 25 years, but could not obtain the British nationality. Nijm added expatriate workers have been playing a vital role in the development of the GCC states and their role is indispensable due to lack of skilled national manpower in GCC states. Nijm wondered if the GCC states can easily replace skilled workers who have acquired the expertise during their long stay in our countries. Nijm, however, also looked at the positive side of the proposal with relation to the demographic aspect if these expatriates were given citizenship of the country where they work.
He pointed out the GCC states will have to shell out a lot of their money if they were to provide various services to 14 million strong expatriate work force, in addition to having to cope up with different cultures and languages. Bahraini Minister of Labor, Dr Majeed bin Mohsen Al-Alawi, warned against granting citizenship to expatriate workers saying it will affect the demographic structure and have a negative effect on the economic, social, political and security sectors in the long and short term.
By Ashraf Ajmi – Special to the Arab Times
9 replies on “Limiting expats stay to 6 years will hurt economy”
again this will not be implemented any time soon. and even if it does its aimed at unskilled labor. total BS
i can’t belive they could do something like that , mostly it would be full of holes more than swiss cheese
i don’t think NBK are ready to let Dabdoob go
I said it before and I will say it again, this idea is just stupid. Gulf countries depend on expats in a crazy way. this won’t help them.
it’s nonesense!
what about people living for generations?
c’mon!
Kuwait, Qatar & UAE expats are more than 50% of the population …
are they planning for an exodus?!
what a TAKH-6ee6!
forzaq8 : NBK’s dabdoob has been granted kuwaiti citizenship…he is a kuwaiti national now
Baaa-it’s time to cut the umbilicaaal cord!
Baaa!
we had the maid for over 20 years. i dont want her to leave us..
I tried commenting on Arab News and they did not publish it. Part of the known restriction on freedom of speech there.. I lived all my life in KSA and I saw this coming. While other civilized countries make rules easier and easier for foreign people. These guys just get their pleasure by harassing the very people who built thie countries. It’s a shame. GCC nationals cant even wipe “u know what” without foriegn people. Nuff said.
1) Saudi, granting citizenship in accordance to profession and contribution to development of country , a wise decision which will benefit in forth coming future
2) Religion and ISLAM is of tolerance for all colors background and other religions and only GOD will decide fate of MAN not MAN HIMSELF , like all religion it is manipulated different people choose to take what suits them , lazy steal wealth , but are religious , others want to destroy gods name by committing acts of violence /killings in the name of good , others want to pretend they are divine with gods words, in fact bottom line all will be judged and I hope those who have tainted religion are judged harshly .
3) GCC are newly discovered and developed countries that grew based on OIL , locals that comprises of former Arab countries such as Saudi or Iraq , Iran , wonders searching for a better life and settled and those newel developed governments offering a better life have now perhaps to there peril created a nation of lazy , selfish , corrupt population , that of course don’t wish to share what wealth they have even with expats that have significantly helped put there country on the map in terms of science, business, social , economics .
Its a sad world we live in when those with supposed higher education such as Dr Majeed bin Mohsen Al-Alawi states granting citizen is for worst , ha ha I say you thought process fits into my earlier statements 2 ,3 .
Take a lesson from the west.
1) Those who are hard working law abiding and contribute …..grant citizenship
2) Abolish this attitude GCC Arabs have IM LOCAL …..bla bla bla breads contempt at all levels
3) Show the west that ISLAM is not to be feared, and can be a modern ISLAM tolerant of issues, GOD wants us to choose by our self wrongs and rights.
4) Adhere to 1-3 soon , before its beyond salvage
5) ARABS ARE THERE WORST ENEMY NOT THE WEST.