🌍 Why Do Arab Countries Prefer Foreign Workers in Hotels? 🏨

Arab countries, especially in the Gulf region (like UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar), often prefer employing foreign workers in the hospitality industry over local workers for several reasons. Here’s why:

1. 💰 Cost-Effectiveness

Foreign workers, particularly from South Asia and Southeast Asia, are willing to work for lower wages compared to local citizens. This is a huge incentive for hotel operators to hire foreign labor, especially for roles such as cleaning, cooking, and serving. Locals tend to expect higher salaries and prefer public sector jobs that offer more security and better pay.
Source: oai_citation:8,Changing the Tide for the Gulf’s Migrant Workers | Wilson Center, oai_citation:7,Omanization Policy and International Migration in Oman | Middle East Institute

2. 🛠️ Job Preferences & Perception

In many Gulf countries, hospitality jobs like waiters or housekeepers are often seen as undesirable for locals. These roles are typically associated with manual labor and are therefore filled by foreigners, while locals often prefer roles in management or government sectors.
Source: oai_citation:6,Foreign workers in Saudi Arabia - Wikipedia, oai_citation:5,Omanization Policy and International Migration in Oman | Middle East Institute

3. 🏢 High Expat Workforce

The GCC has relied heavily on foreign workers since the 1950s to support economic development. Foreigners currently make up 70-90% of the workforce in the private sector in many Gulf countries. This dependence on foreign labor has created an expectation that migrant workers will fill jobs that locals don’t want.
Source: oai_citation:4,Changing the Tide for the Gulf’s Migrant Workers | Wilson Center, oai_citation:3,Foreign workers in Saudi Arabia - Wikipedia

4. 🎓 Skills Gap

There is often a skills gap between the local workforce and the demands of the hospitality industry. Many expatriates come with experience and skills suited to hotel work, while locals may lack vocational training for such jobs. The high level of vocational training needed to compete with experienced foreign workers makes it harder for locals to take on these roles.
Source: oai_citation:2,Omanization Policy and International Migration in Oman | Middle East Institute

5. 📉 Labor Flexibility

The Kafala system historically tied migrant workers to their employers, offering companies more flexibility in hiring and firing workers. This made it easier for hotels to recruit and manage a transient workforce, further solidifying their preference for foreign employees.
Source: oai_citation:1,Changing the Tide for the Gulf’s Migrant Workers | Wilson Center

In summary, foreign workers in the Arab world are cheaper, more experienced, and more willing to take jobs that locals either find undesirable or are underqualified for. This, combined with a labor system that historically favored employers, makes hiring foreign workers a more attractive option for many hotel operators.