The Gulf’s 25 million-strong expatriate workforce – the backbone of its diversification economy – faces growing uncertainty as tariff-related slowdowns trigger layoffs across manufacturing, construction and logistics sectors.
Impact by Country:
- UAE: 12% drop in construction visas
- Saudi: 18,000 manufacturing jobs cut
- Qatar: 9% vacancy rate in industrial cities
“Every 1% drop in non-oil exports costs 70,000 jobs,” warns PwC Middle East’s Hani Ashkar.
Domino Effects:
- Remittances to India/Pakistan down 8%
- Dubai real estate vacancies hit 12-year high
- School enrollments drop in expat communities
With nationalization programs (Saudization, Emiratization) accelerating simultaneously, the region faces its most complex labor market crisis in decades.
