The Impact of Immigrant Policy on Indian Contract Migrants: The Case of the United Arab Emirates

The effects of the United Arab Emirates' adoption of immigration policy on Indian contract workers are investigated, drawing on discussions with sundry officials from Indian Migration Assocs, entrepreneurs, media reporters, & Indian workers throughout various regions of the United Arab Emirates. An overview of the principal immigration policy measures implemented in the United Arab Emirates during the late 1990s, eg, the Ministry of Labor's rejection of applications from unskilled laborers from multiple countries, is then provided. Several results of the United Arab Emirates' policy change on Indian contract workers are then identified: eg, most Indian contract migrants have fewer mechanisms available to them to confront contract violations by employers, have been segregated from local populations by being encouraged to reside in overcrowded worker camps, & have experienced declining or stagnant wages. It is concluded that emiratization processes in the United Arab Emirates will necessitate demand for higher skilled workers, professionals, & managers in the near future. 3 Tables, 10 References. J. W. Parker