Attitudes Towards Migrant Workers in the GCC: Evidence from Qatar

Abstract

With the majority of Qatar’s total population made up of foreigners (high-skilled and low-skilled migrant workers), Qatari nationals may feel that there are significant challenges for their society; despite the absence of employment competition, this may lead many Qataris to see problems as well as benefits in the presence of these migrant workers in their country. Using a split-sample technique, Qataris’ attitudes towards these foreigners were assessed. Results suggest that Qataris displayed a stronger positive attitude towards the high-skilled workers, but the difference was much smaller than that found in other societies. This may be attributed to Qataris’ dependence on low-skilled migrants. However, even with the acknowledgement of Qatar’s dependence on these workers, it is still a relatively rare phenomenon in the modern context.