The United Arabs Emirates (UAE) is located in the Persian Gulf and borders Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Iran. The country is a association of seven emirates with Abu Dhabi as the capital. The countrys official language is Arabic and has a population of 7,512,000 (2010). With an area of 83, 600 KM2, the country has a population density of 90 persons per kilometer squared. The population in the country has more than doubled since the beginning of the 21st century because of international migration. More than 70% of the countrys population comprise of foreign nations referred to as contract workers. The country has a human Development Index of 0.846 thus a high-income economy (Barry, 2010). The current population comprises of more than two-thirds male, and the trend is expected to remain for the next twenty years even as the population reaches 12 million. The UAE has a growth rate of 2.52% which is expected to reduce to as low as 1.43% in the next 20 years. The current life expectancy at birth is 75.9 years and is expected to increase to 82.7 years in the next 20 years. Infant mortality is also projected to decrease from the current 6.9 infants in every 1,000 live births to 2.4 with the same period. The current population is youthful with children under the age of 15 accounting for a third of the populace (Catriona, 2012). Young persons of ages 15 to 25 account for a fifth of the population. More than 54% of the population is under 25 years.
Migration trends
The UAE has experienced a sharp increase in the number of international immigrates in the last decade with a majority of immigrates coming from India and Pakistan. India account for 66.4% of immigrates in the country whereas Pakistan account for 13.8%. Migration into the country is driven by the demand for labor in the country with a majority of the available jobs on the lower end skill spectrum. Most immigrates in the country work in the construction, domestic, manufacturing, and services sectors. Only 1.2% of the countrys population is abroad and usually returns after doing business or studying in the foreign countries (The demographic profile of the united Arabs Emirates, 2010). Favorite destinations include the United States, United Kingdom, France, Bahrain, and Jordan. Information about remittances is not available. The country is not a signatory of the refugee convention and it does not accommodate refugees and asylum seekers (Barry, 2010).
Migration Policies
The ministry of labor and social affairs has the responsibility of implementing and creating labor laws in the country. However, a majority of the labor laws favor the employer (citizen) over the employee (foreigner). The migration laws No. 8 of 1980 regulate all aspects of the relationship between the employer and employee in the country. Article 10 to 15 covers all the important aspects including the description of who qualifies to work in the country and conditions for disqualification. The treatment of foreign workers in the country is an issue of concern, especially for those working in the domestic sector. The kafala system common in the country is also an issue of concern for the international community because it violates the international workers rights. A major challenge with the kafala system is the confiscation of passport by the employees and the reluctances of authorities to enforce the law when a foreign worker is abused. The system limits the operability of a free labor market because the employee is bound to the employer by contract and his or her stay is only legal if the contract is in force (Catriona, 2012).
References
Barry, M. (2010). Population levels, trends and policies in the Arab region: challenges and opportunities. Arab Human Development Report. United Nations Development Program (UNEP): Research Paper Series.
Catriona, K. (2012). United Arab Emirates Migration Profile. School of Global Affairs and Public Policy: Center for Migration and Refugee Studies. The American University in Cairo.
The demographic profile of the united Arabs Emirates. (2010).
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