A new report from the GCC Statistical Centre (GCC-Stat) reveals that Gulf countries collectively sent US$161 billion in workers’ remittances abroad in 2025—a 13.6 per cent jump on the previous year and the highest figure ever recorded globally. Published on 4 October, the data underline the region’s continued reliance on an expanding expatriate labour force to drive mega-projects and service-sector growth. The UAE remains a primary contributor, accounting for an estimated US$48 billion—roughly 30 per cent of the bloc’s total—fuelled by strong hiring in construction, hospitality, financial services and clean-energy sectors. Analysts note that sustained infrastructure spending linked to COP28 legacy projects and Dubai’s D33 economic agenda is attracting mid-career professionals alongside traditional blue-collar cohorts. For destination countries such as India, Pakistan, the Philippines and Egypt, rising remittances provide a critical foreign-currency buffer at a time of tightening global liquidity. The World Bank forecasts that transfers from the GCC could offset up to 15 per cent of current-account deficits in several South Asian economies in 2026. From a mobility perspective, the figures reinforce the importance of competitive visa and residency products like the UAE’s Golden Visa and five-year multi-entry tourist visa, which encourage skilled expatriates to base themselves—and their families—in the Emirates long term. Employers should anticipate intensified regulatory scrutiny around fair recruitment, payroll digitisation and cross-border tax compliance as authorities seek to protect the welfare of migrant workers and formalise remittance channels. Companies deploying staff to the UAE are advised to review compensation structures, factoring in currency-transfer costs and emerging financial-wellness offerings that help employees manage income sent home more efficiently.
Source: Emirates News Agency (WAM)
