The Gulf Cooperation Council labor market is an example of extraordinary reliance on expat workers.
The total GCC labor force has reached 31.8 million people, which is 54.2 percent of the total population, with males accounting for 78.7 percent and females 21.3 percent. Among this workforce, only 5.6 million are GCC nationals (23.4 percent), and the remaining 26.2 million are expat workers. The result is an economy fueled by expat labor, which creates unique occupational and health safety challenges for multinational firms in the GCC.
Each GCC member state has developed its own OHS framework:
- United Arab Emirates (UAE):Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 regulates labor relations in the private sector and sets baseline obligations for employers to maintain safe workplaces. It requires provision of protective equipment, safety training, and periodic compliance assessments. Administrative Decision No. 19 of 2023 has further details on health, safety, and labor accommodation requirements.
- Saudi Arabia:Amendments to the Labor Law in 2025 introduced penalties based on company size. Companies are grouped into three categories: Category A (more than 50 employees), Category B (21-49 employees), and Category C (20 or fewer employees).
- Oman:Royal Decree 53/2023 established obligations for companies with more than 10 employees to obtain approval for their OHS programs from the Ministry of Labor. In July 2025, the Ministry carried out 81 awareness visits across 90 establishments which had more than 300 employers and employees as a compliance audit.
- Qatar:Labour Law No. 14 of 2004 requires risk assessments, training, and equipment maintenance. The law ensures workplaces remain safe and employers take direct responsibility for hazard prevention.
- Bahrain: OHS rules date back to 1976 and were modelled on the UK Health and Safety at Work Act of 1974. Bahrain has now achieved compliance rates near 100 percent for its summer midday work bans in 2025.
