Dubai portrayed

Dubai portrayed

migrant workers Dubai

The emirate’s population surpassed 3.5 million in 2022 and, with a major expansion of the city already planned, Dubai’s government expects the population to reach 5.8 million by 2040.

Walking through Dubai, it is impossible not to notice that this is a city shaped by migration. Almost 90 percent of the population consists of foreigners, and for many potential migrant workers, the United Arab Emirates still represents a “land of hope”, a place where the dream of a better future can somehow become possible.

Migrant workers are the people who literally built Dubai from its humble origins as a small town in the 1970s. They are also the people who keep the city functioning every single day. Most construction workers come from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, while domestic and care services are provided mainly by women from countries such as the Philippines and Sri Lanka. They are the human backbone behind the Gulf’s iconic infrastructure.

International coverage has traditionally focused on Dubai’s skyscrapers, luxury hotels and spectacular architecture. Yet, behind this polished image, the living conditions of many migrant workers in Dubai have remained largely unseen.

Since the 1970s, as in other Gulf states, the relationship between employers and migrant workers has been regulated through the kafala sponsorship system.

A 2019 US State Department report noted that the Emirati government “rarely investigated” violations of laws governing the kafala system. Passport confiscations and irregular or unpaid wages have frequently been reported. Weak regulation can leave workers living in crowded labor camps, facing recruitment fees and losing much of their financial independence.

The UAE has no general minimum wage for migrant workers, workers cannot freely form trade unions, and employment regulations can severely limit their ability to change or leave a job. These restrictions have led critics to describe aspects of the kafala system and migrant employment in the Gulf as a form of “modern slavery.”

During my time in Dubai, I saw a city defined by contrasts, divisions and invisible boundaries. Behind the glass towers and immaculate streets are rigid lines separating social classes, nationalities and very different life experiences.

Dubai is undoubtedly an extraordinary city, but its story cannot be told only through its skyline. The UAE still has significant progress to make in protecting the basic rights of migrant workers who arrive with one simple hope: to build a better and more prosperous future.

Pablo Munini © Dubai, September 2023

migrant workers Dubai